ATVs Can be a Deadly Ride for Children

They are popular among kids, teenagers and adults, but all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) also represent a serious risk of injury and even death, says the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), after releasing the largest study on ATV injuries in children.

"Our experience shows that children's use of ATVs is dangerous and should be restricted," said Chetan C. Shah, M.D., radiology fellow at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock.

Deadly Toy

A vehicle supposed to be entertaining may turn deadly in a matter of seconds. Tony, an 11 year old boy in Savannah Georgia, got his ATV for Christmas in December of 2005. A few weeks later, he wandered into restricted territory; his ATV hit a guarding chain on the ground, causing his vehicle to roll over, breaking Tony's neck and killing him instantly.

Accidents like this are becoming too common all over the country. 40, 400 children made a trip to emergency rooms in 2005, says Chetan Shah, and "child fatalities resulting from ATV accidents have also nearly doubled since 1995 with 120 reported deaths in 2005."

Bigger and faster ATVs have reached the market in the last decade, becoming popular for recreation, farm, and even industrial work. ATVs weigh between 400 and 600 pounds and can reach speeds above the 70 miles per hour. They come equipped with low pressure tires and many designed to carry one rider.

No Uniform Regulation of ATVs

The American Academy of Pediatrics would like to see children under the age of 16 off ATVs but most states have no laws regulating their use. ATV injuries in children within this age group more than doubled from 1995 to 2005, according to Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), cited in the RSNA study.

Common injuries related to ATVs include fractured bones and head injuries, but children are the most vulnerable because "of the instability of the vehicles and the small size of children," says Dr. Shah. The majority of ATV-related fatalities result from injuries to head and neck, according to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.

Safety Tips to Ride ATVs

According to ATV Safety Institute, there are close to seven million ATVs in use in the United States. "Almost 90 percent of youth ATV-related injury incidents occur when a youth is operating an adult-sized ATV," above the 90 cubic centimeters.

The ATV Safety Institute recommends this rules for all ATV riders:

1. Always wear a helmet and other protective gear.

2. Never ride on public roads - another vehicle could hit you.

3. Never ride under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.

4. Never carry a passenger on a single-rider vehicle.

5. Ride an ATV that's right for your age.

6. Supervise riders younger than 16; ATVs are not toys.

7. Ride only on designated trails, and at a safe speed.RNA recommends that no children under the age of five be allow riding any ATV, not even those recommended for children. The study included the case of a six-month old infant injured while riding an ATV with his mother, while "other patients included a two-year-old who was driving a 'child-size' ATV and had traumatic amputation of four toes, and another two-year-old driver who was found unconscious beside a flipped ATV. She had a severe brain hemorrhage that left her with permanent disability," he said.

Dan Brizel "Injury Report Shows All-Terrain Vehicles Not Child's Play" Radiological Society of North America
"ATVs and Off-Road" Children's Hosptial of Pittsburgh of UPMC
"Summer Safety Alert" ATV Safety Institute