Adolescent All-Terrain Vehicle
Exposure and Riding Behaviors
Charles Jennissen, MD Kristel Wetjen, RNGerene Denning, PhD Pamela HoogerwerfKarisa Harland, PhD Jeffrey Peck
833 ATV-related deaths in the U.S. in 2006.
Since 1982, children < 16 yrs have comprised just over a quarter of ATV crash fatalities.
Roughly 1/3 ATV-related injuries are children <16 years of age
Well-over ½ are under 24 years of age
US Consumer Product Safety Commission: 2010 Annual Report of ATV Deaths and Injuries.Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS)
Background
Background In fact, more children die from ATV-related
events than from bicycle crashes.
Helmkamp JC, Aitken ME, Lawrence BA. ATV and bicycle deaths and associated costs in the United States, 2000-2005. Public Health Rep. 2009;124(3):409-418.
Objective of Study
To determine ATV exposure, safety practices, and crash rates among
students taking part in a school-based ATV safety program
American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no children under 16 drive an ATV.
University of Iowa Data 2002-2009
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0 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 56 61 66 72 81
Num
ber o
f Vic
tim
s
Age (years)
Number of Crash Victims by Age
ATV Press Clippings in Nine Great Plains States 2009
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1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 65
Victi
ms
Age
Number of Victims by Specific Age
3 per. Mov. Avg. (Number of Victims)
Methods
• Target age range of 12-15 years of age
• School based Curriculum
Methods
• A classroom response system was utilized to obtain:– Demographic information– Determine ATV exposure and safety behaviors
Results 18 schools in Eastern and Central Iowa participated
(3,185 students).
Males and females were equally represented.
74% were in our original target age range of 12-15 years old.
17%
53%
21%
10%
53%
Rurality was based on zip codes and the Rural Urban Commuting Codes (RUCA)
Both Rural And Urban Youth Were Represented In The Study.
38%
24%
39%
Results
Exposure for all groups rural and urban was over 80%.
Around 4 out of 10 reported riding frequently (daily/weekly).
85%YES
15%NO
39%Daily/
Weekly61%
Monthly/ Yearly
Results
ATV exposure was very similar for rural and urban youth
ATV use by youth is not just a rural public health issue.
41% 37%38%
59% 62% 63%
Results
Have you ever ridden or driven an ATV with more than one person on it?
91% YES
9% NO
Results
Passengers
Carrying passengers greatly increases the risk of a crash.
Multiple riders contributes to:• Multiple deaths in fatal ATV
crashes.
• Multiple injured in non-fatal ATV crashes.
Young ATV users and their parents may not know the danger of multiple riders and Iowa’s no passenger law.
Have you ever ridden or driven an ATV on a public road?
81% YES
19% NO
Results
Riding on Public Roads
62% of all U.S. ATV-related deaths from 1985-2009.
Approximately 1 out of 3 serious injuries in Iowa.
ATVs are not designed for road use.
Young ATV users and their parents may not know the danger of riding on the road and Iowa’s road use laws.
How often do you wear a helmet when riding an ATV?
12%
9%62%
18%
Results
Too many youth are not wearing helmets.
Many states do not have ATV helmet laws.
Young ATV users and their parents may not understand the risk of brain injury and the benefits of helmets.
Effective helmet laws require:
• User knowledge of the law
• Consistent enforcement
• Removing economic barriers
Helmet Use
Youth Are Engaging in Multiple Unsafe Behaviors.
Riding on an ATV with passengers.
Riding on public roads.
Never or almost never wearing a helmet.
54%34%
10%
2%
Have you ever been in an ATV crash (rolled over, hit something, fallen off)?
59% YES
41% NO
Crashes
Crashes Among These Youth Are Alarmingly High.
1-Year follow-up:
27% of students who had ridden an ATV the preceding year reported having had a crash.
High exposure, multiple unsafe behaviors, and lack of understanding likely contribute to high risk of crashes.
Crashes
Students from isolated rural communities were more likely to have ridden an ATV, but the likelihood of a crash was not different by rurality.
Increased crash likelihood was seen for males and for youth engaged in multiple risky behaviors.
Crashes
A very high percentage of youths in Iowa are exposed to ATVs.
They engage in unsafe behaviors and most have experienced a crash.
Significant efforts are needed to reduce ATV-related deaths and injuries in this high-risk pediatric population.
Conclusions
Questions?