ATV Safety Awareness Month
Contributed by Debra McGhan
Driving along Seldon Road, my vision became obscured by a cloud of dust boiling up through the air. Although the road is paved, the dust billowed out behind an off-road vehicle racing along in the dirt. And then suddenly, the air began to clear and I spotted a side-by-side flipped on its top and a group of kids scrambling out of the crashed vehicle.
I pulled over to make sure everyone was okay and realized one of the kids was trapped inside. I dialed 911 and reported the incident and then went to see if there was anything I could do to help.
I hate moments like this. I’m not a trained medic. I have a wilderness first-aid certification but this situation required far more medical training than I have. The minutes waiting for help to arrive slugged by slowly as I did what I could to console the girl caught in the vehicle while her friends huddled close by and called their parents.
Fortunately, being close to Wasilla, it didn’t take the paramedics long to respond and they promptly took over the situation and worked to extract the victim. Soon parents arrived on scene to check on their kids and I was finally free to leave. As I drove away, all I could do is shake my head. Another fun adventure destroyed in an instant due to the inexperience of drivers playing with machines that are bigger and more powerful than they are trained to handle.
This scene plays out far too frequently in the Mat-Su Valley and all across Alaska where more people own ATVs and side-by-sides per capita than any other place in the nation. According to Alaska Vital Statistics, this state also has the highest rate of unintentional injuries and deaths related to the operation of all off-highway vehicles. A statistic that isn’t something we can be proud of.
That is the reason Governor Mike Dunleavy has declared July ATV safety awareness month and calls all parents and operators of these off-highway vehicles to action. Before you let your children drive or ride on an ATV or other off-highway vehicle, get them educated. Alaska Safe Riders (ASR) offers lots of training opportunities, with many sessions at no cost. There is even an online class at https://alaskasaferiders.org/atv/ you can do with your children to ensure everyone understands the rules of the trails and the laws for your community.
In May I had the opportunity to take one of the ATV rider classes offered by ASR at Jim Creek. I was surprised that not more people were taking advantage of this free course. As for me, I felt fortunate to have the chance to learn from some of the nation’s top professional trainers. Plus it was a blast to ride a new machine making the entire day extra special. I learned some valuable new skills and had the thrill of a fast, fun, off-road experience with a group of other riders.
By the end of the session, I could totally understand why the kids, especially those between 12 and 18, love this sport so much. What I don’t understand is why so many parents give their children the keys to these machines yet don’t require them to first take a safety course and wear the proper safety gear to protect them from unintentional injuries and ensure they have a fun, safe adventure.
This July, if you or your family own or operate an ATV, make sure you are properly prepared so that you don’t end up in the emergency room at the local hospital or trauma center. Ensure all riders wear over the ankle boots, long pants, long-sleeve shirts and helmets at a minimum. Gravel rips skin like paper when it is not protected. And traumatic brain injuries alter or end lives in an instant.
You can learn more at https://alaskasaferiders.org Make sure your summer ATV adventures provide fun, positive memories, not life-long scars.