IRVINE, Calif. — The ATV Safety Institute (ASI) will provide free rider training for the third straight year during ATV Safety Week. The ASI is again working with partners across America who are volunteering to provide free ATV RiderCourses and other safety education June 3-12. 

“We invite everyone with an ATV to take the first step toward safe ATV riding by taking an ASI RiderCourse. Come out to your local range, meet our instructors, have some fun, and learn.  We’re making the class available to adults, youth and families all over the country early in the riding season,” said Cam Arnold, vice president, rider training,ATV Safety Institute. “ATV Safety Week is all about learning the eight Golden Rules for safe riding, and we can think of no better way to highlight them than to offer our class at no charge.” 

The ATV RiderCourse is free for those who sign up during ATV Safety Week. Riders can find the closest training sites by going to ATVSafety.org and clicking on the ATV Safety Week logo. Additional locations will be added as they are confirmed. Riders should call 800-887-2887 to sign up for a class. 

According to the last analysis of Consumer Product Safety Commission data, 92% of all ATV-related fatalities are the result of warned-against behaviors, such as youth riding on adult-sized ATVs. During ATV Safety Week, riders can learn about the proper operation of their machine, find out about helmets and other proper protective gear, and learn ways to dramatically reduce risk.

The ATV RiderCourse is also free year-round to purchasers of a qualifying ATV from an ATV Safety Institute member company. The ASI also offers a free E-Course, which is available online 24/7. This online course is available in three age-specific courses -- adults, teens and children. Students learn how to apply the Golden Rules of ATV riding in an interactive setting. The E-Course includes videos, pictures, and games to make it a fun and effective learning experience for all ages. After finishing the course, users can take an ATV safety exam and receive a certificate of completion. 

The ATV Safety Institute's Golden Rules: 

  1. Always wear a DOT-compliant helmet, goggles, long sleeves, long pants, over-the-ankle boots, and gloves.
  2. Never ride on paved roads except to cross when done safely and permitted by law — another vehicle could hit you. ATVs are designed to be operated off-highway.
  3. Never ride under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
  4. Never carry a passenger on a single-rider ATV, and no more than one passenger on an ATV specifically designed for two people.
  5. Ride an ATV that's right for your age.
  6. Supervise riders younger than 16; ATVs are not toys.
  7. Ride only on designated trails and at a safe speed.
  8. Take a hands-on ATV RiderCourse and the free online E-Course. Visit ATVsafety.org or call 800.887.2887.

The All-Terrain Vehicle Safety Institute, a not-for-profit division of the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, was formed in 1988 to implement an expanded national program of all-terrain vehicle safety education and awareness. The ASI is sponsored by Arctic Cat, BRP, Honda, Kawasaki, KYMCO USA, Polaris, Suzuki and Yamaha.