Surely anything that brings a family together for an outdoor experience is a great idea. After all, the camaraderie, fun, and shared memories of a family wilderness exploration play all the right notes. When you introduce all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), also called "quads," that adventure takes on new dimensions. The trail-eating power and speed of ATVs make the wilderness as accessible as a backyard and deliver a front-row experience of nature's wonders.

While ATVs certainly satisfy the urge for rip-roaring trail busting, there are various caveats. Not everyone likes quads. Environmentalists condemn all off-road riding because of the destructiveness of a riding minority, while physicians struggle with the high accident rates of young children, who are the most vulnerable off-road riders. Ultimately, it is the gap between appropriate ATV usage and actual practice that challenges the insurers of these increasingly popular vehicles. The key to managing the risks of ATV coverage is to understand the machines: Knowing the ATV back story, product array, and typical ATV accidents is crucial. What are the elements of quad accident investigations? Lastly, are there public interest issues that affect insurance carriers?

ATVs evolved in the 1980s from three-wheeled off-road vehicles developed by Japanese motorcycle manufacturers. Although the three-wheelers were instantly popular, they were unsteady and consequently were soon replaced with revamped versions that fused motorcycle ergonomics with the more stable four-wheel configuration.