In South Carolina, a state that has
stalled for years in passing a primary seat belt law and which has no
helmet requirements for motorcyclists, don't expect more stringent
regulations for the use of all-terrain vehicles anytime soon. But that
doesn't mean parents should wait to make sure their children observe
safety measures when driving an ATV.
A 7-year-old Fort Lawn boy died in an ATV accident last week. In
July, an 11-year-old Charlotte boy was killed when the ATV he was
driving crashed into trees near a Chester County park. Of the 43 people
who have died from ATV-related injuries since 1999, 16 were under age
14.
Those figures would be no surprise to the experts who study ATV
accidents. A nationwide study found that drivers younger than 16 are
nearly four times more likely than older drivers to suffer an injury
requiring emergency room treatment.
The vehicles, however, can be dangerous for anyone for a variety of
reasons. For one, they usually lack seat belts or other safety
restraints. For another, drivers can never know what they might
encounter when they go off-road, and any obstacle is more dangerous at
high speeds. The machines, while slow compared to cars or motorcycles,
are faster than many people realize. And finally, drivers aren't
required to wear protective gear, such as a helmet.
It would seem obvious that parents should think twice about letting
children operate or ride on an ATV, but South Carolina is a state where
citizens pride themselves on their rural heritage. Many an adult today
learned to drive a tractor or the family pickup while just a kid himself
and fails to appreciate that his own children are living in a different
world.
Some lawmakers have suggested that the state create a committee to
study whether public land could be set aside for ATV parks. Such parks
would provide a safer environment for riding and for novice drivers to
practice.
ATV parks, especially those that provide instruction in operating the
vehicles, might be a good idea. But they probably couldn't compete with
the allure of a ride through woods and fields. Besides, they are just a
halfway measure. The state needs specific age restrictions and safety
requirements for operating ATVs, similar to the requirements for
operating most other motor vehicles.
We anticipate that many ATV owners and their children would object to
such restrictions. But so did boat owners and their children -- until
the state finally woke up to the danger of allowing unrestricted use of
motorboats on state waterways and instituted new regulations.
As noted, though, new ATV regulations may be a long time coming.
Meanwhile, it is up to parents to use common sense and their own
authority to regulate when their children are allowed to drive an ATV.
The death of any child is heartbreaking, and we can only hope that
one family's tragic loss will serve as a wake-up call to other families.
