Phoenix, AZ -(AmmoLand.com)- The Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds all off-highway vehicle (OHV) drivers and passengers to wear the proper safety gear, including a helmet, in the wake of a fatal accident that killed a 4-year-old boy near Benson on Sunday.
The boy was a passenger in the OHV when it rolled, ejecting him from the vehicle, according to the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, which investigated the crash. He suffered fatal injuries in the crash.
While there is currently no law regulating how old a passenger must be to ride within an OHV, depending on the size of the machine, manufactures recommend that children no younger than 16 years old operate these machines.
“It’s critically important not only for all OHV drivers and passengers to always wear a helmet, but to make sure everyone is the proper size for the machine they are riding by checking the manufacturer’s age warning label, which can vary by machine,” said Matt Eberhart, Game and Fish OHV Safety Education coordinator. “An OHV is already a very large machine and smaller passengers are at an increased risk of injury.”
Helmets are required by law for all riders under the age of 18 regardless of the off-highway vehicle type. However, they are strongly recommended for all riders. In addition riders should remember to:
- Wear a seat belt at all times, if equipped.
- Only carry the number of passengers recommended by the manufacturer for your vehicle. Often many accidents are the result of too many people riding a machine that was designed for fewer passengers.
- Wear riding goggles, a long-sleeved shirt, pants, riding gloves and over-the-ankle boots.
- Never ride alone.
- Be prepared and equipped with a map, a first aid kit, whistle and have basic tools on hand.
- Stay on designated trails.
- Take an OHV safety education course designed to teach off-road motorists how to ride safely and responsibly.
For more information about the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s OHV program and safety course options, visit www.azgfd.gov/ohv.
About the Arizona Game and Fish Department:
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is the state agency charged with conserving the entire range of wildlife within our borders, from big game such as elk and deer to smaller mammals, reptiles and fish. The Department is one of the nation’s leading proponents of the “North American Model of Wildlife Conservation,” which relies on sound science, public participation, active habitat management, strict regulation and active law enforcement to sustain wildlife populations.
For more information, visit: www.azgfdportal.az.gov.