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Feature Article - July 10, 2008 |
ATVs: not child’s playEvery parent wants their child to be safe from harm, but one risk many are unaware of involves ATVs and children. Many children are injured and killed while riding as a passenger or operating an ATV. Children represent one-third of ATV-related injuries and 50% of ATV-related deaths, as reported by the Canadian Pediatric Society in 2004. Each year in Ontario, 1,500 kids under
16 visit emergency departments because of an ATV injury. The major
risks for youth riding ATVs include being thrown from the vehicle or
having the vehicle roll over, often crushing them. A new campaign by
KFL&A Public Health, "I Didn't Know", is designed to
change that by educating parents about those risks. Campaign
materials include facts on how easily ATVs roll over, that most are
not intended to take passengers, and that themachines weigh up to
800 lbs. "We know ATVs are a way of life for farmers and other
land owners. But they do pose a danger to our children", said
Cathy Edwards, Public Health Nurse with KFL&A Public Health.
"Hopefully this awareness campaign will help parents to make
informed decisions. ATV riding is not child's play."l The
following is an excerpt from a true story. Ten-year-old Kyle rode the
family ATV across the neighbour's field to have an after-school snack
with his friend. On his way home the ATV he was riding hit a
rut and tipped, suffocating him to death. Even though Kyle was
a skilled rider and in full gear, he didn't have a chance. The
250 cc adult-sized ATV weighed 500 lb. and Kyle barely 80 lb.
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