All-terrain vehicles are causing catastrophic injuries to children and teenagers in the United States, a new study has found. According to an in-depth study conducted by the Campbell Clinic-LeBonheur Medical Center in Memphis, 28 percent of all ATV-related injuries in 2008 involved children younger than 16. There were an estimated 135,000 injuries for ATV riders of all ages. A majority of these ATV injuries were caused by the vehicle tipping or overturning. Many were also caused by improper use.

Injuries on the Rise

Consumeraffairs.com reports that ATVs have gained in popularity especially in states such as California where the weather is excellent year-round. What many fail to remember, however, is that ATVs are not toys. On the contrary, these are high-velocity machines that can weigh between 300 and 600 pounds and run on average between 25 and 60 mph. Some of these ATVs even reach speeds of 75 to 100 mph.

The Memphis clinic apparently treated 4,483 children in the United States who were injured in ATV accidents over several years. Of those children, 7.4 percent had spinal cord injuries. Also, 76 percent of the patients were male. Their average age was about 13 years. Doctors also noticed that there was a greater incidence of injuries when the ATVs could carry multiple riders.

Products Liability Issues

Yamaha Rhinos, the utility terrain vehicles that caused numerous injuries with their defective design, also featured high on this hospital's list of high-risk vehicles. Doctors say that the Rhino vehicles with well-known product defects posed a greater risk of limb amputation. Many victims who rode in these vehicles that can carry several passengers also suffered more broken bones compared with other single-rider ATVs.

Doctors are recommending that the government require a mandatory safety training session before these vehicles can be operated. It is important not only for young riders to get an education here, but also their parents. It is extremely important that parents realize that these are not vehicles anyone can drive. If your child does not have a driver's license and appropriate training to ride an ATV please do not allow him or her to ride one. If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective product, please contact an experienced California personal injury lawyer to get more information about your legal rights and options.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.

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