MARINETTE, Wis. -- Authorities in northeastern Wisconsin say a 10-year-old boy who was driving an all-terrain vehicle has died after colliding with a pickup truck. The boy's 10-year-old passenger is in critical condition.

The Marinette County sheriff's department responded Sunday about 10 a.m. to a report of a crash in the Town of Middle Inlet. Investigators say the ATV driver failed to stop at a stop sign, and slammed into the truck.

The boy who was driving the ATV was pronounced dead at the scene of head and internal injuries. The other boy was rushed to a hospital, where he was listed in critical condition.

The boys' names haven't been released. The driver of the pickup truck and his passenger weren't hurt.


--Kids undergo safety training in WI and MN before being allowed to ride ATV's on public trails and roads. Apparently that's not enough. I suspect this 10-year-old was riding illegally on a road. The kid was also underage, which is 12 in Wisconsin. Accidents like this tend to lead to more restrictions on all ATV riders.

 

I get the same feeling from the article. Wasn't with adults by the sound of it. Up here if you are between 12 and 16 you have to be with an adult and some of the states require the adult to even cross any roads. It sounds like he was riding on a road.

 

The article mentions head injuries. The victim was probably helmetless.

 

I just do not understand it. Why parents are not more involved. Why safety gear is not used, why local laws are ignored. I understand the farm machine argument. But here we have two boys, one who is now dead, the other will be affected for the rest of his life, and for one mistake... it is sad. ATVs can kill your kids folks. If your child fails to follow instructions, then get rid of them. It is that easy. Certainly riding two up, and probably the machine was not a youth model either. There are very few 10 year olds out there that can handle a full sized machine and stop it in an emergency situation. Again I ask why did this have to happen?