ATVs Are Not for Everyone

Family fun or dangerous ride?

SUNDAY, March 16, 2003 (HealthDayNews) -- Fans of all-terrain vehicles, or ATVs, say they provide family fun and a chance for outings off the beaten path.

However, critics see ATVs, usually with four balloon-style tires, as a dangerous and possibly deadly recreation.

About 7 million ATVs are in use in the United States today, according to industry estimates, and many drivers are children.

In the past two decades, 4,541 deaths have occurred related to ATV use, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Thirty-eight percent of those fatalities were children under the age of 16. In 2001, emergency room visits for ATV-related injuries totaled 111,700, including 34,800 children under 16.

Most injuries happen when the driver loses control and the vehicle rolls over, or when the ATV collides with a stationary object.

Even though some groups call for an outright ban on ATV use by children under age 16, others say riding them can be safe if precautions are taken.

Children should have models scaled down for them, some experts say. Other safety measures, suggested by the CPSC, are to take a training course taught by a certified instructor that includes training on the vehicle, wearing helmets and other protective gear, riding off-road only rather than on paved roads and declining to take passengers.

The American Academy of Pediatrics opposes ATV use by children younger than age 16. For older children, it recommends eye protection and reflective clothing, and suggests placing flags, reflectors and lights on the vehicles to make them more visible.

More information

Here's more about the American Academy of Pediatrics' policy statement on children and ATVs.

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