Thousands of children are being seriously injured in all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents every year. In fact, the number of accidents and injuries has doubled in the last 10 years. Children are less likely to be riding ATVs compared with adults but they make up a full one-third of all injuries. And some of those accidents result in death.
Orthopedic surgeons treating these injuries have expressed concern publicly. Even so, the number of ATV sales has continued to rise and along with it the number of children and teens riding these vehicles. Not only that, but the vehicles have become heavier, larger, and faster. Roll-over accidents resulting in spine injuries increased by 476 per cent between 1997 and 2006.
In this study, surgeons from the University of Tennessee compiled information from their records to get an idea of how many and what kind of ATV-related injuries are being treated at their clinic. They divided them up by age (birth to 15 years and 16 to 18 years) and by type of injury (head/skull, trunk/abdomen, nonspinal orthopedic).
Some children had more than one type of injury including spine and nonspinal locations. Most of the spine injuries were single level injuries. In a smaller number of children, multiple spine injuries (fractures, spinal cord injuries, nerve root injuries) were recorded. More than half the children in the study required surgery.
Children are more likely than adults to be injured in an ATV accident for several reasons. Of course, they are usually smaller in size compared with adults. They are no match for a 500 pound (half ton) machine. In this study, only 14 per cent of the group was wearing a helmet. This is typical of what has been reported in other similar studies as well.
Children and younger teens have less muscle strength compared with adults. Other factors include decreased depth perception, level of emotional maturity and cognitive ability, and experience. Females are more likely to experience a spine injury due to a phenomenon referred to as vehicle-rider mismatch. They are simply outweighed by these machines and have more trouble correcting or preventing accidents, especially rollovers.
Older teens were more likely to have spine injuries. This may be explained by the fact that they have reached full growth (skeletal maturity) and have less flexible bone structures. Their spines are more adult-like with less ligamentous laxity (looseness) and more upright (vertical) positioning of the spinal (facet) joints.
The authors conclude that ATV-related injuries are high-energy resulting in multiple (and often very serious) injuries. Almost half of the children involved were younger than 16 and were not wearing a helmet. These facts suggest the need for more education and legislative efforts to change this pattern of behavior.
Surgeons treating children and teens who have been involved in ATV accidents are encouraged to examine them carefully to find all areas of injury and involvement. This includes the entire spine as well.