Subscribe
OKINAWA, Japan - The exhilaration of riding an all-terrain vehicle or dirt bike is a thrill many service members enjoy.
While opportunities to ride these vehicles are limited on Okinawa, service members need to be sure safety precautions are taken when the opportunity does arise.
With safety in mind, operating these vehicles can be a fun pastime, according to Paul E. Green, a traffic safety specialist with the Marine Corps Installations Pacific installation safety office.
“Our goal, when riders come to us for training, is to (make) them aware of the risks associated with unsafe riding,” said Green. “The same operational risk-management that service members apply in their daily duties needs to correlate with their off-duty activities as well.”
Individuals who operate personally owned off-road motorcycles, light-utility vehicles and ATVs off-installation must participate in the installation or local dealership’s off-road motorcycle, ATV or LUV course, according to Marine Corps Order 5100.19F.
“It’s important for service members to realize when they go home on leave and jump back into riding that they need to take it slow,” said Green. “The reality is, when you haven’t done something for awhile, you need to ease your way back into it as safely as possible.”
To help keep riders safe from the effects of crashes or falls, proper protective equipment should be worn at all times when operating off-road vehicles, according to Pat Yamashiro, a training technician with the MCIPAC installation safety office.
“The PPE that should be worn includes: a helmet, eye protection, gloves, boots, and appropriate clothing such as long sleeve shirts and pants,” said Yamashiro. “I would recommend extra protective gear such as a chest protector, shoulder pads, and pants with knee and shin pads, as long as they still allow the rider to maneuver the vehicle accordingly.”
Riders planning for an extended ride should remember operating off-road vehicles fatigues riders faster than driving a car, according to Yamashiro.
Never ride alone on long rides, and remember to bring extra fuel and snacks, he added.
Service members have the personal responsibility to prevent injuries. The loss of a service member due to injury can be debilitating to the entire unit.
“You always want to seek to better yourself in everything you do, and you do that through proper training,” said Yamashiro. “We feel like service members receiving the proper training and awareness about off-road vehicle safety increases their chances of avoiding an accident.”
| Date Taken: | 07.11.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 08.02.2012 00:12 |
| Story ID: | 92540 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 20 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Safety paramount while riding all-terrain vehicles, by LCpl Kasey Peacock, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
