# Top 10 states for ATV deaths



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

ATV fatalities
A dangerous trend
The Consumer Product Safety Commission report shows at least 555 people  including more than 100 children  died in ATV accidents in 2006. The commission is a federal regulatory agency.

Safety officials expect the number to go much higher as they receive information from coroners and hospitals nationwide.

The safety commission estimated that an additional 146,600 people were treated in emergency rooms for ATV-related injuries  more than a quarter of them children.

The signs are pointing to a very dangerous trend into more than 800 deaths per year, commission spokesman Scott Wolfson said. 

While overall injuries have risen steadily since 1997, injuries to children were down from 44,700 in 2004 to 39,300 in 2006.

Most of the deaths and injuries to children are the result of youngsters riding adult-size ATVs, and consumer groups say the agency needs to do more to keep kids off ATVs that are too big and too powerful for them.

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080216/NEWS01/80215161

Top 10 states for ATV deaths, 1982-2006.
1. Pennsylvania, 420 deaths
2. California, 418 
3. West Virginia, 398 
4. Texas, 386 
5. Kentucky, 367 
6. Florida, 349 
7. Tennessee, 322 
8. New York, 303 
9. North Carolina, 297 
10. Michigan, 296


----------



## bigcountrysg (Oct 9, 2006)

Now lets see if we can find a chart for ATV Sales per state. I bet you will find that the ratio to death is a good ratio. In meaning for the amount of ATV's that are around in these states compared to the deaths. 

That as well as safety regulations per state most likely differ. Also laws and regulations come into factor. Then you have type of terrian. 

I can speak for California and Michigan. Because I have rode in these two states. California is mostly desert either mountainous desert or regular desert. Michigan is flat or hilly with one location that is open to riding on dunes. 

Quite a few factors come into play with these rankings.


----------



## 22 Chuck (Feb 2, 2006)

Seeing them ride suggests that the number of deaths is lower than would be expected. I guess that speaks volumes resiliency for the human body.

Comparable numbers for snowmobiles??

Can you imagine if 300 were shot during hunting seasons? 100??


----------



## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

I doubt the info is available, but I would like to see the breakdown on these stats such with info such as age, machine type, helmet involved, alcohol involved, supervision etc, etc. I think the results would be far more meaningful to both those that ride and those that don't ride. I think you'd find a lot people that made poor choices are in those stats. My guesstimate would be that 2/3rds of those deaths involve illegal activity, meaning they were to young to drive the machine they were on, weren't wearing any protective gear, and alcohal would be involved in many, including the teenagers. Still a sad deal, but many of those could have easily been avoided with a little common sense.
No argument that ATV's can be dangerous....thats part of the draw and the responsibily one accepts when grabbing a handful of throttle. Unfortunately, the gov't has a difficult time regulating stupid.


----------



## bigcountrysg (Oct 9, 2006)

Swamp Monster you stated Illegal Activity as one reason for the deaths. Then you listed examples. You forgot one big reason Tresspassing. Not saying the property owner is shooting this people. But like alot snowmobile injuries or deaths. When you cut accross a farmers field and you see a barb wire fence in front of you with in 10 feet. It is hard to stop quick enough to avoid hitting the fence. Which then results in either serious injury or death. I see this more with snowmobiles then atv's. Although when we get a couple inches of snow down here. ATV's go cross country just like a snowmobile. The riders think that they have the same laws as snowmobiles. When they don't. I know snowmobiles are not allowed to go cross country through farmers fields. But it seems like the farmers don't really care about snowmobiles as much as atv's. 

Why is that well atv riders usually teens will go ride when it is muddy and rip up the fields. But a snowmobile will ride ontop of snow there for causing no or minimal damage to fields.


----------



## Magnet (Mar 2, 2001)

555 a year is only an aveage of 11 per state per year. I bet more people are dying from bee stings than ATV accidents.

And if 100 of those ATV deaths were kids, then that is only an average of 2 per state per year. I bet more kids died at school from playground accidents than ATV accidents per year.

I think the media is trying to make a news story that will easily get the support of the anti-ATV folks. You know, the folks who want to close the recreation areas and close the open trails. Yeah, those folks.:rant:


----------

