Assessing the Emergent Public Health Concern of All-Terrain Vehicle Injuries in Rural and Agricultural Environments: Initial Review of Available National Datasets in the United States

Abstract

Background Injuries related to the operation of off-road vehicles (ORVs), including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), continue to be a significant public health concern, especially in rural and agricultural environments. In the United States alone, ATVs have played a role in thousands of fatalities and millions of injuries in the recent decades. However, no known centralized federal surveillance system consistently captures these data. Traditional injury data sources include surveys, police reports, trauma registries, emergency department data, newspaper and online media reports, and state and federal agency databases. Objective The objectives of this study paper were to (1) identify published articles on ORV-related injuries and deaths that used large databases and determine the types of datasets that were used, (2) examine and describe several national US-based surveillance systems that capture ORV-related injuries and fatalities, and (3) promote and provide support for the establishment of a federally-funded agricultural injury surveillance system. Methods In this study, we examined several national United States–based injury datasets, including the web-based AgInjuryNews, the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, databases compiled by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the National Fatality Review Case Reporting System. Results Our review found that these data sources cannot provide a complete picture of the incidents or the circumstantial details needed to effectively inform ORV injury prevention efforts. This is particularly true with regard to ORV-related injuries in agricultural production. Conclusions We encourage the establishment of a federally funded national agricultural injury surveillance system. However, in lieu of this, use of multiple data sources will be necessary to provide a more complete picture of ORV- and other agriculture-related injuries and fatalities.

Adult and Pediatric All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Injury Patterns and Outcomes in a Community Trauma Center

“…The towing of spray tanks and shifting fluid changing the center of gravity over the terrain has a high likelihood of ATV rollover with over one third of ATV-related fatalities on farms involving a sprayer [3,14]. Both ATV types may be used in rural locations for work and recreation, but rollovers are more common in farm workers where they are pinned under the vehicle and die due to compression asphyxia [3].…”

“…Despite the high impact of ATVs on agricultural injuries which are typically compiled by the AgInjuryNews database using publicly available resources, ATVs as offroad use vehicles are regulated by the CPSC with variable definitions of vehicle types and compiled with on-road incidents showing an inadequate surveillance of all ATV incidents [14]. Using geospatial mapping, Qin et al studied ATV crashes throughout Iowa to determine relationship with rurality [13].…”

“…They found 74% were rollover incidents and 25% of all ATV crashes occurred on roads, where both paved and unpaved roads were greater risks than off-road use. Due to the large low-pressure tires with knobby grooves, narrow track width, short wheelbase, and high center of gravity, they are not designed for effective road mechanics and are more likely to rollover [3,14]. Rural roads with lower traffic density and less paved traction should not be considered safer [13] for the ATV operator as there are different risks and mechanics that the recreational rider may not be adjusted to as ATVs can reach and exceed 60 mph and usual farm use has been reported at approximately 35 mph [3].…”

“…Agricultural injuries include ranching and farming activities where use of an ATV is an effective tool for working on uneven and variable terrain that make working with a truck or tractor difficult. The ATV operator uses 'active riding' requiring continuous bodily adjustments with the pelvis and torso laterally and move vertically up and down from the seat to maintain balance while driving [14]. Two types of ATVs are described: sport ATVs (category S) and utility ATVs (category G), with both designed for a single rider [3].…”

What about the Rest of Them? Fatal Injuries Related to Production Agriculture Not Captured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI)

“…7 AgInjuryNews.org is a growing collection of agricultural injury reports primarily derived from news media, obituaries, and similar reports. [8][9][10] Reports are collected, coded, and published for public use. 11,12 Examples of publicly available reports extracted from the AgInjuryNews.org dataset are displayed in Table 1.…”