Mini ATVs are a great way to get your kids away from the video games and out of the house, but how safe are they for your children? Well, the experts are saying that it’s all up to you how safe your kids are when riding mini ATV’s. There are a few “rules” you should follow.

First, make sure to buy a suitable mini ATV for your child. Don’t get something for your child to grow into, because this will be dangerous for him or her now. As a general rule, assuming that your child is of average size and weight for his or her age, children ages six through twelve should ride mini ATVs that are less than 70cc’s. From ages 12 through 15 70cc to 90cc mini ATVs are more appropriate. Children from ages 16 and over should have no problems handling 90cc’s or more.

The next rule for parents of mini ATV riding children is to teach them that safety is not an option. Safety on mini ATVs needs to be a habit, something that is ingrained into their young brains so that they don’t have to think about it when they are riding. Let’s face it, when you are riding your ATV, are you thinking about being safe or are you thinking about having fun? And you aren’t even a kid. Safety needs to be something that they don’t have to think about, but something that comes automatically for them so that they can have fun and be safe at the same time.

Mini ATVs are great fun for people of all ages. That doesn’t mean that safety should be a secondary thought to fun. Make sure that you are setting a good example when you ride alongside your kids by practicing safe ATV’ing. They will follow with safe practices of their own when they are with you, and then later when they are old enough to ride without your constant supervision. Safety while riding mini ATVs is ultimately in the hands of the rider, but if a young rider hasn’t been properly taught how to safely ride his or her mini ATV, then it is difficult to blame the rider when accidents happen.