Decline in ATV Injuries

A new study shows a decline in all terrain vehicle accidents involving children. The study’s lead author is Ruth Shults of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. “There were slightly more than 360,000 emergency department visits for children who had been injured while riding ATVs.  So, we did see that there was a nice decline in injuries over that 10 year period.” Shults breaks down the figures.  “In 2004, we saw 43,000 injuries in emergency departments.  By 2010, the number of injuries had decline to about 27,500.” Injuries were also relatively minor, adds Shults.  “The most common injuries that we saw in the emergency department were fractures, cuts and scrapes.” Shults gives the factors contributing to the decline in ATV injuries among kids.  “We’re fairly certain that the recession of the mid 2000’s and gasoline prices as well as the decline in the sales of new ATVs have probably contributed to this decline in injuries among these kids.” The study appears in the journal “Pediatrics”.