Riding an ATV is fun, cool and adventurous, but any rider should follow some safety rules in order to prevent accidents or unfortunate incidents. An ATV safety course is the best way to find out and learn the precautions to take into consideration before riding ATVs.

Pre-ride Inspection
The first thing you should do is make a pre-ride inspection of the ATV. This pre-ride checklist contains: tires, wheels, brakes, throttle, loose nuts or bolts, light and switches, foot shifter, oil and fuel level, chain or drive shaft, and toolkit. For a complete list, you should check the owner`s manual, as every ATV should have a complete tool kit provided by the manufacturer.

Safety Gear and Clothing
Because of the ATV structure, riders should always wear a helmet that corresponds to the safety standards. The helmet must fit and be securely fastened. If the helmet does not feature adequate face shield, riders should wear safety goggles for eye protection. Remember that sunglasses are not safety goggles.

Proper clothing is also a must. It is strongly recommended for riders to wear proper clothing: gloves, long sleeved shirt, long pants, and boots. Best protection is offered by off-road type gloves because they feature padding over the knuckles. When it is about boots, the ones that rise above the ankles are the most suitable ones. For serious riding experiences, the off-road racing gear is the best choice, because this type of clothes has padded areas at the shoulders, elbows, and knees.

Basic Safety Rules
After all the conditions above have been met, there are some basic safety rules to follow when riding:

Keep your feet on the footrests. An ATV is a not a motorcycle, so do not put your foot down while turning.

The seat is made to accommodate only one person, so ride alone. More passengers make the ATV harder to control and many accidents happen because of the added weight on the ATV.

Keep in mind that ATVs are designed for off-road use, so riding on concrete or pavement makes the ride more difficult to control.

Make sure you have the proper skills and experience before trying tough riding areas.