ATV Tour Safety Tips: 8 Rules for First-Time Riders

• The ATV Safety Institute and the CPSC agree on gear: helmet, eye protection, long sleeves, long pants, boots and gloves.
• Alcohol: the Twin Peaks tour from Reykjavik has zero tolerance and gives no refund to guests under the influence.
• Passengers: only on two-seat ATVs, like the two-person ATVs of the Volcano ATV Tour in Iceland (passengers 6 and older).
• Ages and licences vary: minimum age 5 on the AMBER COVE-TAINO BAY Super Buggy Tour, no licence needed on the Jade Caverns tour in Cozumel.
• First time on a quad: a UTV like the Award Winning UTV Slot Canyon Tour (from $125) is easier to handle.

ATVs are not toys. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission counts an annual average of more than 800 deaths and about 100,000 emergency department injuries linked to off-highway vehicles in the United States, according to its ATV Safety Information Center. Those figures cover all off-highway riding, not guided tours specifically. No public body we found publishes injury data for guided tourist rides.

What we can do is put the official rules next to what tour operators write in their own listings. The two line up well, and they tell you exactly what to check before you book and before you ride.

How we built this guide

We took the eight Golden Rules of the ATV Safety Institute and the safety tips of the CPSC (both consulted October 2026). Then we read the descriptions of 60 ATV, buggy and jeep listings in Cozumel, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana and Iceland, captured in October 2026, and noted every rule operators state about alcohol, licences, ages, passengers and briefings. Prices, ratings and review counts come from Viator listings captured in 2026 and can change.

The eight official rules

These are the ATV Safety Institute Golden Rules, summarised. The CPSC tips say the same things in different words.

1. Wear the gear. A helmet, goggles, long sleeves, long pants, over-the-ankle boots and gloves. Our guide on what to wear on an ATV tour turns this into a packing list.
2. Stay off paved roads, except to cross when it is safe and legal. The CPSC adds: never ride on public roads.
3. No alcohol or drugs. The ATV Safety Institute says never to ride under the influence. The CPSC says to avoid drinking alcohol before or while driving.
4. Passengers only on two-seat ATVs. Never carry a passenger on a single-rider ATV, and no more than one on a model built for two.
5. Ride an ATV that fits your age.
6. Supervise riders under 16. The CPSC says they should drive only age-appropriate youth models.
7. Stay on designated trails at a safe speed. On a tour, that means following the guide's route.
8. Get hands-on training. The CPSC calls for training from a qualified instructor.

What operators add in their listings

Tour listings turn several of these rules into conditions of booking. A few examples, quoted with price, rating and number of reviews:

• Alcohol. The 2.5 hour Twin Peaks ATV Adventure with pickup from Reykjavik (from $179, 4.89 from 769 reviews) states zero tolerance for alcohol or drugs, and guests who show up under the influence get no refund.
• Licence and passenger age. The Volcano ATV Tour in Iceland (from $141.49, 4.9 from 303 reviews) uses two-person ATVs where the driver needs a driving licence and passengers must be 6 or older.
• Minimum age. The AMBER COVE-TAINO BAY Super Buggy Tour in Puerto Plata (from $125, 4.74 from 292 reviews) sets a minimum age of 5.
• Licence not required. The Jade Caverns and Mayan Village Cozumel ATV TOUR (from $79, 4.88 from 1,210 reviews) uses automatic ATVs and says a driver licence is not mandatory.
• Briefing. The ATV and Buggy Excursion 4x4 in Punta Cana with Water Cave (from $25.20, 4.86 from 769 reviews) starts with a short safety orientation. It also warns that waves at Macao Beach can be strong.

Rules differ between operators, sometimes in the same town. Read the listing, not a general article, for your specific ride.

Three tours for first-timers

1. Punta Cana Half Day 4x4 ATV Adventure

From $49, rated 4.92 from 969 reviews, about 3 hours. A half-day format keeps the ride short for a first try. More options in Punta Cana.

2. Guided ATV Tour of Western Sedona

From $238.53, rated 4.95 from 1,828 reviews, about 4 hours. A guided route in the US, where the CPSC rules apply directly. More in Sedona.

3. Award Winning UTV Slot Canyon Tour

From $125, rated 4.96 from 1,553 reviews, about 2 hours. A UTV has a steering wheel and side-by-side seats, which suits riders who have never handled an ATV. See our ATV vs quad vs UTV guide.

On the day: a short checklist

• Make sure you have a helmet that fits snugly and fasten the strap.
• Wear eye protection the whole ride, not only on dusty stretches.
• Listen to the full briefing and ask questions before you start.
• Tell the guide about any medical condition or if you are pregnant.
• Check that a shared ATV is a two-seat model before you take a passenger.
• Skip the drink until the ride is over. The Twin Peaks tour from Reykjavik gives no refund to guests who arrive under the influence.
• Keep the distance the guide asks for and do not leave the route.

Before you book

Read four lines in the listing: minimum age, licence, passenger rules and what is included. If the listing is silent on safety, ask the operator before paying. Travel insurance is your own decision, but check whether your policy covers motorised activities. For family trips, read our guide to ATV tours with kids, and if you are weighing a self-drive rental, see ATV rental vs guided tour.

More reading: ATV tours in Cozumel, ATV tours in Iceland and best ATV tours in the United States.

FAQ