ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE INJURY IN CHILDREN: STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTION

Despite regulations, policies and educational efforts to reduce all-terrain vehicle (ATV) injury in children, ATV use by children continues and serious injuries are common. In order to develop more effective educational strategies to promote safer ATV use, this study investigates the knowledge, practices and beliefs of ATV users. Focus groups with both children and adults were conducted in Arkansas, which has a high rate of ATV use, to characterize participant ATV use and safety awareness. Feedback on draft ATV safety public service announcements was collected. The discussions generated constructive input into the planning of educational activities to improve ATV safety practices among youth. The findings suggest that ATV riders were aware of some ATV risks. Efforts to improve ATV safety awareness should clearly show pediatric ATV injury risk and safety practices. Campaigns must also demonstrate a realistic understanding of current use practices in order to be credible for users. Both adult and youth ATV riders felt that parents were the key to the promotion of safer riding among youth. Youths felt that age-specific regulation was unlikely to be a helpful strategy, and instead preferred messages demonstrating graphic consequences of inappropriate use. Educational settings such as hunter and driver safety classes were suggested. Licensing, training requirements and improved enforcement of existing laws also were endorsed as acceptable and potentially effective strategies for ATV safety campaigns.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/13538047
• Corporate Authors:

  BMJ Publishing Group

  BMJ House, Tavistock Square
  London WC1H 9JR,   United Kingdom 
• Authors:
  • Aitken, M E
  • Graham, C J
  • Killingsworth, J B
  • Mullins, S H
  • Parnell, D N
  • Dick, R M
• Publication Date: 2004-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 303-307
• Serial:
  • Injury Prevention
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue Number: 5
  • Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
  • ISSN: 1353-8047
  • EISSN: 1475-5785
  • Serial URL: http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: All terrain vehicles; Children; Focus groups; Knowledge; Law enforcement; Licensing; Parents; Public information programs; Regulation; Safety campaigns; Safety education; Training
• Geographic Terms: Arkansas
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00981976
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 5 2004 12:00AM