 Farm Safety
ATV Safety in Arkansas
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Audio/Video Script:
All terrain vehicles are enormously popular in Arkansas. ATVs, as they are
popularly known, are versatile and are used for a variety of purposes. ATVs are
important as work vehicles on farms. As their name implies, ATVs can access
remote areas where conventional farm vehicles like pickup trucks and tractors
cannot. ATVs are also used as short-run transportation in rural areas and are
also popular for sport and off-road recreation.
When ridden properly, ATVs are safe. Unfortunately,
ATVs are involved in hundreds of serious injuries every year in Arkansas because
they are operated recklessly. Deadly crashes are common and are increasing as
the number of vehicles in the state grows. Children are at special risk for
being injured in accidents involving ATVs.
John Nixon, Children’s Hosp Spokesperson:
In Children's Hospital what we will see is head injuries, head being the most
vulnerable part of the body. We see abdomen injuries where inertia makes them
move forward into the handlebars, and then they will stick their feet down to
try to prevent a rollover or fall and we are seeing some pretty nasty injuries
to the extremities.
Announcer
The ATV industry is concerned and through local dealerships offers courses on
ATV safety. Safety courses, however, are not well attended leaving the majority
of ATV owners in Arkansas operating their vehicles without the benefit of proper
instruction.
Children's Hospital in Little Rock is teaming up with the University of
Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service to stem the tide of ATV crashes in the
state. Newton County in northwest Arkansas ranks first for ATV injuries. It is
here where Arkansas 4-H, the youth leadership section of the Cooperative
Extension Service, is working on a pilot program to develop solutions to the ATV
safety problem. Students taking part in the program are teamed together, taught
leadership and facilitation skills and sent into local high schools to interview
other students to determine how youth use ATVs and their attitudes toward ATV
safety. Program coordinators are looking at the information gathered by the 4-H
teams in order to develop ATV safety recommendations acceptable to young people.
Jack Boles Interview: Youth Teams working in Newton County School
I know I've heard discussion among of some of the adults in the state saying
that well there are certain things that kids just won't stand for. How can we
get kids to accept this or that. It's real funny, because these things are
the exact things that these kids are coming up with as solutions to the problem,
such as mandatory training. If you are going to be driving a 4-wheeler, you need
to have some type of training available. Make helmets mandatory. One huge
problem that we see is to make helmets more affordable and more attainable to
these young people.
Announcer
Children’s Hospital and Extension Service program coordinators are confident
that the insights yielded by the study can be used to develop ATV safety
programs used throughout Arkansas and the nation.
If you ride an ATV here are some safety tips you need to know to avoid
getting injured.
1. Children under sixteen should not ride an ATV alone. It is best
for younger riders to ride with an experienced adult.
2. Always wear proper safety gear while riding ATVs. Special helmets,
goggles, boots and gloves are designed to prevent injuries or minimize
them when crashes do occur.
3. Never ride ATVs on paved roads. ATVs are designed for dirt roads
and off-road travel and are difficult to control on paved surfaces.
4. Never carry a passenger unless the ATV is specifically designed to
carry riders.
5. Never ever operate an ATV under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
ATVs are complex machines that require clear, unimpaired judgment to
operate safely.
6. Know the terrain of the course you are traveling before you leave.
Surprises on the trail often lead to crashes.
7. Know the local laws, and abide by them. Every state and local area
has restrictions on where and when you can ride, age limits and training
requirements.
8. Only ride ATVs fitted to your age and size. Children riding adult
vehicles are a common cause of ATV crashes.
Announcer
To learn more about ATV safety, contact your local county Cooperative
Extension Service Agent, and follow the links in this section.
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