What are the Risk Factors of all Terrain Vehicles for Children

From 3arf

Extreme caution should be exercised when operating all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), especially when children are involved. Recent studies have shown a sharp increase in serious injuries to children, including spinal injuries, amputations, and some deaths.

“Children shouldn’t be riding these vehicles,” says Dr. Mike Gittelman, Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. “They don’t possess the maturity or ability to operate them.”

“ATV-associated fatalities increased nearly 60 percent between 2000 and 2005, while non-fatal injuries rose 48 percent,” added Dr. Gittelman.

According to theConsumer Product Safety Commission(CPSC), in the years from 1997 to 2006, the number of children hospitalized due to off-road vehicle accidents increased by 109 percent, and the number of deaths were up 88 percent. The vast majority of children who were injured, were driving at the time of the accident. ATV use has the highest risk of hospitalization of 33 sports and activities in which children routinely participate. The risk of serious injury associated with driving an ATV is 61 percent greater than with playing football, which is stated as being the next highest risk. Inexperienced drivers in their first month of using an ATV have 13 times the average risk of injury.

In a meeting of theAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons(AAOS) in New Orleans in 2010, data from studies was presented which showed that children account for 14 to 18 percent of ATV riders, but 37 to 50 percent of injuries. The mean age of ATV riders was 12.9 years, and 70 percent of injuries were to children under the age of 16. Spinal injuries to children increased from 3.8 percent in 1997, to 7.4 percent in 2006. The risk of amputations from accidents on multi-rider ATVs is more than ten times higher than from accidents on standard, single-rider ATVs. In 2008, nearly 28 percent of all ATV-related injuries were to children under the age of 16.

ATVs have drastically increased in numbers to 7.6 million over the past couple of decades, and have become far more powerful. This may account, in part, to the increase in injuries to children.

In a report from the LeBonheur Medical Center in Memphis, the number of injuries to children from ATV-related accidents rose 140 percent from 1997 to 2006. The same report showed a 368 percent increase in spinal injuries over the same period.

The AAOS considers ATVs to be a significant public health risk. In order to reduce the numbers of injuries and deaths to children, recommends the following:

• All ATV operators should be licensed and undergo a hands-on training course.

• The minimum age for operating an ATV on- or off-road should be at least 16 years old.

• ATVs should be used during daylight hours only.

• ATVs should be used by only one person at a time, no riders.

The CPSC adds that children under the age of 12 should not operate any ATV, and units with and engine size of 90 cc or greater should only be operated by persons age 16 or older.

The off-road industrysupportsa ban on children under the age of 16 using personal watercraft. Yet, the industry not only opposes a ban on children riding ATVs, but also markets their powerful vehicles to children. According to the off-road industry advertisements, ATVs with an engine size of 50 cc are suitable for children 6 years of age and older, while vehicles with an engine size of 90 cc should not be used by anyone under the age of 12.

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