An ATV (all-terrain vehicle) is a small, powerful vehicle designed to ride on rough ground where regular cars and motorcycles can't go. Picture a motorcycle with four fat, knobby tires instead of two, a seat you straddle like a horse, and handlebars for steering. ATVs can rumble over rocks, splash through shallow streams, climb steep hills, and power through mud or sand.

Farmers and ranchers use ATVs to check on livestock in distant pastures or haul supplies across fields. Park rangers ride them on trails to reach remote areas. People also ride ATVs for recreation, racing across desert dunes or exploring mountain trails.

ATVs are also called four-wheelers or quads (short for quadricycle, meaning four wheels). They're built low to the ground with wide-set wheels for stability on uneven terrain. The knobby tires grip loose dirt and rocks the way hiking boots grip a trail better than dress shoes do.

Because ATVs are powerful machines, they require training and safety equipment. Riders wear helmets and use ATVs that match their size and skill level, following safety rules to handle the vehicle's speed and weight responsibly.