The first time you take an ATV out to the desert you’ll likely feel like a kid on the world’s biggest playground. Miles of vast, open desert with rolling dunes beckon you to come and explore. However, before you jump on that ATV and head into the wild unknown, make sure you’ve covered some safety basics first. Knowing what not to do on an ATV is just as important as knowing what to do. Avoiding the most common mistakes that new ATV riders make in the desert and help you prevent accidents, injuries, and may even save your life.
Failing to Learn About New Terrain
You can also roll an ATV in the desert even if you’re experienced simply by not knowing the terrain. For instance, let’s say you’re looking into quad bike/ ATV machine rental in Dubai but you’re used to California deserts. Taking off without testing the terrain first can also lead to rollovers.
Failing to Install Nerf Bars
Nerf bars help you to rest your feet easily without the temptation to drag them. Dragging your feet while on an ATV can lead to a number of injuries. Out on the desert, where the sand is hot and coarse and rocks often hide beneath the surface, you can cut yourself up pretty badly, even if you have protective shoes. This could lead to serious injury. Purchase Nerf bars for your ATV to help stay safe while you explore the desert.
Underestimating the Power of the Throttle
Do not, under any circumstances, dig into the throttle and take off without practicing first. Many beginner ATV riders think they can jam their thumb into the throttle, take off across the desert, and drive it like a miniature car. However, an ATV is not a car, and you need to learn how to use it before increasing your speed. Thumbing the throttle too hard can cause you to end up underneath, or thrown off of, your ATV, and serious injuries can result.
Feeling Invincible
There’s no doubt about it; owning an ATV can be empowering and fun. However, a false sense of security is a recipe for disaster when driving your ATV in the desert. If you wind up injured or hurt in a remote location, it can turn a wonderful day into a catastrophic situation very quickly. Don’t check your humility at the door; you’ll need it.
Rolling the ATV
If you’re looking at your ATV’s giant tires and low center of gravity and wondering how on Earth you could possibly roll it, don’t be fooled. There are many ways to roll an ATV, especially in the desert, and ATV rollovers are more common than you might think. One of the most common ways to roll an ATV is to “loop out”, which occurs when you take off too fast. The power of the ATV causes the front to pull up, much like a bucking horse. This can cause you to fall backward, taking the ATV with you. Another common reason for desert rollovers is heading up or down a steep dune.
The ATV can easily tumble due to the change in your center of gravity, leaving you underneath the ATV. While rollovers are never a good thing, they can be even more dangerous in the desert where soft sands can leave you literally buried under your vehicle.
