LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 19, 2012) -- It's something we hear about too often - an injury due to an ATV accident. The UK HealthCare Trauma Program at the University of Kentucky is trying to do something about it.
UK HealthCare has developed a traveling ATV safety display to take to statewide events in areas where ATV accidents are high. The booth includes four stations where kids and adults can learn about ATV safety. Participation in these safety messages earns the visitor a chance to win prizes.
The booth made its debut earlier this month at the Crocketsville ATV Charity Concert and Trail Ride. Beginning Thursday, the display will be at the Black Gold Festival in Hazard. On Sept. 27, the booth will be at the World Chicken Festival in London.
"Influencing the behaviors of ATV riders has been a challenging message to deliver," said Dr. Karen Lommel, clinical section chief of UK HealthCare's Multidisciplinary Concussion Program. "By taking our message to the areas of the state where ATV accident rates are highest, and by providing hands-on safety demonstrations and discussions, we hope we can raise awareness about the dangers of ATVs and drive home the message of ATV safety."
ATVs are the fastest growing sector of the power sports industry, far exceeding motorcycles in annual sales growth. The majority of ATV use occurs in rural areas, and the power sports industry actively advertises to youths and promotes off-road motor sports as family activities.
With that, however, comes a growth in the number of ATV-related injuries. According to the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center at UK, there were 3,329 emergency department visits for ATV-related injuries in Kentucky in 2010. Kentucky also had the second highest ATV death rate in the U.S. in 2006-2008.
In an effort to teach children and adults about ATV safety, we offer some simple guidelines:
- All drivers - adults and children - should take a hands-on ATV safety course from a certified instructor.
- Always wear protective gear - especially a helmet - when riding ATVs.
- Do not ride on a single-rider ATV as a passenger or carry a passenger if you drive one.
- Never allow more people on any ATV than the vehicle was designed to carry.
- Do not drive ATVs on paved roads. ATVs have solid rear axles that make turning on paved surfaces difficult and dangerous, increasing the risk of the ATV overturning or hitting another object, such as a tree or car.
- Do not permit children younger than 16 years old to drive or ride adult ATVs. Children younger than 16 lack the developmental skills to safely drive adult ATVs, and more than 90 percent of all injuries to children involve this scenario. Likewise, children younger than six should never be on an ATV - either as a driver or a passenger.
Most injuries in youths are head or musculoskeletal injuries associated with long-term disability. Nationwide, more than 10,000 people are admitted to hospitals annually after ATV injuries at an average hospital cost more than $19,000 per admission and total costs in excess of $200,000,000 annually.
ATV injuries are particularly problematic in terms of work years lost and lifetime costs because they disproportionately affect pre-teens and young teenagers. Strategies to reduce ATV injury, particularly in youths, will reduce morbidity, mortality and health care cost and developing those strategies is the goal of this proposal.
To learn more about safe ATV riding, visit ATVsafety.gov. For more about the Trauma Program, call 859-323-1116.
Media Contact: Jodi Whitaker, jodi.whitaker@uky.edu or (859) 257-5307