EASI training for ATVs
ATV accidents cause more than 1000 serious injuries a year; and while you might consider you don’t need training, your insurance could be rendered useless without it.
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If you’re employing people, you could be breaking the law if you fail to provide adequate training.
There are several suitable providers, one of which is the European ATV Safety Institute (or EASI).
Manufacturers like Honda, Polaris, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha now offer free and heavily discounted places on EASI training courses when an ATV is bought. Rather than seeing it as unnecessary, why not book yourself and your employees on one and get a certificate?
Each course lasts about 4.5 hours and consists of 16 sections. Safety checks and maintenance are first up. You’ll be expected to know how to check the oil, tyre pressures and fuel levels before ensuring the bike is left in a safe state.
It’s advisable to wear a helmet at all times. Most ATV fatalities result from head injuries and it’s worth remembering that no one wearing a helmet has ever been killed in an ATV accident in the UK. Suitable helmets include riding hats, motorcycle hats or even cycle helmets, as long as they have a chinstrap and can be used with eye protection.
Advice on turning, quick stops and swerves, as well as driving over obstacles is all part of the course.
When driving across a slope, always keep your weight to the uphill side of the ATV.When going downhill slide your weight backwards and use engine braking to slow you in the right gear. Uphill ATV riding can sometimes be the trickiest; always review the route carefully before committing yourself.
The course closes with a trail ride, before the instructor fills in the evaluation forms and, if successful, participants will get a certificate.
The HSE cites several key underlying causes of accidents, including excessive speed, incorrect cornering and towing excessive loads with unbraked equipment. Because of this, EASI are about to launch a course designed more for the utility bike rider, highlighting safe loading and towing techniques.
