Turner students enjoy ATV safety course

Hands-on training teaches students safe and responsible riding skills On Monday, November 10, 16 Turner students from fifth grade through junior high age took a course designed to promote safety on ATVs. The class was conducted in an open area to the west of the school’s main campus, and was taught by Abigail Daniel, State ATV Safety Specialist for OSU Extension Services, who works in partnership with Oklahoma Farm Bureau to provide the class.

Daniel trailered in eight small ATVs, along with helmets and other safety equipment.

“We know that the death rate for kids on ATVs is too high, and we want to lower that number,” explained Daniel. “We use curriculum powered by the ATV Safety Institute to teach kids how to safely ride ATVs, everything from the proper gears, to shifting weight for turns, safe speed, riding over objects, adjusting speed based on terrain, and plenty more. We want to have kids out riding and having fun but doing it safely.”

Students were allowed to sign up on a first come, first served basis, but did have to have their parents complete some prerequisite paperwork. The students were also required to complete a pre-training computer course before being allowed to participate in the riding workshop, which was a huge hit.

Turner student Journey McLeod learned that ATVs can be fun. “But if you’re not safe, then it’s not fun,” she said.

“I am thankful I got to do it, and I learned a lot,” said student Aidenn Holland. “Now, if anybody needed help with riding, I could show them.”

Kit Dinwiddie, a member of Turner’s Board of Education, coordinated the event.

“It’s so relevant to us,” said Dinwiddie. “We are rural, we have a lot of places to ride, and our kids are raised to ride, so it’s a real-life skill for them. It just made sense to me to ask for the course. It’s hard to talk about, but we all know someone who’s been hurt or killed on an ATV, and that was my motivation. I want the kids to enjoy riding, but I want them to be safe.”

Dinwiddie considers ATV safety for Turner’s students of great importance and would love to repeat the course again next year.

Turner students enjoy ATV safety course

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