ATVs or four-wheelers, are undoubtedly helpful to anyone who travels off-road for work, hunting or just enjoys the countryside. Unfortunately they are getting a bad reputation because of careless use and a sometimes lack of courtesy and respect by some users.

These handy little vehicles can be hauled in the bed of a truck or on a small trailer behind a truck ready to carry you off road to the trail ,across the fields or into the woods at a moment's notice. How helpful this can be for an elderly or person with some physical impairment who may not have the endurance level of their youth. For these individuals, ATVs make a jaunt through the woods that would otherwise be a fond memory an actuality.

Unfortunately, as with most inventions there is a downside. Where 4-wheelers give freedom of movement to those who might be restricted in movement, they also give trespassers a leg up on landowners.

Imagine the shock when a property owner finds that four-wheelers or ATVs have designated a portion of his land as a main thoroughfare. Many farms and homesteads contain creeks and streams that have weekend destinations for years. At least they were before the 4-wheelers moved in.

Many kids and adults alike ignore the fact that in some states there is a public waterways law. This is a law that states that any person that rides a motorized vehicle within the bed of any public waterway without written permission granted by the landowner is breaking the law and may be punished.

The disturbance of streambeds and banks is prohibited as well. Trespassing is bad enough, but there are environmental reasons behind this ruling. The stirred sediment is disruptive to the natural ecosystem. The fish eggs are suffocated as well as the insect eggs and larvae that feed the fish according to a brochure distributed by the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science. A fun weekend zipping through the creek beds takes a countless toll on juvenile fish and invertebrates that may take many years to overcome.

Then there is always the use and abuse of alcohol. There are many underage drivers that believe there are no speeding tickets or DUIs while driving on private property or in the woods. This is not to say that the use of any mind altering impairing substance is a good idea while operating a piece of machinery by anyone, but young people with less experience tend to make more errors in judgement as a whole. Get alcohol involved and things can really get dangerous. There are many known cases of underage riders as young as thirteen being apprehended hauling coolers full of beer. If a rider is caught carrying crystal methamphetamine while riding on a streambed, this could bring about a search and possibly a felony conviction.

Young drivers often make the mistake of using their family ATV or motorcycle to ride on public roads. They think this is a way to start driving before reaching the legal age. Never mind that the laws are there to protect them. How many times do we hear of accidents involving ATVs and other vehicles on the public highways? Needless to say, there is very few times in such a situation that the ATV rider comes out well.

If you own an ATV and have children at home, it would be in their best interests for you to review the guidelines for them as to their safe and legal usage. Don't wait for the authorities to come knocking on your door to have this conversation. Where the law is concerned ignorance is no excuse and you as parents may find yourselves responsible for damages caused or worse yet having to deal with a personal tragedy that could have been avoided.

By Evo Cummings

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