Training and gear for new riders
ATV rider courses for adults and children from the Canada Safety Council, what protective gear to wear, and how Alberta's OHV helmet law works, for new riders in northern Alberta.
Every health and safety body we checked agrees on two things for new riders: take a course, and wear the gear. Here's how to do both in Alberta.
Rider training
The Canada Safety Council (CSC) runs hands-on ATV rider training:
- The ATV Rider's course is a 6½ to 8 hour program run by CSC-certified instructors. It covers controls, reading terrain, turning and climbing hills.
- A separate course for children under 14 is available when parents specifically permit the child to ride. The machine has to be the proper size for the child under industry safety standards. A signed parent or guardian consent form is required, and for children 6 to 11, the parent or guardian must be at the training site.
- An online ATV safety awareness course (about three hours) is also offered through CSC's site. It's a good start, but it doesn't replace practice on a machine.
The CSC says instructors aren't available in every city, so you may need to travel. Its page has a phone number and contact form to check availability near you. Parachute and AHS both recommend formal training, and AHS suggests refreshing it.
Practise before you ride trails
Rider-safety material from the Ontario Federation of All Terrain Vehicle Clubs says to read your owner's manual and practise in an open area away from obstacles and other riders, ideally with an experienced rider helping. Learn the controls until you can find them without looking.
Gear
| Gear | Why |
|---|---|
| Helmet | Alberta law requires a CSA-compliant helmet on OHVs unless an exemption applies. Parachute recommends one that meets the standard for motorcycles. It cites U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission findings that helmets reduce the risk of non-fatal head injury by 64 per cent and death by 42 per cent. |
| Eye protection | Goggles or a face shield. Branches, dust and bugs come at face height. |
| Gloves | Grip, warmth, and protection in a fall. |
| Boots | Over the ankle, with a heel that won't slip off the pegs. |
| Long sleeves and long pants, or a riding jacket | Abrasion and branch protection. AHS lists a jacket, long pants, goggles, boots and gloves. |
Alberta's helmet law, briefly
Since May 15, 2017, Alberta has required CSA-compliant helmets for anyone driving, riding on or being towed by an OHV, with exemptions, including riding on your own property or private land with the owner's permission. The safety bodies recommend a helmet on every ride regardless. North AB Trails, a sister site we also publish, covers Alberta's OHV rules in more detail.
Before every ride
- Do the pre-ride check in your owner's manual: tires and pressure (with a low-pressure gauge), controls and cables, brakes, lights, oil and fuel.
- Tell someone where you're going and when you'll be back.
- Carry a phone or two-way radio and a first-aid kit, as AHS recommends.
Our stores' parts and powersports departments can help you find a helmet and gear that fit: Frontier Mitsubishi (Grande Prairie), Borderlands (High Level and La Crete) and Frontier Auto & Imports (Whitecourt, AODES).
Sources
- ATV rider training (Canada Safety Council), checked October 25, 2026
- Off-highway vehicle helmet law (Government of Alberta), checked October 25, 2026
- All-terrain vehicles (Parachute), checked October 25, 2026
- Keep ATV safety top of mind (Alberta Health Services), checked October 25, 2026
- Tips for the riders (Ontario Federation of All Terrain Vehicle Clubs), checked October 25, 2026
Guides in this section
Our first in-depth guides for this section are being written and fact-checked now. In the meantime, start with the overview above or browse all guides.