Top 10 Things You Should NEVER Do on a UTV

Riding a UTV is one of the most exhilarating experiences for any off-roader because of the endless adventure possibilities. Although riding a UTV can be fun, it also has its limitations in order to keep you and your passenger’s safe when riding. Before you turn on the engine on your brand new UTV, there are a few things you need to keep in mind to never do while riding. Here are our top 10 things you should NEVER do on a UTV.

1. Never Drive Alone:

One of the most important tips we can give you when riding a UTV is to NEVER ride alone. Whether you are riding with another vehicle or have someone riding with you in the passenger seat, it is a good idea to have an experienced rider be with you to show you the ropes of UTV riding. If you get lost, your UTV breaks down, or has an accident when riding, having someone else there can help you fix your unit or go and get help.

Insider Tip: You are probably safe to ride alone if you are riding in a popular area with many other UTV enthusiasts, but try to stay with a group.

2. Never Ride Unprotected:

When riding a UTV, it is very important that you are well protected. Many riders only wear the absolute minimum of a helmet and eye protection, but a rider should wear all necessary protective gear. UTV accidents occur all the time and it is essential that the rider and passengers are well protected. Here is a list of gear we recommend you wear when riding your UTV to keep you and your family safe.

Helmet: Wearing a helmet is the law of course so every person (the rider and passengers) must be wearing a helmet at all times when riding the dunes.
Goggles: goggles or eye protection are also very important to wear because they will keep sand/debris from getting in your eyes and allow you to keep your eyes on the road at all times.
Bright Colored Clothing: wear bright-colored clothing so you can stand out. Anything that will make you be seen by other riders is a good idea

3. Never Ride During Dusk/Sunset:

Riding a UTV is all fun and enjoyment until you are not able to see where you are going. It is not a good idea to ride your UTV during dusk/sunset because riding will be more challenging. The sun is setting and you will not have the same visibility as you would if you were riding in the daytime. You will not have enough light and things like fog and dust will reduce your visibility in the distance making it more difficult to read the terrain. You will be dealing with shadows that will make the terrain hard to judge even if it’s a section you rode earlier in the day. Having poor visibility can cause you to crash with another vehicle or hit things in the terrain that can cause you to have an accident.

4. Never Do Donuts:

When someone starts to drive a UTV, the first things they want to start doing are doughnuts. However, it is not a good idea to do doughnuts in a tall UTV with active-long travel suspension. Doing doughnuts in a vehicle like a UTV can land your unit on its side causing you and your passengers to get injured and your vehicle to get damaged or totaled.

5. Never Assume Anyone Is on the Other Side of a Dune:

If you are riding the dunes, the driver must be alert of their surroundings and be ready to react instantly in case you come across another UTV on the terrain. We recommend to NEVER to straight up on a dune because you do not know what is on the other side. Another UTV can be on the other side causing an instant collision or you can get yourself into a witch's eye or razorback. The best way to ride is to be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times.

Insider Tip: The best way to “inspect” the backside of a dune is to try to cross ridges at an angle so that you will get to see over and can react quickly if there is something bad on the other side.

6. Never Use the Brakes Suddenly:

If you are riding in the dunes, we recommend you avoid using your brakes because it will create a big hole from which you will have difficulty coming out of. If you are coming down on a dune, switch to low gear and try not to use your brakes. If you brake too much it can cause your UTV to sink of slide in the sand instead of stopping. If you need to stop then simply slow down your vehicle and it will come to rest eventually.

7. Never Drive With One Hand:

Once a driver feels comfortable driving a UTV, they get too comfortable and begin to drive less cautious than they should. Although you have experience riding a UTV, the terrain is too unpredictable and so are other drivers. You can hit sections of dirt or dune too fast or be blind sighted by another vehicle coming from the other side of a dune. You must be alert and fully prepared to react and having two hands on the wheel will give you the control you need to react from these unpredictable situations.

8. Never Tailgate Another Vehicle:

Although we recommend riding a UTV with another vehicle, you should never tailgate them. Driving behind another vehicle while not leaving sufficient distance in between can be really dangerous. If the vehicle in front of you has to make a sudden stop, you will have enough time to stop without causing a collision. Even though you are following another vehicle, you must also be able to see the road ahead of you and staying too close to the vehicle in front will not let you see the road ahead. Make sure you keep a safe distance between you and the UTV in front of you so that you have enough time to react in case anything happens.

9. Never Add Extra Seats to You UTV:

If your UTV is only meant for 2 people. never try to make it a 4 seater by adding seats to the back. Adding extra seats is super unsafe because your unit is not structurally designed to carry more than 2 passengers. Adding the additional seats to haul more passengers can definitely put you and your passengers at risk of injury because the additional weight added to the car can throw the center of gravity off and cause the unit to flip backward. The passengers in the back will have minimal protection in case of an accident. If you want to have more passengers on your unit, you are better off buying a bigger UTV.

10. Never Drink and Drive:

Driving while under the influence of alcohol/drugs does not just happen behind the wheel of a car, you can also get a DUI while drinking and driving a UTV too. Although you are not driving on a road, you can still get in trouble if you decide to drive a UTV while intoxicated. Getting a DUI is never a good outcome; you may lose your license and face heavy fines. Be safe out there and drink responsibly.

Be Safe Out There!

Having a UTV is one of the most enjoyable experiences for any off-roader because of all the endless possibilities you can do with it. However, you must be mindful that a UTV also has its limitations when it comes to keeping you and your passengers safe. I hope our list of things to NEVER do on a UTV will help you have an amazing time riding and less time getting injured.

- Tips to Avoid a "Razorback" at the Sand Dunes

- Tips to Avoid Getting Your UTV Stuck in the Dunes

- Why You Should Avoid the Dunes during Dusk/Sunset

- What Gear to Wear When Riding In the Dunes

- How to Get Your UTV Unstuck From the Sand Dunes