April 23, 2010

Live to ride another day – Press Release

Stay safe riding ATVs

They’re exciting and a wonderful way to enjoy the Alberta landscape. They are also a great way of getting around to do chores on the farm or acreage. But all-terrain vehicles – or ATVs – are more than a tool and are definitely not toys. The very power that makes them exciting and useful can make them deadly.

ATVs cause more injuries than any other consumer product. In Alberta in one year alone, there were about 780 hospital admissions for injuries related to ATVs and more than 5800 emergency department visits.

"Most people who die in ATV crashes suffer a head injury," said Kathy Belton, Associate Director of the Alberta Centre for Injury Control & Research. "One of the most important steps people can take to stay safe is to wear an approved ATV helmet that has face and eye protection."

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The provincial centre recently studied the available research on ATV-related injuries and learned that many crashes and injuries could have been avoided by following the seating limit of the ATV. "ATVs built for one person are harder to control and more likely to tip when a passenger tags along," explains Belton. "We urge people to refuse to carry or be a passenger on an ATV that’s only built for one."

Intoxication by drugs and alcohol has been implicated as one of the most pervasive risk factors in ATV injuries. Even slight intoxication increases both the likelihood of a crash and the likelihood that the injuries sustained will be more severe. Of the ATV fatalities in Alberta between 2002 and 2009, 55% of those checked for alcohol had tested positive – 72% of whom were over the legal limit.

Organizations like the Alberta Off-Highway Vehicle Association and the Alberta Safety Council offer hands-on training which provides riders the special skills and practice they need. ATVs may look easy to operate, but it takes practice and experience to learn to navigate the terrain and situations that riders will come across.

When it comes to children and ATVs, the evidence is clear: children and youth do not have what it takes to ride safely. "Children have less strength, control, coordination and judgment than adults which ultimately translates to a higher risk of injury and death," says Belton, "In fact, people younger than 16 have a substantially greater risk of injury than someone over 16." People younger than 16 accounted for 15% of all ATV-related deaths in Alberta between 2002 and 2009.

Safety advocates recommend that anyone under 16 years of age ride an ATV that is appropriate to their age, weight, and maturity. Youth-size ATVs may reduce the risk of injury. Any rider under 16 should also have constant, close, visual supervision by a responsible adult.

More information about ATV safety is available on the Alberta Centre for Injury Control & Research website at or call (780) 492-6019.