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Susan: In this segment of ATV Aware
we're going to talk about driving ATVs on roads.
One of the biggest misconceptions about riding ATVs
is that it's safer to ride on a road.
Guess what? It's not.
And not just because there's traffic on roads,
that doesn't even rank at the top of reasons why.
Not only is it dangerous, it's the law in Nebraska.
No operating an ATV or UTV on highways, County roads
or any public roadway is allowed
unless it's for an agricultural reason.
So if you need to check cows
or move a pivot and driving down the County road
or highway is the only way to get there.
You are legal.
As long as you have a driver's license.
If you are driving down those roads
for any other reason, you're breaking the law.
The only two exceptions are to cross a public road.
And if your small town allows permits
to drive on the streets.
Why would no driving on a road be a law in Nebraska?
A lot of reasons actually.
These tires are not designed for pavement or gravel.
Think about the difference between
a car tire and an ATV tire.
The car tire is designed for roads
because it's narrow, low tread, with high air pressure
typically 33 to 35 pounds per square inch.
About as opposite as it gets
ATV tires are super fat looking,
wide with deep tread to grip and grab
everything in their path.
What we don't see and what maybe ATV owners
don't even realize is that the air pressure in these tires
should only be 10 to 15 pounds per square inch.
That seems almost flat.
They need to be that way because they're designed
for dirt off the road, not on roads.
This kind of tire on the road is simply dangerous.
Now, consider that stability is compromised
because of a narrow wheel base and a high center of gravity.
That means tipping over on turns
happens much easier than with other vehicles.
Of course, there's also traffic
and other vehicles won't see you as well
as if you were in a car.
And one more strike against roads
is that speed becomes the issue.
We feel so safe on the road and we tend to go way too fast.
You think it will never happen to you, check out this guy.
He didn't either.
He had just a subtle movement of sitting up a little bit
and then boom,
that center of gravity is compromised.
Now that you know what to look for, let's watch it again.
See, he gently lifts up
and flips so fast that the guy behind
didn't even have time to notice what was happening.
Doesn't even turn his head.
I'm not sure how badly this man was hurt
but it couldn't have been good.
That ATV landed right on top of him.
So combining the wrong tires, narrow wheel base,
high center of gravity, tendency to speed and low visibility
for other vehicles, roads are the kiss of death
with all those factors against us.
Many fatal crashes happen on a road,
even on the best dirt surfaces
ATVs require weight shifts and slower speeds.
So keep it in the dirt,
slow down before the turn,
and never break when you're turning.
Not only should we always stay off roads,
we should stick to terrain that we know.
But sometimes that terrain changes and we have to be aware
of potential hazards, never let down your guard.
And that means scan and search and don't fixate.
Identify hazards up ahead.
Predict what might happen
as a result of your choices.
Decide what to do,
slow down to do it and execute your decision to reduce risk
by changing your path, or maybe adjusting your speed.
All those things that we do when we're not stressed
and not reacting to an urgent situation.
Just give yourself time to think before you act.
I'm Susan Harris, Nebraska Extension Educator
in Rural Health Wellness and Safety.
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