With summer here for the foreseeable future, the Consumer Products Safety Commission is spreading the word about how to stay safe while engaging in various outdoor activities.
Their latest target is the practice of riding all terrain vehicles. Between 2004 and 2006, the death rate among ATV riders under the age of 16 rose 65% on average between the months of March and April, suggesting that warm weather brings more people on the vehicles and more danger. On average, there are 700 ATV related deaths and 136,000 emergency treatments every year. This year alone, at least 130 adult fatalities and 28 fatalities of riders younger than 16 have come to the attention of the CPSC.
With these kinds of statistics, it’s no surprise that the CPSC is offering tips to stay safe. These tips include taking safety courses before boarding the vehicle and never riding with two people on a vehicle meant for one. Also, the agency recommends not driving ATVs on paved roads because of the difficulty in steering caused by solid rear axles.
In addition, anyone who decides to hop aboard an ATV should only do so if they have the necessary safety equipment, such as a helmet, which can offset the potential for injury quite a bit. People younger than 16 should never pilot adult ATVs, and children younger than six should never even be on any type of ATV whatsoever.