Younger drivers should avoid ATVs

Over lunch one sunny spring day, a fellow physician recounted a recent office visit with an active 8-year-old boy who had injured several fingers falling off a dirt bike.

The child was going to be uncomfortable and inconvenienced for a little while, but was otherwise going to be OK. My colleague was still concerned, and was curious about the American Academy of Pediatrics' stand on the use of off-road motorized bikes and vehicles by children and teens.

The AAP addresses two-, three- and four-wheel all-terrain vehicles in a statement that was first issued in 1987, then revised, and last reaffirmed in 2007. The academy recommends that all states prohibit the use of two- and four-wheel off-road vehicles by kids under the age of 16. The AAP also asked for a recall of three-wheel ATVs, and a ban on the sale of new and used three-wheel ATVs, which are considered to be particularly unstable on hard-surface roads.

Noting that typical two-wheel off-road vehicles have unstable wheelbases, “borderline” brakes and poor visibility, academy researchers find that young two-wheel riders are often injured after hitting irregularities in the road's surface and then losing control of their motorized bikes.

The larger ATVs, or motorized three- and four-wheel cycles, also can pose hazards for younger drivers due to the vehicles' high centers of gravity, poor suspensions and ability to reach higher speeds between 30 and 50 mph. Not surprisingly, risk factors for ATV injuries include riding without a helmet or adequate off-road training, and riding at excessive speeds or while intoxicated.

Using data from 2004, Dr. Mary Aitken, AAP representative, reports that 130 children die each year from ATV-related injuries, while nearly 45,000 young ATV riders require emergency room care. Children under the age of 16 account for about 30 percent of all ATV deaths.

Kids under 16 generally lack the mature judgment, strength and advanced motor skills needed to handle motorized off-road bikes and ATVs. According to the AAP, “children who are not licensed to drive a car should not be allowed to operate off-road vehicles.”

For those older teen off-road riders, the academy recommends the use of motorcycle helmets — not bicycle helmets — as a reasonable precaution since 45 percent of ATV fatalities involve head injuries. The pediatric group also advises riders to wear protective eye gear and reflective clothing, and avoid riding with passengers and riding after dark.

The Rules Committee of the Illinois House of Representatives is currently considering a bill which would require that ATV and off-road motorcycle riders be 16 or older with a valid driver's license, wear a properly fitted helmet and be able to demonstrate knowledge of off-road rules on a written driver's exam.

• Dr. Helen Minciotti is a mother of five and a pediatrician with a practice in Schaumburg. She formerly chaired the Department of Pediatrics at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.