KARL SEMLER
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma
Yuma, Arizona

It was December, and I was four months into my retirement from the U.S. Marine Corps. I had a great job and was living the American dream. I had neighbors that most folks would envy. They had all the toys — boats, jet skis, all-terrain vehicles and sand rails. Many times, I watched them load those toys onto trailers and head out for some fun while I stood there pondering, “Where did I go wrong?”

All that changed during that holiday season when my wife gave me the green light to buy two ATVs and a trailer to transport them. I was shocked and jumped at the chance to buy a pair of Suzuki Z400s. They were the fastest models on the market at the time, and my neighbors were impressed. The look on my daughter’s face was priceless. Kayla was happy to have a top-of-the-line ATV, complete with full safety gear, to ride on Christmas Day.

Considering Kayla had never operated any kind of vehicle, we started out slowly, riding behind our house in the open desert. She seemed to pick it up quickly. The excitement of getting her own ATV for Christmas and knowing her friends were out riding theirs was too much to handle. She asked me to take her to the sand dunes so she could join them. Not wanting to spoil a great bonding moment, I agreed before considering the potential consequences. So the next morning we loaded our ATVs onto the trailer and drove 20 minutes to the sand dunes.

Kayla was proud, standing there in her new riding gear as I offloaded our ATVs. She heard her friends excitedly talking about how lucky she was that her first ATV was such a fast one. Once I had the ATVs off the trailer, she jumped on hers and was ready to go. While I was putting on my gear, I overheard my next-door neighbor warning her that it can be very dangerous on the dunes with all the other riders. He suggested she go slow and get used to her ATV before getting too aggressive.

Our neighbor led us and a couple of Kayla’s girlfriends from school, Nikki and Candy, to an area relatively free of other riders. Kayla followed me, doing a great job shifting through the gears and smiling like I hadn’t seen in awhile. We got to our location, parked on top of a sand dune and turned off our ATVs. The girls wanted to ride in small area nearby. I had no problem with that as long as they stayed close and we could see them. I was happy to see Kayla was riding within her limits, so I began to relax and talk with my neighbor.

About five minutes later, I noticed Kayla was getting more confident — enough that I began to worry. I was about to go out and tell her to slow down when I saw her flying downhill wide open in third gear. At the bottom of the hill, she hit a small lip that launched her 20 feet through the air. I was shocked when the ATV hit the ground, bounced her over the handlebars and then ran over her. When I got to her, she was unconscious. It took about 20 seconds for her to come to. You can imagine how I felt, being the one who allowed her to get into that situation. We were blessed to see her stand up and walk away with nothing worse than a sore back.

The drive home was a long one as I thought about how seriously she could have been injured. The only thing I’d done right during the entire process was buy her the proper riding gear. I’d made sure she had a Department of Transportation-certified full-face helmet, long-sleeve padded shirt, riding pants and gloves. I’m 100 percent convinced that Kayla’s helmet saved her from traumatic injuries.

Looking back, I wish I’d talked to the motorcycle safety experts at the base safety office before buying the ATVs. I’m sure they would have suggested I buy a smaller, less powerful model for her. What was I thinking when I bought a race-ready 400cc quad for a 13-year-old girl who’d never ridden before? I’m certain this accident wouldn’t have happened had I purchased a less powerful quad.

I was also at fault for thinking the 20-minute instructional ride I took her on Christmas Day was enough to make her a competent rider. At that time, I wasn’t aware of the training available through the ATV Safety Institute (http://www.atvsafety.org/). I would highly recommend any parents purchasing an ATV for themselves or their children take that training.

It was just a matter of time before my wife heard about the accident from our neighbors — Kayla and I sure didn’t want to tell her. What amazed me was Kayla didn’t protest when I sold both ATVs three days later. She’d already had one ride too many.

I learned an important lesson the hard way. When it comes to beginners on ATVs, the best way to end upright is to start off right. You can always go bigger when your skills get better.


FYI

Because of their ability to handle challenging terrain and conditions, ATVs are popular during the winter months with hunters, recreational riders and others who need the enhanced mobility ATVs provide. Here are some useful safety tips to keep you safe during the winter months:

• Install a set of hand warmers underneath your hand grips along with one for the throttle switch.

• Add an ATV windshield to keep you warmer by blocking the wind from your head, torso and hands.

• Use tires designed to get a good grip on the snow. Remember, wider tires have less ground pressure than narrower ones and are more likely to float and swim.

• Check your owner’s manual to make sure you have the proper engine oil for the winter temperatures. This is especially important when starting a cold engine.

• Stay warm by dressing in multiple layers. Avoid wearing cotton. Instead, wear a thin, moisture-wicking base layer to avoid trapping sweat against your skin. Next, wear a thicker, warmer moisture-wicking layer. Finish up with a waterproof, breathable garment that will protect you from the wind while letting sweat escape.

• Wear warm, flexible footwear so you can effectively operate foot levers and pedals for shifting and braking.

• Wear a helmet — motocross helmets are an excellent choice — and install a breath box to prevent your face shield from fogging. Consider using goggles or face shields with dual-pane lenses that won’t fog up.