Ride smart, live long - The essential guide to ATV and UTV safety

Dec 29, 2023

All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and Utility Task Vehicles (UTVs) are not just vehicles for adventure and utility; they are also a responsibility. With over 100,000 emergency room visits and around 650 fatalities annually in the U.S. due to ATV/UTV incidents, safety can't be overemphasized.

While ATVs and UTVs are versatile for tasks like towing, hauling, and snow plowing, they pose significant risks. These vehicles, often weighing over 2,000 lbs., are prone to rollovers, especially on paved roads, and are not designed for passengers, making them particularly hazardous.

To mitigate these risks, adhering to safety strategies is imperative. Wearing a helmet with good peripheral vision is crucial, particularly on ATVs. Avoiding loose clothing and ensuring that long hair is tied up can prevent entanglement in the vehicle's moving parts. It's also essential for the operator to comfortably reach and operate controls, stand upright while straddling the seat, and possess enough strength to manage the vehicle, including pushing it off if pinned underneath.

Children under 16 should not operate adult-sized ATVs or any UTVs. Driving these vehicles on paved or public roads is a strict no-no. Safety courses are highly recommended to familiarize operators with these vehicles' nuances.

Remember, what’s legal isn’t always safe. When riding ATVs and UTVs, it's not just about the ride; it's about riding to live. Be smart, be safe.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.