Injuries of young riders on all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) have declined, according to a study in the August 2013 Pediatrics. The study, “All-Terrain Vehicle-Related Nonfatal Injuries Among Young Riders in the UnitedStates, 2001-2010,” published online July 1, found roughly 361,000 ATV riders ages 15 and younger were treated in emergency departments during the study time period. The injury rate peaked at 67 injures per 100,000 children in 2004, and then declined to 42 injuries per 100,000 children in 2010. Boys were twice as likely to be injured as girls. The most common injuries were fractures, bruises, scrapes and cuts. The reason for the decline in injuries is not well-understood, but could be related to the economic depression of the mid-2000s and decreased sales of new ATVs, according to the study authors. The authors conclude that injuries could be further reduced by broader use of effective safety measures, such as prohibiting children from riding adult-sized ATVs, always wearing a helmet while riding, not riding on paved roads, and not riding as a passenger or carrying a passenger. 

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