ATV Passenger Killed (crimes, safe area, safe)

[bloominscranton]

I am sorry but Highhat you are not wrong. Four years old is too young to be on an atv. I am not talking a childs toy like the drive around jeeps they have FOR FOUR YEAR OLDS. I am talking out in mud riding an atv. Lets remember most 4 year olds still have training wheels on bicycles...for a reason!

[BLUEDIAMOND64]

Originally Posted by loveinbloom

I am sorry but Highhat you are not wrong. Four years old is too young to be on an atv. I am not talking a childs toy like the drive around jeeps they have FOR FOUR YEAR OLDS. I am talking out in mud riding an atv. Lets remember most 4 year olds still have training wheels on bicycles...for a reason!

LoveInBloom, I think you misunderstood me. I am saying that children of that age "4" do not belong on an ATV. Go back and read the posts, I am agreeing with you, in that, I do not agree with the parent's decision to let them ride. Yes, I know about 4 year olds, I have one and she does have training wheels.

And, lets be honest, we all know that most people that ride ATV's are not going five miles per hour, driving through woods, mud, etc. I also said that children of that age do not belong on lawnmovers either.

[bloominscranton]

Originally Posted by TheHighHat

LoveInBloom, I think you misunderstood me. I am saying that children of that age "4" do not belong on an ATV. Go back and read the posts, I am agreeing with you, in that, I do not agree with the parent's decision to let them ride. Yes, I know about 4 year olds, I have one and she does have training wheels.

And, lets be honest, we all know that most people that ride ATV's are not going five miles per hour, driving through woods, mud, etc. I also said that children of that age do not belong on lawnmovers either.

So sorry for my poorly worded post, I was agreeing with you agreeing with me! LOl. I think it was the I am sorry part....I should have addressed you first and then added the I am sorry for coalman and the other dude.

Sorry if it came of biotchy...I am just getting back on my feet after being sick for 5 days ( the thing that lead me to the er ) and I guess my tone and typing need some work!

[BLUEDIAMOND64]

Originally Posted by loveinbloom

So sorry for my poorly worded post, I was agreeing with you agreeing with me! LOl. I think it was the I am sorry part....I should have addressed you first and then added the I am sorry for coalman and the other dude.

Sorry if it came of biotchy...I am just getting back on my feet after being sick for 5 days ( the thing that lead me to the er ) and I guess my tone and typing need some work!

Not an issue on my side, I think I am sun happy today! Hope you are feeling better.

[bloominscranton]

Originally Posted by TheHighHat

Not an issue on my side, I think I am sun happy today! Hope you are feeling better.

Ty...I am much much better than the I was for the last two days. Nothing worse than being ill, having to go the er, get meds and than getting sick from them~ Ugh~

[BLUEDIAMOND64]

[SIZE=3]ATV's: Increasing Popular, Kill and Injury Thousands Every Year[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) are increasing popular, particularly in rural and wooded areas of the United States. Drivers enjoy using the vehicles for off-road fun, on hunting and camping excursions and for hauling yard debris, equipment and other items around their properties. Unfortunately, ATv's are also very dangerous and are to blame for thousands of deaths and serious injuries each year. In 2006, at least 555 people - including 100 children - were killed in accidents involving ATVs. During the same time, an additional 146,6000 people were treated in the emergency rooms for ATV-related injuries - more than a quarter of them children, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Recall and News[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Safety Concerns Prompt ATV Recalls.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]ATV industry recalls are commonplace, with manufacturers or the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission taking various vehicle models off the market for a variety of reasons. Defective parts, unsafe design and manufacturing errors are among the most common reasons ATV models are recalled.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Below are reports on some of the most recent ATV recalls.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]In January 2007, Arctic Cat Inc. recalled its 90cc Youth Models because of improper handlebar mounting bolts, which could malfunction and result in a loss of steering:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]In June 2008, Polaris Industries, Inc. expanded an earlier recall of 2004 model ATVs over concerns that electron controls in the vehicles could catch fire and burn riders:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]In March 2008, Polaris Industries, Inc. issued a recall of 11,3000 Outlaw IRS models after receiving at least 11 reports of loose bolts, causing the rear wheels to lock up and injure drivers:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]In November 2005, Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., recalled several ATV modes after it was found that a design defect allowed sand, mud and other debris could get into the engine assembly, causing increased wear on the engine.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]In July 2002, Yamaha Motor Corp, U.S.A. recalled about 14,000 ATV model years 1997 and 1998 because of a faulty mounting-bracket weld on the rear hub, which could come loose and cause rear-break failure.[/SIZE]

[greentown]

Everyone has an opinion of this and it all boils down to what you are comfortable with as a parent. My four kids have ridden ATV's since they were 4 or 5 years old, but we started them out with very small ATV's and supervised them carefully. I think alot of the problems happen when families buy one adult-sized ATV and everyone in the family wants to drive and it's just too much power for young kids.

I don't think ATV's are any more dangerous than any other sport kids are involved in. The worst injuries my kids have had came from a horseback riding accident and a plain old two-wheel bike accident.

[Vinny536]

Originally Posted by TheHighHat

ATv's are also very dangerous and are to blame for thousands of deaths and serious injuries each year. In 2006, at least 555 people - including 100 children

ok, i'll play:

By far the most common type of injury accident involving children are those that also involve motor vehicle collisions. According to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA), nearly 250,000 children are injured every year in car accidents.

This means that on any given day nearly 700 children are harmed due to accidents on our roadways. Of the 250,000 kids injured each year, approximately 2,000 die from their injuries. Children make up about 5% of total fatalities due to car accidents. In fact, for children between the ages of 2 and 14, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death.

Car accidents are also the leading cause of acquired disability (e.g., brain injury, paralysis, etc.) for children nationwide. And approximately 20% of the children who die in a car accident each year are killed in accidents involving a driver who is legally intoxicated. Nearly half of these children were killed while riding as passengers in an automobile driven by an intoxicated driver.

The failure to wear a seat beltor use a child safety seat is a contributing factor in more than half of the cases involving children who die in car accidents. Not only is an unrestrained child a potential distraction to the driver of the vehicle, but also the failure to wear a seat belt dramatically increases the chance that a child will suffer much more serious injury and death.

According to the National Highway traffic safety Administration (NHTSA), at least 72% of the 3,500 observed child vehicle safety restraints were being used incorrectly. When that happens, the risk that the child will suffer an injury or more severe injury rises even more. NHTSA estimates that a properly installed and used child safety seat lowers a child's risk of death by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers ages 1 to 4.

Every state requires the use of approved child safety seats for children under the age of 5. According to NCSA there is only a 90% compliance rate with respect to using approved safety seats for children under this age. Notably, a recent study found that a key factor influencing the increased risk of harm to children in accidents is when the child is prematurely moved from a child restraint system up to an adult seat and then allowed to sit in the front seat too soon (source: Partners for Child Passenger Safety Fact and Trend Report, 2006.)

Children & Car Accidents; the Alarming Statistics

so, your stat said 100 kids killed in 2006 on ATV's. mine says 7,000 killed in 2006 in cars. Does that mean its too dangerous to take your kids in the car? a quarter million kids a year are injured in cars. sounds way more dangerous then atv's to me!

[thecoalman]

With a staistic like that you're not comparing apples to apples. Using similar statistics I bet we could show almost any activity would be more dangerous than using an ATV. Certainly bicycle accidents involving death is going to be high too but it's not a fair comparison since many more kids will be riding bikes.

As far as a 4 year old on a ATV I think that depends on who's driving and where. I can think of many people I would trust with a 4 year old on a ATV and many I wouldn't trust to drive a case of beer around. I wouldn't let a 4 year old drive one as I really think they aren't mature enough but if a parent wants to make that decision I'm not going to tell them they are wrong either.

[Slammin' Scrannin']

Originally Posted by thecoalman

I wouldn't let a 4 year old drive one as I really think they aren't mature enough but if a parent wants to make that decision I'm not going to tell them they are wrong either.

Originally Posted by greentown

Everyone has an opinion of this and it all boils down to what you are comfortable with as a parent.

The 4-year-old riding an ATV bothers me.

I've been mulling this over the past few days before I put my two-cents in. I've come to a conclusion. I ultimately agree with the two of you that it should be the parents' decision. It's their kids, their parenting, and they probably know best. But I think the attitudes quoted above are a touch too laissez-faire for comfort. I think it just goes a little too far.

When it comes down to it, if something bad happens we're potentially talking about parental negligence. Let's face it; ATV riding is an inherently dangerous activity. So, I think we should impose some sort of duty on parents in this situation to take all reasonably necessary precautions to avoid injury to their very young children.

I'm talking about requiring safety equipment, requiring the parents to be skilled riders themselves, making sure no one is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, maintaining safe speeds for the conditions, etc. I think these are reasonable duties to require of parents who decide to take their 4 year olds ATVing.