Yamaha Motor Australia's ATV Safety Institute is associated with The Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA) which was formed in the USA in 1988 to implement an expanded national program of All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) safety education and awareness across USA. Through continued training in the USA and in Australia the Yamaha Motor Australia's ATV Safety Institutes' primary goal is to promote the safe and responsible use of ATVs in Australia, thereby reducing injuries that may result from improper operation by the rider.
More than seven million people ride ATVs in the USA; in Australia this figure is approaching 105,000 riders.
In the USA the ATV operator injury rate has substantially declined since 1984, in part due to the America Safety Institute's (ASI) safety education and public awareness program.
The Yamaha Motor Australia's ATV Safety Institute will continue to be an information source about ATV standards based on the USA SVIA safety programs. It will lead the way in expanding and implementing ATV rider-training programs Australia wide.
The ATV Rider Course
This practical one day ATV Rider Course is conducted by licensed Yamaha ATV Safety Institute Instructors. It offers students an opportunity to increase their safety knowledge and to practice basic to advanced riding skills in a controlled environment under the direct supervision of a licensed Instructor.
Students practice safety techniques with hands-on exercises eg: starting and stopping, turning (both gradual and quick), negotiating hills, emergency stopping and swerving, and riding over obstacles.
The course also covers protective gear, environmental responsibility, ATV pre-start safety checks, understanding machine and personal capabilities, securing ATV for transport, correct loading/unloading of the ATV, appropriate ATV attachments, awareness of trailer/load limitations, 4WD versus 2WD, diff lock use & Hi/Low range use.
Participants receive the ATV Rider Course Manual, which reinforces the safety information and riding techniques covered during the ATV Rider Course. Riders younger than 16 are restricted to ATVs of the appropriate size recommended for the rider's age. There are special teaching provisions for students younger than 16, and parents are encouraged to attend as well. Students younger than 12 participate in separate classes, and a parent must be present during the entire course.
