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All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Related Injury

ATV

Key Safety Messages:
Keep kids under 16 off ATVs.
ATVs are machines - not toys.
In general, kids under 16 years aren't heavy enough to control them; aren't big enough to ride them and don't have the skills or knowledge to operate them.

Each year on average at least 60 children will be injured on an ATV severely enough to require hospitalisation. In 77% of all injury cases involving children the child was the driver of the vehicle. International research demonstrates that drivers under the age of 16 have a 1 in 3 chance of having an ATV related injury during the average lifespan of the ATV.

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Factsheets
Resources
  • Please Keep Kids under 16 Off ATVs (English & Maori, Pdf, KidSafe Week 2003)
  • About ATVs: A school road safety education resource for years 3-8.
    Wellington, New Zealand Police: 2002
    The aim of this teaching resource from the New Zealand Police and the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) is to stop injuries and deaths of children and young people on ATVs by making children and their families aware of the manufacturer's warning that ATVs should not be ridden by anyone under 16, and the reasons for this. The unit has been designed to be used primarily with students in Years 3-8. Learning outcomes are presented as well as key messages. This unit of work has been designed to be used in association with the video, 'Georgina'. This 6 minute video describes the story of Georgina (Georgie), an eight year old girl who was killed while riding an ATV while supervised. It includes the viewpoint of Georgie's elder sister Paris who describes how much she misses her and her parents Janneke and Richard. They talk about the need for greater public education and awareness about the dangers of these heavy machines. The point is made that ATVs are not toys and that many adult farmers are injured using them. Blenheim police Constable Tony Barrow comments on the dangers posed by these powerful machines.
    Please email infocentre@safekids.org.nz for more information.
Position Papers, Research, Bibliography and Advocacy Information
  • The ABCs of ATVs: Factors implicated in child deaths and injuries involving all terrain vehicles on New Zealand farms, by Basham, M., Nicholls, M. & Campbell, M. (2006, link to Waikato University website).
  • “ATV (quad bike) injuries in New Zealand children: their extent and severity.”
    Kate Anson, Elizabeth Segedin, Peter Jones
    Journal of the New Zealand Medical Association, 11-September-2009, Vol 122 No 1302: pp. 11-28.
    Abstract
    Aims Primary: To ascertain how many New Zealand (NZ) children are being injured or killed as the result of all-terrain vehicle (ATV) injuries and to define the nature and severity of their injuries. Secondary: to examine the effect of age, weight, helmet use, and ATV size on injury severity and to compare the demographics of injury in NZ to other countries.
    Methods A retrospective review was undertaken of 643 cases of children less than 16 years old hospitalised between 2000–2006 due to possible ATV-related injury. New Zealand Health Information Statistics (NZHIS) identified the cases through discharge information, supplemented by a search of Auckland's Paediatric Intensive Care trauma database. Only confirmed ATV injuries were included.
    Conclusions ATVs are potentially lethal and have the capacity to inflict significant harm. It is clear that it is not appropriate for a young child to ride an adult sized ATV due to the risk of serious injury and death. Public debate is needed as to whether education or legislation is the answer.

    Please contact our library at infocentre@safekids.org.nz  to enquire about availability of this article.
Media Release
Links
For links to New Zealand and international websites relating to this injury topic, go to our links page.  
 
This page was last updated February 24, 2010.