All-Terrain Vehicle-Related Nonfatal Injuries Among Young Riders: United States, 2001-2003

This article describes nonfatal injuries related to all-terrain vehicles (ATV) in riders aged younger than 15 years who were treated in hospital emergency departments (EDs) during 2001-2003. The authors note that because children often lack the physical strength, cognitive abilities, and fine motor skills to operate ATVs properly, their risk for injury is greater. The authors determined estimates of numbers and rates of ATV-related injuries from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's National Electronic Injury Surveillance System All Injury Program. The database is a nationally representative sample of 66 U.S. hospitals. From 2001 through 2003, an estimated 108,724 children aged less than or 15 years old were treated in hospital EDs for nonfatal injuries sustained while riding ATCs. The number of ATV-related injuries increased by 25% over the 3-year period. Males aged 11 to 15 years accounted for 52% of all ATV-related ED visits and hospitalizations among young riders. Children aged 0 to 5 years were more likely than the older children to have facial injuries, whereas the older children were more likely to sustain lower trunk and leg or foot injuries. Fractures were the most common diagnosis, accounting for 27% of ED visits and 45% of hospitalizations. The authors conclude that renewed efforts by health care providers to counsel parents about the injury risk to children who ride ATVs and to advocate for more stringent state-level minimum age requirements may help reduce the increasing rates of ATV-related injuries among these young riders.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00314005
• Authors:
  • Shults, Ruth A
  • Wiles, Stacey D
  • Vajani, Madhavi
  • Helmkamp, James C
• Publication Date: 2005-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 608-612
• Serial:
  • Pediatrics
  • Volume: 116
  • Issue Number: 5
  • Publisher: American Academy of Pediatrics
  • ISSN: 0031-4005
  • EISSN: 1098-4275
  • Serial URL: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adolescents; Age groups; All terrain vehicles; Bone fractures; Children; Crash injuries; Hospital emergency rooms; Males; Recreational vehicles; Risk assessment
• Identifier Terms: National Electronic Injury Surveillance System; U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Society; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor; I84: Personal Injuries;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01013504
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 22 2005 10:31AM