Off-Road Vehicle Safety

In Alberta, there are an average of 175 hospital admissions and 1,646 visits to the emergency department each year that are related to the use of off-road vehicles among children and youth.¹

Using off-road vehicles is one way that people can get outdoors and explore the trails. Off-road vehicles may also be used for farm work in an agricultural setting. Common vehicles used for off-roading include motorized quads (ATVs or all-terrain vehicles), motorized trikes, side-by-sides, and dirt bikes. Young children may accompany adults as passengers when adults are off-roading and older children may be driving their own off-road vehicles.

The improper use of off-roading vehicles can cause serious injury or death. In fact, children under the age of 16 are 4 times more likely than adults to suffer a serious ATV injury.² Children under 16 years of age made up 15% of ATV-related deaths in Alberta from 2009 to 2019.³ The Canadian Pediatric Society⁴ recommends that children under the age of 16 should not operate an off-road vehicle, as children do not have the same knowledge, judgement, experience, and strength as adults when it comes to operating a motorized vehicle. The Injury Prevention Centre recommends that children under the age of 16 do not drive off-road vehicles.

If an off-road vehicle is being used, to minimize the risk of injury:

• Wear a helmet (It is the law in Alberta)
• Drive sober
• Do not double on machines designed for a solo driver
• Use the right sized off-road vehicle
• Add a crush protection device to an ATV (quad)
• Get trained