In a policy statement issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics and published in Pediatrics, recommendations are presented for averting pediatric all-terrain vehicle (ATV)-related deaths and injuries. Charles A. Jennissen, MD, and colleagues offer strategies that could reduce the number of pediatric deaths and injuries related to ATVs, noting that the AAP still recommends children younger than 16 years do not operate or ride one. Based on the most serious risk factors for related deaths and injuries, recommended safety practices include never operating an ATV on a public roadway; never crossing a public roadway unless permitted by law and supervised by an adult; never carrying, or riding as, a passenger on a single-rider ATV; only operating ATVs that are the correct size; always wearing a proper helmet; never riding at night; and never operating an ATV under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or substances that physically or cognitively impair the ability to maintain control. In families with circumstances requiring ATV use by children younger than 16, parents should follow all general and age-specific safety rules. “Unfortunately, many parents and other caregivers have failed to recognize and/or acknowledge the risk and heed the warnings, putting children and teenagers at significant and unnecessary risk of serious injury and death,” Dr. Jennissen and colleagues wrote.
