Ask The Editors: Are Young Riders At Greatest Risk of Injury?
Dear ATVC:
I was wondering if there are statics that identify who is most at risk when it comes to sustaining an ATV-related injury? Logic would suggest young, inexperienced riders would be most at risk.
While the hard stats are constantly changing on such matters, we have been able to look back to research conducted for the April 2011 issue of the Journal of the AAOS (JAAOS) by Jeffrey R. Sawyer, MD and colleagues at the Campbell Clinic, University of Tennessee.
According to their findings, children account for 27% of all reported ATV related injuries despite the fact that kids represent 15% of the ATV rider population. The largest group, statistically, was white men between the ages of 18 to 30; with 80 percent of these injuries happening to the operator (rather than to passenger(s)).
Also according to this article, the number of annual ATV-related injuries has increased from 10,100 in 1982 to 58,200 by 1992, and to more than 150,000 in 2007. The number of fatalities per year has also increased—from 29 in 1982 to 766 in 2007. More than a quarter of the total 10,281 deaths reported from 1982 to 2009 were children younger than 16 years of age.
Like always though, these statics can be used to our advantage as riders. Time and time again, investigations reveal that it’s improper use of the ATV, lack of safety equipment and rider negligence to blame for injuries sustained. These are factors we can control individually.
