This happened about 30 miles from where I live.

Dirt bike victims ID'd by families

 

WOW! From the evidence released so far, it sounds like the tragic outcome to a game of "chicken" gone very bad. Two dirt bikes, each with 2 riders, no helmets, no headlights at 1:30 AM, and a high speed near head-on impact. What were they thinking???

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On another note:

Here's two headlines about a fatal ATV accident that occurred on October 27, 2007 in a southwestern Ohio community about 45 miles from my location in northern Kentucky. While an hour away, we are in the same media market. I bring this up because the original incident was not reported locally until the 21-year-old ATV operator was indicted in the death of a 10-year-old passenger, almost 2 months later. Now, 7 weeks after the first report and over 3 months since the event, a second report appears.

While I believe the "recency effect" has been lost, I've paraphrased and posted the articles below. They show an example of how these matters might be handled when the adult responsible for the child's death, has ties to the surviving family. While not actually a family member, in this case the ties are through their church.

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Man Charged By State, Forgiven By Family
December 17, 2007

A Warren County grand jury has indicted a 21-year-old man on one count of vehicular homicide.

On October 27, 2007, at a church picnic, Niles McElroy gave several children a ride on an ATV. It tipped, killing a 10-year-old girl.

The case was brought before a grand jury which indicted him after the victim's family asked that they not consider felony charges.

McElroy was indicted on one count of misdemeanor vehicular homicide.

"They had forgiven the defendant and they wanted closure for themselves and for their children, so they all got an opportunity to talk to the grand jury - and I think out of that - we probably got a good result," the Warren County prosecutor said.

The prosecutor added, "These are vehicles (ATVs) with a fairly high turnover rate, and unfortunately, the little girl was killed. I think there needs to be some consequence for him, the defendant. But the fact is the accident happened at a church picnic and that he was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time."

In a rare move McElroy himself was allowed to testify. The prosecutor said he has expressed remorse since the accident in October.

McElroy was not arrested. He will receive a summons to court where he will be arraigned at a later date.

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Man To Be Sentenced For ATV Homicide
February 4, 2008

A Warren County man is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday for an ATV accident that killed a 10-year-old girl in October 2007.

Police reports say Niles Mcelroy was giving several children a ride on an ATV during a church picnic when the vehicle tipped, killing the young girl.

Mcelroy could enter a plea on the misdemeanor vehicular homicide charge as well as be sentenced when he appears in Warren County Court at 11:30 Tuesday.

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I suspect our evening news will broadcast the outcome of the hearing locally. If so, I'll update this post later tonight.

 

One thing you can do is to help stop trail closings.

There will be more and more "accidents" as there are less and less areas for all of us to ride our OHV's

http://www.trailsintrouble.org/

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Motorsports

One thing you can do is to help stop trail closings.



There will be more and more "accidents" as there are less and less areas for all of us to ride our OHV's



http://www.trailsintrouble.org/</end quote></div>

Excellent point!!!!!

Way too many people opposing OHV access dont realize the results of their actions.

Also has anyone considered that in all but a really small amount of cases where someone is charged in relation to the injury of another etc the only intent involved was of a positive nature?

I mean most people who end up in trouble were either trying to be nice to a friend or neighbor, or accomodating a family member in something that was intended to be fun.

Since this topic had started I have had a chance to speak with several law enforcement and legal systems members and all dont like to have to deal with these issues at all (well beyond the ticketing and raising funds part lol).

Put yourself in the position of a judge who would have to decide the outcome of some of these cases. Sure you would not be happy with the outcome or even the stupidity involved in some of these stories, but you also would not be fond of putting otherwise good intending people in jail or otherwise ruining their lives.

I hope we all continue to put aside any ideas of new tougher requlations, and concentrate on the real cures like education, safety training, and like mentioned in the quote opening new trails to help keep riders out of dangerous areas etc.

 

I agree to a point.... but self control and good old fashion parenting is also a key player... I'd still like to see the machines add 3 or 4 inches in width, and lower them to the ground. Exactly what racers do when prepping their machines. We don't need 8 inches of clearance. If you made them wider, they may not go in your pick-up bed, but you wanted a trailer anyway right? Lets keep the trailer manufacturers working OK? Our new Mantra should be WIDER IS BETTER...

 

Hey DB,

Are you proposing to make the kids ATVs wider and lower? Or across all lines?

Three weeks ago, I did an in-service training for a TRT (technical rescue team) that had just purchased a Kubota RTV-900-D and an All Terrain Res-Q trailer. One of the team leaders is an experienced ATV / UTV operator, so he handled the basic vehicle operator's training and I handled the off-road rescue trailer towing portion. This initial training was done mostly obstacle free, in an open area adjacent to a dam and reservoir. However, the new operators had to negotiate some sever ascents and descents, while towing a litter trailer with a patient and attendant on board, on 20 to 30 degree wet grass and mud slopes. Except for one jackknife when a driver tried to brake and turn before leveling out near the bottom of the slope, all went well. Next month, they hit actual ATV trails.

Only one problem here: RTV = 60" wide =/= ATV Trail = 52" wide.

This point was made crystal clear when I followed the RTV (w/o trailer) on my ATV w/ trailer. As I stayed on the trails 100%, the RTV was forced to find a way around fixed obstacles (i.e., trees). My point is that established ATV trails, if maintained to federal standards, are restricted to ORVs 50" and under; hense the 52" width restriction. So, if you widen adult sized ATVs, the trails will have to be widened, opening up all ATV trails to UTV traffic as well.

Do we really want to travel down that path? (No pun intended.)

 

Yes I think we do... I have advocated wider trails for a long time. At least build to a new standard when opening up new trails. RUVs are hear to stay, we might just as well accept that fact and welcome them into the fold. Sure that is a noble goal and one that will be impossible to accomplish in many areas, but yes, I think that ATV's should be wider than the current 48 inches or so. Especially with the mini's. I also think that if they built a mid size machine for the kids that are in that 12 to 16 slot, you would not have a lot of kids jumping directly to a full size machine with a whole lot more power. That in itself would save lives. Something around the size fram of a blaster, and a motor around a 125. That would be enough power to keep the fires burning inside. YOu have to remember that what ever number is now accepted as the standard, it was at one time just an arbitrary target to shoot for. Why not 60 inches? You ARE now finding trail systems like your neighbors in West Virginia allowing RUVs on all of the Green trails too. So it is becoming the standard anyway. IF it works on the Hatfield McCoy, it will work elsewhere. It will just take time.

By the way, I am wondering about that rescue trailer you are using.. Can you fill us in and provide some pictures?

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>"By the way, I am wondering about that rescue trailer you are using.. Can you fill us in and provide some pictures?'
DB</end quote></div>

Not without violating a self-imposed separation between my business and my avocation. But, go to

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote> ****Removed voluntarily by this ATV Connection Forum Member**** </end quote></div>

 

This is a good forum but bottom line you can't tell a complete idiot he has to wear all of his safety gear they just won't listen and they teach their kids to do the same things they do. Where I go Drag race on the hosiempa riverbed on my Bombusa me and my two son's wear all of are safety gear my bike is running 170 Hp and it is just crazy to even get on it without all of your gear. The sad thing is that all day we are racing kids on alchohol banshee's that are extremely fast and they don't have any protective gear at all I have seen so many kids get hurt and they don't have any gear on and the first thing I usually tell them and their family is that if they had all of thier gear on they probably wouldn't be hurt at all and they all agree. Then the next weekend you see the same people racing with out gear I JUST DON'T GET IT ????

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>"...and the first thing I usually tell them and their family is that if they had all of thier gear on they probably wouldn't be hurt at all and they all agree. Then the next weekend you see the same people racing with out gear I JUST DON'T GET IT ????"
Tpsycho</end quote></div>

The reason your message doesn't sink in, is in most areas of the USA, they (the responsible adults) aren't suffering ANY consequences for negligently permitting the dangerous behavior of their child.

This is what we have to change!