How to stay safe when you or your kids are riding ATVs
SKOWHEGAN — Maine wildlife officials are urging off-road vehicle operators to prioritize safety after two separate crashes over the weekend claimed the lives of a teenager and a young adult.
A 20-year-old from North Berwick was killed Saturday in Piscataquis County when the all-terrain vehicle he was riding crashed, according to the Maine Warden Service. Less than 24 hours later, a 15-year-old died in Fort Fairfield following a similar crash. Both victims were riding ATVs at the time of their deaths.
The back-to-back tragedies have prompted the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to remind riders that the machines they operate carry real risks.
"We see folks who disregard that," said Ronald Fournier, a recreational safety supervisor with the department, referring to the importance of protective gear. "But people just don't think it's going to happen to them until it does, and then it's too late."
Since spring, the warden service has investigated six fatal off-road vehicle crashes across the state, five of which involved ATVs or utility task vehicles, commonly called side-by-sides. These figures do not include crashes that occur on public roads, which fall under other agencies' jurisdiction.
Fournier identified two recurring factors in nearly every fatal crash he has seen: excessive speed and the absence of helmets.
"Wearing a helmet is one of the best things you can do to be a safe rider," he said. Maine law requires helmets for riders under 18, though Fournier noted that many adults choose to forgo the protection entirely.
The story is similar with side-by-side vehicles, a category of off-road recreation that has grown dramatically in popularity in recent years.
"Predominantly, they are people who are not wearing their seat belts, not wearing a helmet, and they're being thrown from their vehicle," Fournier said. "They get partially ejected, and then the machine rolls over them."
Beyond personal protective equipment, Fournier advised riders to stay alert to constantly changing trail conditions.
"The terrain is changing all the time," he said. "The terrain can change from a rain event or erosion or just a rock that ends up in the trail."
He recommended that riders treat even familiar trails as unpredictable, especially where visibility is limited, junctions exist, or the path narrows. Signs marking hazards can disappear overnight, he noted.
Another consideration is matching the machine to the rider. Today's ATVs pack far more power than models from a generation ago.
"The models that are coming out nowadays, we're talking 800 to 1,000 cc," Fournier said. "They're faster; they're much more of a vehicle than they ever were."
He cautioned that younger or smaller riders on larger machines may lack the physical weight needed to stabilize the vehicle during difficult terrain.
The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife offers safety certification courses for ATV riders of all ages. While certification is required for minors under 16 operating off their own land, officials recommend the training for anyone who climbs onto an off-road vehicle.
The courses cover equipment maintenance, emergency preparedness, navigation skills, state laws, and trail ethics. In-person classes, taught by certified volunteer instructors, run six to eight hours and are often free. An online option costs roughly $35 and is available to anyone 12 and older.
More information about course schedules and registration is available on the department's website.
