ATV Deaths and Injuries Among Children - March 22, 2010

A tragic all terrain vehicle (ATV) accident last Thursday evening in New Douglas, Illinois resulted in the death of a 10-year-old girl from Livingston. The child was apparently riding as a passenger while visiting a friend when the ATV flipped and landed on top of her.

In May of last year a teen from Wright City was killed just days shy of his graduation from high school. He struck a rock, lost control of the ATV he was riding, was ejected and struck a tree.

In August of 2008, a five-year-old girl from Hillsboro was killed when an ATV she was riding with her half-sister crashed into a tree.

These most recent Missouri and Illinois accidents reminds us of the dangers of these vehicles and the need to follow proper safety precautions, particularly with young children. According to ATVsafety.gov, 57 deaths of children under 16 were reported in Missouri between 1982 and 2004, with the total reported deaths since 1982 of over 263.

While ATV related deaths and serious injuries are trending down in recent years, the numbers are still too high and the dangers serious. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has reported that in 2008 at least 74 children were killed and more than 37,000 other children ended up with injuries serious enough to visit a hospital emergency room. While these numbers indicate a decrease in prior years, Rachel Weintraub, the Director of Product Safety for the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) noted that ATV's are still "one of the most dangerous products the CPSC oversees."

The approximate number of ATV-related deaths for all ages was 410 in 2008, with children accounting for 18% of fatalities. The 37,700 injuries to children represented 28% of ATV related injuries for all ages.

"ATVs continue to represent a significant risk of injury and death for children," said H. Garry Gardner, MD FAAP, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention. "Children under the age of 16 should not operate or ride ATVs."

Missouri law regarding operation of ATV's is as follows:

All riders (passengers and operator) under 18 must wear a helmet at all times.

All ATVs must be titled and registered; registration renewal is once every three years.

No one under 16 may register an ATV.

ATV use on highways is prohibited, except for agricultural or industrial purposes.

No one under 16 may operate an ATV unless on a parent's land or accompanied by a parent.

Passengers may not be carried except for agricultural purposes and except for ATVs designed to carry more than one person.