Kids' ATV Death Rate Up, Study Says

Recent 24 Percent Rise Renews Calls For Restrictions, Ban On Use By Anyone Under 16

(CBS)  The death rate of kids using all-terrain vehicles in the United States increased significantly during a recent five-year span, according to one report, adding fuel to efforts by a parents' group to restrict and ultimately ban the use of the machines by anyone under 16.

The industry insists voluntary safety standards already in place are working.

Concerned Families for ATV Safety says the report, being released Tuesday by West Virginia University's Injury Control Research Center, shows a 24 percent jump, to an average of 171 a year, in deaths of kids using ATVs from 2000-2004, about the same time during which the industry has been policing itself with its guidelines.

The group says the new findings "for the first time, directly refute that claim. This data clearly shows that the dangers of ATVs are increasing" at an alarming rate.

Carol Ellert Keezer, a co-founder of the group, lost her 12-year-old son, Alex, in an ATV accident.

She told The Early Show consumer correspondent Susan Koeppen she'd never heard of anyone being killed using an ATV, and thought Alex's death was a freak occurrence.

But soon, Keezer found other mothers who had lost children in such mishaps, and they formed Concerned Families for ATV Safety.

For starters, the group is pushing for a federal ban on the sale of adult-size ATVs for use by anyone under 16. In the long run, the group wants a complete ban on ATV use by kids in that age range.

"Warning labels, manuals, and safety courses are not preventing our children from dying," says Keezer, referring to a voluntary safety campaign the industry has in place.

But the industry says the proper use of ATVs is key, and ATV dealers face disciplinary actions from manufacturers if dealers are found selling adult-sized ATVs for use by kids.

The industry says it favors state — not federal — legislation regarding ATV safety.

Among other things, industry spokespeople say mandatory training on ATV use for kids under 16 would help, as would the mandatory use of helmets and protective gear, and mandatory supervision by adults.

The industry asserts it's the way people ride four-wheelers, not a lack of regulation, that leads to accidents, injuries and deaths, and says parents need to make smart decisions about whether or not their kids are physically and mentally ready to handle an ATV.

Keezer says she doesn't think the ATV industry is doing enough to inform parents about the dangers.

And on The Early Show Tuesday, Carolyn Anderson, another co-founder of Concerned families for ATV Safety, told co-anchor Harry Smith the problem centers around "children driving large, powerful machines that are inappropriate for children under the age of 16. They're too dangerous.

"The American Academy of Pediatrics and many other child safety advocates say (ATVs are) too dangerous for children. This study bears that fact out. They're killing and injuring just so many children, they're not safe.

"Children under the age of 16 don't have the judgment skills or common sense required to operate a motor vehicle like that safely. They just don't have the ability to do that."

As for industry claims that mandatory training on ATV use and mandatory adult supervision could minimize risks, Anderson asks rhetorically, "Would you say that your child can operate your Corvette as long as he's had two hours of training? I don't think so."

[mswolfestock]

There is only one reason that kids get hurt on ATVs (or anything else for that matter), and that is parental neglect. Little kids and ATVs just do not go together but spineless idiot parents give in to the kids' whining and nagging. Then these idiot parents sit on their fat behinds watching HBO while the kids go out on the ATVs and ride them off a cliff, DUH! Today's parents need to quit depending on dangerous vehicles for child care - why did they have kids in the first place if they are so lazy that they don't want to watch or supervise their kids. There is absolutely no need for more regulation or more "safety laws" regarding the use of ATVs by adults. When a kid gets hurt on an ATV they should lock up the parents for child endangerment and I'll bet those statistics will be drastically reduced.

[fuknrekd]

This article is a blatant LIE.

The reason for the increase is because of the increase in the number of ATVs being sold and used, which has gone up 2, 3 and 4 times as high in the last 5 years. Compare that with the increase in accidents and you'll find less accidents per riding hour.

ATV use has gone up by up to 600% and more in the last 3-4 years, and this article is trying to say that an increase in 50% in the last 5 years is equal to the accident rate going up.

It's not, it's going down.

I hate liars.

[wendyk7]

I'm sorry for the loss of Ms. Keezer & Ms. Anderson's children. I can't imagine losing any of my children. Ms. Anderson stated towards the end of the interview that the ATV manufacturers have the responsibility of protecting and keeping our children safe. I totally disagree with her. It's MY responsibility - as a parent - to keep MY children safe - not any manufacturer, not any dealership - just me and my husband. I plan, someday, to purchase ATV(s) for my family. My common sense tells me to purchase the correct size for my kids and to supervise my kids when they ride them. Did you all catch that? MY COMMON SENSE - not the manufacturers common sense, not the dearlerships common sense, not anyone elses common sense. All mine. And as for letting my child drive my Corvette? Yes, I would let them. If I owned one and if we lived on a farm and the child could reach the pedals and see over the steering wheel at the same time. Oh yes, and if MY common sense told me it was a good idea.

[jlwesley]

Just like every other knee jerk group, they want to ban the vehicle instead of address the real problem. we keep raising generations of irresponsible, uncaring, unskilled, lazy,ignorant children, that go on to be adults to raise another generation like them.

When I was 8 I could drive a farm tractor, when I was 10 I could do just about any work on the farm with a tractor, unsupervised, but I had parents and grand parents that taught me to be responsible, I could also drive a truck and a team of horses.

Do not ban the vehicle, make the parents train and oversee the kid, not only is it good for the kid to learn a skill like that, it is good for the parents to become involved in the training and raising of their children.

[newsreader2]

Very sorry for loss, but everyone should know they are dangerous going in, kids get killed on them all the time.

[minminmin-2009]

Agree with the other posters here. Why do people try to make OTHER people responsible for what happens to their own kids? Why would a dealer be held responsible for selling an adult-sized ATV to another adult, only to have a kid ride it and get hurt. Most adults don't know how to ride an ATV safely. I've known a few who've gotten pretty hurt; one broke his back. The adults need to attend the safety classes...either with their kids, or they need to pass it along...Most adults teach the kids: "here's the gas, here's the brakes, now go have fun."

[harleyrush]

Absolutely, it is the parent's responsibility! WendyK7 has hit the nail on the head. Unfortunately there are too many parents who aren't even aware that there is a nail! When you have children they are your responsibility. Period.

[drill4u]

Youth football is much more dangerous than an ATV.
Do we need legislation to impose culpability for the manufacutres of the pigskin? My heart aches for the parents who have lost their children, however I will do my own parenting.

[vamptorn]

As with any outdoor recreation from boating, to skiing, wilderness hiking, swimming, etc. parental supervision is the key to having a safe enjoyable time. No matter what the activity is there is always the chance for injury even when following all the rules and being as safe as possible.

We are a family of five and we own four ATV's my three children range in age from 6 to 14 and each of them as well as my wife and I have attended certified ATV safety courses and ALWAYS wear our safety gear when riding. We ride as a family and none of our children ride unsupervised.

It just makes me sick to my stomach to witness the idiots who have no clue about safety and have no regard for the well being of themselves their children and others around them when we go riding in public areas. Each time we go there are small children on over-sized bikes, wearing shorts and tank tops, and no helmets while the "adults" sit around and drink.

These are the people that drive the statistics, those that have no idea of personal responsibility and ruin the day for the rest of us. You are the role model for your children, teach them responsibility and courtesy for others and the rest will follow.

There will be accidents no matter how safe you are in anything you do but if you go into any situation prepared and informed you reduce those chances down to a minimum.

[vamptorn]

As with any outdoor recreation from boating, to skiing, wilderness hiking, swimming, etc. parental supervision is the key to having a safe enjoyable time. No matter what the activity is there is always the chance for injury even when following all the rules and being as safe as possible.

We are a family of five and we own four ATV's my three children range in age from 6 to 14 and each of them as well as my wife and I have attended certified ATV safety courses and ALWAYS wear our safety gear when riding. We ride as a family and none of our children ride unsupervised.

It just makes me sick to my stomach to witness the idiots who have no clue about safety and have no regard for the well being of themselves their children and others around them when we go riding in public areas. Each time we go there are small children on over-sized bikes, wearing shorts and tank tops, and no helmets while the "adults" sit around and drink.

These are the people that drive the statistics, those that have no idea of personal responsibility and ruin the day for the rest of us. You are the role model for your children, teach them responsibility and courtesy for others and the rest will follow.

There will be accidents no matter how safe you are in anything you do but if you go into any situation prepared and informed you reduce those chances down to a minimum.

[jfarmer1us]

Dear CBS:
First and foremost, I am sorry for the parents loss of their children on the ATV segment this morning, and my comments are not meant to be harsh or inconsiderate, but:
1-In several images I noticed CHILDREN riding ATV'S, that were clearly too powerful and large for the "child rider".
2-In several images I noticed that no protective gear was being worn.
3-In several images I noticed that the ATV's were clearly being ridden improperly(no feet on the foot posts, but laying or bracing back on the rack).
4-In several images I noticed kids riding "double".
In my manual, their are pages that plainly speak to these exact instances, telling one not to do them, and my ATV and manual are 21 years old.
5-I would be willing to bet money that no dealership has ever sold an ATV to a child between 5-15 years of age. If they did, I'd like to know A-How the child got to the dealership? B-How he earned the money to pay for it? C- And finally how he or she transported it home?
Do parents govern what TV their young children watch or what movies they may can rent?
Do parents allow young chidren to use drugs or alcohol?
This so called problem with ATV's is totally preventable, but it begins at home and should stay at home.
Don't ask the government to solve what your good common sense or lack thereof should know to do.
Are parents not responsible at all?

[nminard-2009]

%u201CI didn%u2019t know.%u201D Does not relieve parents from their responsibilities, just as ignorance of the law is no excuse. ATV's do not KILL Children. Parents & adults that let children ride machines that are too huge for them are to blame & should be held responsible. Look the headlines and you'll find the kids were on adult sized machines, no training, no safety equipment, no supervision and repeat NOT on a child size machine. The industry can%u2019t be held responsible for the ignorance of people who read the very obvious warning labels plastered all over the machines, yet do not follow the warnings. Kids can%u2019t ride the machines unless they have the keys. It is time people took responsibility for their actions and their children. Why punish those who are doing it correctly and recreating with their families. For every horror story the papers print, there are hundreds of stories out there about people who do the right thing. People who are helping in their communities with safety awareness programs, volunteering thousands of hours to make sure there are safe well maintained and managed OHV areas for families to recreate.
I feel sorry for those who have lost children but my real concern is who will stand up for those children who are lost because their parents didn%u2019t take the time to find out about ATVs before letting their children use them. The parents of these children want to blame their tragedy on everyone else when the blame is really their%u2019s.

[wkp75]

I just wanted to say all the things WendyK7,jfarmer1us and nminard have shared I 100% agree with. This world is full of completely backwards parents and this has to stop. I wish there is a support group for the parents who are responsable enought to know the difference from who makes the decisions in the family (MOM and DAD) and who follows the said rules of the family (the children). Be the parent, not the friend, or the coolest parent, just be one! As for the ATV companies, Please leave them alone!!!!

[brucesmall]

In our area we routinely see kids riding ATVs completely unsupervised, and two have been killed. The moms and dads insist the kids are just having fun, and there is no danger. When the deputy shows up at the door they are devastated. And clueless.

[andrwsmom1]

Wow...here we go again. Take responsibility people and be parents. My entire family rides, including my 3 year old son, yes my 3 year old! We are certified and practice safety 1st. We do not take our child to terrain that is unfit for him or over crowded. We govern his speed and have taught him more than where the gas and brakes are. He has even been taught to obey hand signals. We also make sure that he is protected in gear from head to toe and we NEVER let him ride alone. Just like with anything else, common sense and discipline starts at home.

[fish00k]

I do not respond to many television news programs, but the interview on the early show July 31 about kids ATV death just kinda got to me. I am not trying to discredit Carol Ellert Keezer at all. She is trying to tell us something and no one is listening. It is not the manufacture fault! It is the adults, we are the one%u2019s that need the education. Mrs. Keezer
Had never heard of anyone killed on a atv She didn%u2019t know that they went that fast. I just wonder if She knew that they make helmets, impact jackets & short, boots, chest protectors, eye protection, and more. I have grandkids that all ride. They are all under 14 years old. When they ride I or my son or adult is with them, we don%u2019t always ride but we are there. We must have adult education as a must before we let our kid that we love ride. My grandkids love to ride and I love them please don%u2019t take this away . I have no idea but
how many kids died on a bicycle last year
Thanks Much Tom Hinz

[atvsft22]

As a parent. a Atv safety instructor,a retired atv service manager.Im sorry for the lost of the parents child.As I am a child of the 3 wheeler days,the responsibility of the children falls on the parents not the ATV or the DEALER.the parent who had to sign many times informing them of the dangers of ATV and were offered a FREE class.and would be payed just to come take the class.

[mrbrillo]

It's sad to hear about such tragic deaths.

It's also sad that Concerned Families for ATV Safety has chosen to act as a political advocacy organization when it could be using its resources to educate the public about ATV safety.

Here's the blunt truth: losing a child in an ATV-related accident does not make you an expert on ATV safety, no matter how many like-minded people you surround yourself with.

[aylastar]

Thank You JFARMER1US You said just what I was going to.

[mm2ssjoel]

WOW, I am glad I am not the only one that thought that the ATV and kid's story was completely irrespondsible of CBS, I mourn for the children of these folks that where interviewed, but where is the other side of the story?

Come on CBS tell the story fronm both sides, what kid of helmet was these kids wearing how much adult supervision, where they riding a machine that was too much for them, My daughter rides with a helmet, chect protector boots etc. she has had education by the dealer and by me her parent and she never rides unsupervised, come on people be parents.

[atvcrazy2]

My boys have been riding atvs since they were 3. The parent has to take responsibility and teach their kids how to be safe riders. Not pass the blame after wearing blinders. I feel for their loss, as my children are my life. But you have to supervise them at all times and teach them safety first. They always wear their protective gear even if they argue, which they do.They never have access to the bikes when my husband or I are not home. My kids always want faster bigger bikes but that doesn't mean that I buy it for them. Rather than try to ban other children from riding why not educate the parent on the responsibility that comes with owning an atv with children. But isn't that what parenting is, teaching right from wrong. Its so much easier to pass the blame rather than live up to the fact that the mistake was against your better judgment!