Neurologic injuries associated with all-terrain vehicles and recommendations for protective measures for the pediatric population

Risk Factors and Musculoskeletal Injuries Associated with All-Terrain Vehicle Accidents

“…The high percentage of ATV accidents that occur in rural areas suggests a potential limitation regarding available emergency care and rehabilitation services for some patients (39). The severity of many of the musculoskeletal injuries sustained during ATV accidents suggests a relatively lengthy recovery and rehabilitation process.…”

“…The CPSC reported that 50% of all ATV accidents involve a rollover event (16). Fourteen studies have reported musculoskeletal injuries from ATV accidents in the United States (8,(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)29,(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40). Only six reports detailed the specific accident mechanism (12,14,19,(25)(26)(27).…”

All-terrain vehicle injury patterns: are current regulations effective?

“…All-terrain vehicles were designed so that body weight controls stability and maneuverability. Children were more prone to ATV injuries because of their lack of experience operating motorized vehicles, lack of psychomotor control and coordination, and lack of judgment that can result in risk-taking behavior and poor decision-making skills [5,8,21]. The recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Canadian Pediatric Society, and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons is to prohibit use of adult-sized ATV by children and adolescents younger than 16 years old [1,22,23].…”

All-Terrain Vehicle Legislation for Children: A Comparison of a State With and a State Without a Helmet Law

“…6 Severe closed head injuries and paraplegia after ATV crashes have been reported. 7 Statistical models using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System estimate that helmet use for all riders might reduce the risk of death by 42% and the risk of nonfatal head injury by 64%. 8 One study examining population-based ATV fatalities found that states with no ATV safety legislation had a fatality rate of 0.17 per 100 000 persons, compared with 0.08 deaths per 100 000 persons in states with helmet and other safety requirements.…”