OHV riders reminded to stay safe Published July 31, 2009 By Bruce Auchly Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- Summer and fall are prime times for off-highway vehicle riders to be out and that means risky terrain, injuries and unintentional violations are more likely. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks reminds OHV riders to brush up on OHV safety and laws. FWP offers an OHV safety home-study course at no charge. The driver-safety training is a well-rounded orientation to OHV use in Montana, including how to handle different terrains and unexpected situations, and it is especially recommended for young riders. "The risk of injury for 12- to 15-year-old drivers of adult-sized OHVs is more than two times the average risk of injury for adult riders," said Beth Ramsey Shumate, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks State Trails Grants and Interim OHV Coordinator. Ms. Shumate said that according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 40 percent of OHV-related deaths involve youth 16 years of age and younger. A print copy of FWP's home-study training manual and course materials can be ordered by calling FWP at 406-444-4585, or on the Internet at fwp.mt.gov on the Recreation page. Click on Activities and then "off-highway vehicles." To further improve OHV rider skills, or "fit" a child to the recommended OHV size, go to www.nohvcc.org, or call 1-800-348-6487. For more information on OHV use in Montana, contact FWP at 406-444-4585.