With warmer weather settling in and school set to let out in just a few weeks, families across Northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama are being reminded that ATV season also brings a higher risk of serious and sometimes deadly crashes.

As more children, teens, and adults head outdoors for trail riding and recreation, safety officials say now is the time to slow down, gear up, and make smart decisions before climbing onto an ATV.

Safety experts say many of these tragedies share the same causes: riders not wearing helmets, children operating adult-sized machines, passengers riding on vehicles built for one person, and ATVs being driven on paved roads where they are far more likely to overturn or collide with another vehicle. Alcohol and inexperience are also major factors in many crashes. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says riders should never use ATVs on paved roads, should never carry more passengers than there are seats, and should always wear a helmet and protective gear including goggles, gloves, boots, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt.

Officials also stress that younger riders need special attention. Federal guidance says children under 16 should only ride age-appropriate youth models and should never operate adult ATVs. Training is also strongly encouraged, since many fatal wrecks happen when an inexperienced rider loses control, overturns, or is thrown from the machine. Nationwide, the CPSC says the latest data show an annual average of more than 800 deaths and an estimated 100,000 emergency department-treated injuries involving off-highway vehicles.

With summer approaching, law enforcement and safety advocates want families to treat ATV safety the same way they would water safety or seat belt safety. A fun day outside can turn tragic in seconds when riders cut corners. Parents are urged to supervise young riders closely, make sure machines fit the rider, and insist on helmets every trip, every time.