All-terrain vehicle (ATV) use and off-road motorcycling
(motocross) are growing in popularity for a variety of reasons.
They are used widely for recreation and in competitive sporting
events, both on public trails and on formal courses. They are
also used in industry and in agriculture to navigate difficult
terrain. In a study published by Mayo Clinic pediatric
orthopedic specialists A. Noelle Larson, M.D., and Amy L.
McIntosh, M.D., the investigators cite the rising number of ATVs
in the U.S. as a cause for concern about child safety. In the
1970s, Americans owned an estimated 400,000 ATVs. By 2009 that
number reached 10.5 million, with one telephone survey showing
that 30 percent of the residents of one rural state owned an
ATV. This trend provides children with more opportunities for
interaction with the vehicles, which poses the risk of poorly
supervised experiences. Minor children are not developmentally
able to fully perceive the potential for danger, or to reliably
control the machines when given turns