Although most parents would probably never allow their teenagers to ride motorcycles by themselves, children commonly operate all-terrain vehicles without supervision. Unfortunately, allowing a child to drive an ATV could be even more dangerous, and result in a child being fatally wounded.
Such is the case for a 12-year-old boy from Central Minnesota who tragically died in an ATV accident recently.
Joyriding turns fatal for one boy in ATV accident
According to BringMeTheNews.com, two boys were riding ATVs when one of them rolled over in a ditch. The boy who rolled over was crushed under the ATV and pronounced dead on the scene. The other boy sustained injuries during the accident.
While this is the first ATV fatality reported during 2021, around 24 people suffered ATV fatalities during 2020.
Part of a growing trend
When it comes to ATV accidents, nearly one in four fatalities are children under 16. Even when children are wearing helmets, crashing an ATV is likely to result in injuries much worse than that of a motorcycle.
The ATV Safety Institute does not recommend that parents allow children under 16 to operate ATVs alone. Supervision is an important factor when it comes to preventing accidents.
ATV safety tips
Parents can help ensure that their children stay safe on ATVs by heeding the following advice:
- Make sure children wear appropriate safety gear including helmets, goggles, long sleeve pants, sleeves and over the ankle boots
- Find an ATV that is appropriate for a child’s age and size
- Do not ridge ATVs with more passengers than recommended
- Only ride ATVs on appropriate trails and travel at a reasonable speed
It may also be a good idea for parents to enroll their children in an ATV safety training course.
