Quad Bikes, ATVs, Safety and Gift Experiences in the UK

Quad Biking Experiences

A quad biking experience is a good way to try your hand at quad biking as safety is taken very seriously - these experiences include a safety briefing, training and familiarisation with the quad bikes, protective clothing, purpose built tracks and supervision by a qualified instructor.

Safety First

There have been an increasing number of accidents in the UK involving Quad Bikes used on private land, sometimes involving young children. Even the rich and famous are not immune - Ozzy Ozbourne broke his collar bone, several ribs and a bone in his neck when he crashed his quad bike at his UK estate. On average, 2 people a year in the UK die on quad bikes and thousands more are injured. An adult quad bike can easily crush a child if it overturns and are not recommended for children under 16 years of age.

Some ATVs are designed to be safer for children - they have restricted speed, are more stable, and have enclosed body shells and footwells. If you are going buy one for your child, it should only be under responsible adult supervision and they must wear a proprietary helmet that fits well and is brand new.

If you are thinking of buying an ATV for use on your own land, it is therefore sensible to pay attention to some simple safety precautions, which are given briefly below:

• Wear a helmet - such as a motorcycle helmet which meets either the British Standard BS 6658 or the EU standard ECE 22.05.
• Wear eye protection - the visor from a motorcycle helmet will suffice, or separate goggles to protect your eyes from branches and dust.
• Protective boots with ankle support
• Gloves to protect your hands
• Outerclothing that will not snag on branches.
  (Check out the motorcycle gear page for suitable clothing - clothing that will protect you on a motobike will also protect you on an ATV)
• Don't carry passengers on the ATV or in trailers

Always ensure that somebody knows that you are on your ATV and what time they should expect you to return. If possible, carry a mobile phone so that you will be able to contact someone in case of emergency.

Ensure your ATV is well maintained, paying particular attention to brakes, tyre pressures, steering and check all wheelnuts are securely fastened.

If you are planning a new route, it is adviseable to walk through it in advance, so whilst riding you will be able to avoid very uneven ground and steep slopes.

More detailed safety instructions are beyond the scope of this site, but you can read the HSE Guidelines here (you will need the adobe pdf reader).

Some ATV's are legal for road use. If your ATV is road legal, remember that it will need to have Road Tax and be insured.