Injuries Involving Children Riding ATVs Up 14%

September 13, 2006

  • September 13, 2006 at 2:13 am
    Ray says:
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    Where are the parents of these children being injured on ATVs? I believe that it should first be the responsiblity of the parents to ensure that their children are protected from injury?

    There are too many laws being written that take control of our lives. Yes, I do wear my seatbelt at all times and I wear a helmet when I bicycle and a PDF when I am kayaking and I consider anyone who doesn\’t take reasonable precautions as reckless, still, should we have laws governing every little bit of our lives?

  • September 13, 2006 at 2:22 am
    tom lingenfelter says:
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    I would agree that injuries might be on the rise but not just for the lack of wearing helmets. I had the opportunity to watch group of children recently approximately 7 to 11 years of age riding child size ATV\’s. They drove with very little fear and very little consideration of others around them. The parental guidance was next to none and the children reflect this. Yes, it was good the children all had helmets on and injuries are less likely to occur with helmets but children still need the proper guidance and supervision.

  • September 14, 2006 at 12:48 pm
    Sue says:
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    No child under the age of 16 should be allowed to operate an adult size ATV no matter how much training they have or if they wear a helmet. A child under 16 doesn\’t have the cognitive skills to make that spilt second decision when something happens. I should know, my child was certified trained and in full safety gear when the 250cc he was riding tipped over and killed him almost instantly. ATV\’s flip very easy and it only takes a second to have your child taken from you….why take that risk for a small bit of fun? It\’s truly not worth it. Please don\’t let you child ride an adult size atv.

  • September 14, 2006 at 1:28 am
    Julie says:
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    I am sorry for your loss. My personal view is that ATVs are very dangerous, regardless the age and size of the vehicle. Unfortunately, parents will continue to give their children freedom to do some pretty wild things. This past week I heard about a 2-3 year old who was allowed to participate in an obstacle course designed for older children. There were plenty of adults watching this yound child walk across a V rope bridge, barely able to hold onto the bridges rope rails. And yet they did not stop the child, because the dad was there. Not one of them told that child NO. Yes, she did make it across the bridge that was 7 ft off the ground, but if she had fallen and hurt herself I am sure that the daddy would have sued the organizers for every thing he could. I think we are missing a level of personal responsibility when it comes to parenting (including waiting for children to get old enough to participate in certain activities, and not getting everything they want.) You are not suppose to be popular, you are to be the parent, and NO is necessary even when you think they are big-enough.

  • September 14, 2006 at 2:37 am
    carolyn says:
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    a study done in the united states and published in pediatrics magazine showed that helmets do not significantly reduce deaths and injuries when kids crash an ATV. (Gittelman MA, Pomerantz WJ, Groner JI, Smith GA. Pediatrics 2006; 117(6): 2190-5.0)
    my 14 year old son was killed by a friend\’s ATV. he was wearing a helmet and wasn\’t carrying a passenger. it breaks my heart every day to live on without my beautiful son. ATVs are too dangerous for kids.

  • September 23, 2006 at 12:05 pm
    Jesse Schmit says:
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    parents need to tell their children not to ride an aduld size atv. Even if the child begs. Don\’t let them. I\’m 14 and was just in an atv accident that was terrable. I didn\’t die so i am blessed. It rolled and pinned me. It weighed approximately 1000-1100 pounds. I broke my pelvice, cracked my hip socket, broke my nose, cracked my eye socket and frachured some ribs. My mother should never have let me ride an adult atv. God kept me here and i am greatful. BE CAREFUL

  • September 23, 2006 at 12:12 pm
    Jesse says:
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    I was in an atv accident and if i were not whering my helmet would be dead. When I checked it out later it was twisted. so even if you \’re not going fast where a helmet. It saved my life and it could save yours.

  • September 25, 2006 at 5:50 am
    Sue says:
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    Jesse, I am very thankful that you lived through your atv accident. I truly believe that if more parents really knew how dangerous adult size atv\’s were, and how many children die each year from atv accidents, they wouldn\’t let their child ride one. Check out our website at http://www.atvsafetynet.org to read about others who weren\’t as lucky as you, including my son Kyle.



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