FORT MYERS — Bill Hagn camped out with his son in Okeechobee one recent night so 10-year-old Billy would be on time for class the next morning.
Billy attended an all-terrain vehicle safety course at L-Cross Extreme Events in order to ride his ATV and dirt bike legally in Florida.
Under a new law, ATV and dirt bike riders ages 6 through 16 must have certification proving they completed an off-highway vehicle safety course to ride on public land.
Too many deaths and injuries "have given a black eye to ATV and off-highway vehicles," said John Waldron, Forest Recreation Administration coordinator for the Division of Forestry.
In 2006, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported 555 died while ATV riding. Children younger than 16 made up 111 of those deaths.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reported in 2006 that 771 crashes were related to ATVs. More than 680 involved injuries, while 23 were fatal.
Waldron said the original Florida law created in 2002 was to find areas for off-highway vehicle riders.
But the number of minors' fatalities prompted the safety revision, which passed last year and gives young riders a year to complete the training course.
Waldron said children between the ages of 6 and 16 must have their certificates when riding on public land. Those without their certificates will be charged for a noncriminal infraction and may be fined up to $100 or have their privilege revoked.
The law does not pertain to private property. According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, ATV driving is prohibited in the county except on private property.
Hagn has mixed feelings about the new law.
He said there are children who need the training because of their unsafe driving habits, but the provision is unfair for parents like him who make sure their children ride safely.
"It's an extra burden," he said.
Paul Carrington is one of 123 instructors from the ATV Safety Institute conducting classes in Florida. The ATV Safety institute is a division of the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, which is based in Irvine, Calif., and focuses on safety, education and awareness.
"I make sure everyone knows their four-wheelers," Carrington said.
Carrington has been training students since 2003. He said the courses usually last about four hours.
The ATV institute trains riders on three primary components. First, they're taught about preriding inspection as well as starting, stopping and swerving in emergencies.
Second, they learn about protection: helmets, eye gear, long shirts and pants, gloves and over-the-ankle boots.
Third, they're taught about environmental responsibility: how to cross streams and share nature trails.
"I have never had a kid have a problem," Carrington said. "I've had adults, but I've never had a kid. They listen better."
Missy Licourt drove her two daughters Nichole, 10, and Erika, 13, from Naples for the safety training course in Okeechobee on Saturday.
She said her daughters have been riding ATVs since they were 4. She likes the law because it promotes safety.
"I don't think the four-wheelers are unsafe, but the riders are," she said.
The four children in the class participated in an Observer Course where they watched adult riders perform safety and riding maneuvers.
Carrington's riders showed them proper posture, leaning and the placement of hands and feet in different riding scenarios.
"I thought it was helpful," Billy said.
He said he learned about applying all three brakes when riding and also the importance of wearing his safety gear.
The children didn't have the proper ATV for their age, so they had to observe the course, Carrington said.
"I know they would have a lot more fun if they were riding, but they're still learning," Carrington said.
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