SAFETY SHOULD be the No 1 objective with ATV owners after the damning statistics from the Health and Safety Executive which showed that 62% of all Scottish farms visited by their inspectors did not comply with safety guidelines.

Following inspector visits to 58 farms over a two-week period in the early part of June, 36 improvement notices were issued, with the majority of them (25) for using ATVs without appropriate training and 10 were for a lack of suitable head protection. Only one was issued for poor maintenance.

On average, two people die and over 1000 are injured in ATV accidents each year, the HSE says. Three agricultural workers died in incidents involving ATVs in Scotland in the four years up to 2008/09, according to official statistics.

The 10 golden rules of safety

1, Take an European ATV Safety Institute (EASI) rider safety training course.

2, Always wear a helmet and other protective gear.

3, Read your machine’s owners manual and familiarise yourself with the importance of all warning labels displayed on your ATV.

4, Avoid paved surfaces.

5, Never ride on public roads unless your machine is a quadricycle that has been specifically manufactured for this purpose and complies with the relevant type approval code for that particular model of quadricycle and you hold the correct type of driving licence and insurance.

6, Never ride under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.

7, Never carry a passenger unless your machine has been specifically designed and manufactured to do so.

8, Ride an ATV that’s right for your age and experience.

9, Supervise riders younger than 16 – ATVs are not toys.

10, Ride only on designated trails and at a safe speed.