Ohio Child ATV Safety News: Manufacturer Warning Not Effective
Ohio Child ATV Safety is in the news with the increase in Ohio Child ATV Accidents
With Ohio Child ATV Accidents on the rise lets take a look at Ohio Child ATV safety and data collected regarding ATV accident fatalities. The data collected shows that since between 1982 and 2007, 80 children died in ATV related accidents. However, this data is flawed at best because of inconsistent reporting practices and the fact that many accidents occur on private lands and may be under-reported. While the state is working to improve ATV accident reporting practices, there are few laws that focus on Ohio child ATV safety.
In Ohio, all ATV riders are required to wear a helmet and have a driver’s license or motorcycle endorsement to legally ride on public lands, however no one is legally required to take ATV safety riding courses. Though it’s true that all new ATVs carry a manufacturer warning that children under 16 are not to ride without adult supervision, research shows that these warnings are ineffective.
Child ATV Safety and Accidents
Despite manufacturer warning labels and helmet requirements for ATV use on public lands, statistics show these measures are largely ineffective. In fact, nearly 40 percent of all ATV accident injuries and fatalities are suffered by children under the age of 16. Rebecccah L. Brown, MD, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and author of the study “Pediatric ATV Injuries and Manufacturer Warnings are Not Enough to Change Behavior” said “[a]lthough ATVs have surged in popularity over the past several years, they pose significant dangers for children 16 and under who simply do not have the physical strength, cognitive skills, maturity or judgment to safely operate ATVs,” Science Daily reported. “These are hefty motorized vehicles that weigh up to 600 pounds and are capable of reaching speeds of up to 85 miles per hour,” she continued. According to her research, 82 percent of the ATV injury and fatality cases studied involved crashes in which children were driving the ATV. (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121022080641.htm)
Dr. Brown said that “ATV manufacturer warning labels are largely ineffective, and ATV training is infrequently offered to ATV users, most of whom deem it unnecessary.” To make a difference in these child ATV injury rates, Brown said that “Mandatory safety courses and licensing, and enforceable helmet legislation, are needed to reduce ATV use by children.”
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