Injuries and Deaths and the Use of All-Terrain Vehicles

Abstract

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, deaths and injuries associated with the recreational use of all-terrain vehicles steadily decreased; however, around 1993, this trend began gradually to reverse. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) data from 1985 through 1998 indicate that an estimated 273 persons die annually from all-terrain vehicle crashes, and 35 percent of them are less than 16 years old (David J, Directorate for Epidemiology, CPSC: personal communication). Data for the same period from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System indicate that of the estimated 68,300 annual all-terrain vehicle–related injuries requiring emergency room care, 39 percent occurred in children. Injuries have also increased among adult users of all-terrain vehicles ( Figure 1 and Figure 2 ) (David J: personal communication).