But the notion that ATVs fall short of being true motor vehicles, or can be treated as something of a toy because they are fun to ride, is dangerous. ATVs can weigh hundreds of pounds and maneuvering them requires sense and skills that children often don’t have.
They are flat unsafe for those younger than age 16 who have not been taught to use them with the sort of supervision teenagers get when they’re learning to drive cars.
And riding along on a vehicle never intended for more than one person should never be allowed. Most Ohioans understand this common sense and would support new laws that would cut injuries and deaths.
Gary Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, said Ohio is in the top third among states for ATV fatalities. While kids under 16 represent less than 15 percent of ATV users, they account for a third of ATV deaths.
“These are dangerous machines,” he said. “Children oftentimes are too young to respond to the moment-to-moment demands of operating them. They don’t know where to draw the line and that a fall isn’t a little tumble. It’s a crash involving a tremendous amount of energy.”
Ohio law is quite liberal, restricting use to those over 16 on public lands, but setting no age limits for vehicles driven on private property.
In 2006, the research center at Columbus’ children’s hospital surveyed Ohioans about potential legal restrictions. Respondents supported by wide margins proposals to prohibit ATV use by young children, ban passengers, require helmets and mandate safety classes. A state law with those elements is a good idea.
Many ATV users oppose those rules, complaining they’re oppressive. They argue that accidents happen, but that most users are responsible and the vehicles generally are safely used, especially in farming.
That certainly is true. But ATV enthusiasts cannot ignore the tragedy of the unusually high number of deaths — especially children — in the state. (A recent study showed 85 Ohioans died in ATV crashes between 2003 and 2006.)
With or without a law, Ohioans need to understand that they are playing a dangerous game by allowing kids to ride ATVs. Few would allow their children to get behind the wheel of a car without a driver’s education course or basic safety precautions (such as a clicked seat belt).
Taking a safety class or putting on a helmet before climbing aboard an ATV may be a short-term inconvenience, but it’s a price worth paying to save lives.
Cox News Service