Building Safer Riders, Stronger Communities
On a beautiful September day, C’eyiits’ Hwnax Life House Community Health Center hosted six youth for an all-terrain vehicle safety training led by Southcentral Foundation safety instructors Jerry Brown and Leslie Perez-Six. The day included plenty of learning, practice, and fun, but the training served a deeper purpose: preventing injuries and saving lives.
During the training, participants were fitted with properly fitted Department of Transportation-approved helmets before learning essential safety skills. Youth learned how to inspect an ATV before riding, identify potential safety concerns, perform basic equipment checks, safely operate the machine, and practiced key riding skills under instructor supervision.
The emphasis on helmet use remains a critical component of every training. Research has consistently shown that helmets significantly reduce the risk of death and serious head injuries during ATV crashes. By providing helmets at no cost and reinforcing a no helmet, no riding message, instructors help youth and families build lifelong safety habits.
The training also highlighted a broader goal of increasing awareness about traumatic brain injuries. Even a single preventable crash can have lasting effects on an individual, family, and community. By educating riders early and providing opportunities to practice safe riding techniques, SCF hopes to reduce injuries while promoting confidence and responsibility among young riders.
“I have ridden an ATV since they were introduced in Alaska and I had no training or helmets,” shared Brown. “We had to learn the hard way with injuries. I do this because I don’t want these kids to get injured.”
Throughout rural Alaska, ATVs, snowmachines, and side-by-side vehicles are essential tools for transportation, subsistence activities, and daily life. However, they also carry significant risks. During community conversations held by SCF, many parents shared personal stories of ATV crashes, serious injuries, and traumatic brain injuries affecting family members and loved ones.
In response to these community concerns, SCF launched the ATV Safety Initiative in 2021 to help prevent unintentional injuries, traumatic acquired brain injuries, and deaths associated with off-road vehicle use. The initiative reflects SCF’s commitment to working alongside communities to identify local concerns and develop practical solutions that support wellness through hands-on rider education, safety equipment, injury prevention outreach, and helmet distribution across rural Alaska.
At the heart of the initiative is a nationally recognized ATV safety curriculum developed by the ATV Safety Institute. Rather than relying solely on online instruction, SCF brings trained instructors directly into communities to deliver engaging learning experiences tailored to the interests, needs, and learning styles of local youth.
As the six participants completed their training, they left with more than just new riding skills. They gained knowledge, confidence, safety equipment, and tools that can help keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe. Through continued partnerships and community engagement, SCF remains committed to preventing injuries, promoting wellness, and helping ensure that Alaska’s youth can enjoy riding safely for generations to come.
