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I don't think children have any business riding solo on ATVs. I'm not sure they should even be riding with someone else. I just see this as an accident looking for a place to happen. Am I being an alarmist here or is this really something to be concerned about?
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You are not alone in your concerns. Orthopedic surgeons treating these injuries have expressed concern publicly. Even so, the number of ATV sales has continued to rise and along with it the number of children and teens riding these vehicles. Not only that, but the vehicles have become heavier, larger, and faster. Roll-over accidents resulting in spine injuries increased by 476 per cent between 1997 and 2006.
Children are more likely than adults to be injured in an ATV accident for several reasons. Of course, they are usually smaller in size compared with adults. They are no match for a 500 pound (half ton) machine. In this study, only 14 per cent of the group was wearing a helmet. This is typical of what has been reported in other similar studies as well.
Children and younger teens have less muscle strength compared with adults. Other factors include decreased depth perception, level of emotional maturity and cognitive ability, and experience. Females are more likely to experience a spine injury due to a phenomenon referred to as vehicle-rider mismatch. They are simply outweighed by these machines and have more trouble correcting or preventing accidents, especially rollovers.
Older teens were more likely to have spine injuries. This may be explained by the fact that they have reached full growth (skeletal maturity) and have less flexible bone structures. Their spines are more adult-like with less ligamentous laxity (looseness) and more upright (vertical) positioning of the spinal (facet) joints.
The authors of a recent study on ATV-related injuries in children from the University of Tennessee concluded that ATV-related injuries are high-energy resulting in multiple (and often very serious) injuries. Almost half of the children involved were younger than 16 and were not wearing a helmet. Surgery was required for more than half the group at a cost of nearly $75,000 per patient!
Your concerns are well-founded. These facts suggest the need for more education and legislative efforts to change this pattern of behavior.
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