In recent years, powersports among the youth have exploded in popularity. Mostly due to the adoption of EV dirt bikes and their ilk, but also to things like ATVs, snowmobiles, and UTVs, as manufacturers have paid closer attention to the market. But that's also led to a rash of accidents, injuries, and bad behavior that's caused firestorm after firestorm in the press. 

Much, however, is stuff older generations did themselves. Whether it's illegally riding their dirt bikes wherever they want, tearing through cornfields on ATVs or in UTVs (older folks likely did this in trucks), or generally causing grief within the older populations, we were all young once. That said, wear a helmet, and to the parents out there, make your kids wear a damn helmet and know the laws.

But the current media cycle is what it is, and the want for kids to be safe, Polaris and the Minnesota 4H are teaming up for an expansion of the youth ATV safety program, aiming to keep kids out of ERs, as well as out of the local and national papers.

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"Polaris in partnership with Minnesota 4-H, is expanding its youth ATV safety education with the launch of a new interactive safety adventure available on CLOVER, 4-H's online learning platform," starts the press release, adding, "At its core, Trailblazers are built around a simple idea: learning safety should be as engaging and rewarding as the adventures young riders dream about having."

The interactive experience is one that, in my experience, recreates a lot of the same learnings I did in my Hunter Education safety course, in that it presents a wealth of knowledge and know-how while making you work with the software, rather than just retaining a book's worth of knowledge. It's a great first step that sets you up for success with fieldwork, i.e., behind the wheel or the bars of a powersport vehicle. 

It is, however, geared toward ages 10-13, but I could also see how this, with some light modifications, can help teach both younger and older than that age range, too. Again, see my Hunter Ed course. 

Speaking about the program, Minnesota 4-H ATV Safety Ambassador, Rebecca Anderson, said, "I've personally learned that ATV safety is something that needs to be taught, not assumed. It's important to me that other youth learn ATV safety as well, so I wanted to help make it fun because when kids enjoy it, they actually remember it. That's how you build good habits early."  

Good habits, indeed. With the advent of technology that can record 24/7, and no vacant lots not under constant surveillance, we need to instill good habits as soon as we start teaching our kids. Both for their own safety, as well as not further causing folks to be up in arms with "THE YOUTHS!"

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