The continuing problem of all-terrain vehicle injuries in children

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3468(98)90456-0Get rights and content

Abstract

Background: After the introduction of the all-terrain vehicle (ATV) in the United States in 1971, deaths and injuries in both adults and children rose dramatically. In 1988, the Consumer's Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and all manufacturers of ATVs signed legally binding “Consent Decrees,” designed to decrease the number of ATV-related deaths and injuries, especially in children.

Methods: This report reviews retrospectively the mechanism of injury as well as the injuries in 51 children caused by ATV crashes during a 5-year period after the signing of the decrees.

Results: Data included age; sex; type of ATV (three or four wheel); position of the patient on the vehicle (driver or passenger); helmet usage; and mechanism of vehicular accident, including collision with a stationary or moving object, rollover, or fall from the vehicle. Mechanism data indicate loss of control of vehicle or fall from the vehicle as the most common cause of injury. Injury statistics included body regions and parts injured, injury severity score (ISS), and complications or disabilities resulting from injury. Mean ISS was 13.6 ± 9.7 (range, 1 to 50). Eighteen patients (35%) had ISSs greater than 15. Helmets were worn by only 30% of patients. There were two deaths, and two patients suffered permanent paralysis. Orthopedic injuries were the most common injury and were of adult type with 61% classified as open or comminuted.

Conclusions: The magnitude and severity of these injuries argue that this recreational vehicle is exceedingly dangerous for children. The consent decrees have had little effect on reducing the injuries in children from ATVs and should be reevaluated.

References (25)

  • TR Karels

    All-terrain vehicles

  • JA David

    Update of ATV deaths and injuries

    (November 28, 1995)
  • Cited by (58)

    • All-Terrain Vehicle Injury in Children and Youth: Examining Current Knowledge and Future Needs

      2017, Journal of Emergency Medicine
      Citation Excerpt :

      Among those in the study aged 1–15 years, 71% were drivers (17). Other reviews have found that the mean age of ATV drivers ranges from 11.9 to 13.3 years (9,16,28). Use of protective equipment among injured ATV riders is variable and sparse.

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

      2009, Journal of Emergency Medicine
      Citation Excerpt :

      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 (8,11–16,29,35–40). Only six reports detailed the specific accident mechanism (12,14,19,25–27).

    • Pediatric head and neck trauma from all-terrain vehicle accidents

      2007, Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
      Citation Excerpt :

      Brown et al6 report 8 total deaths over a 5-year period; however, they include injury locations other than the head and neck as well as patients who were not admitted. In their 5-year experience, Lynch et al13 report 2 fatalities for children 16 years and younger admitted after their injuries. Touma et al14 examined their experience in both adults and children in West Virginia at a university-based institution.

    View all citing articles on Scopus

    Presented at the 28th Annual Meeting of the American Pediatric Surgical Association, Naples, Florida, May 18–21, 1997.

    View full text