Children should be banned from operating all-terrain vehicles in order to prevent thousands of injuries and numerous deaths that occur each year, according to a prominent medical organization.
"There's a disproportionate number of children being injured," said Suzanne Strasberg, president of the Ontario Medical Association. "Often they're devastating injuries, including death."
The association is urging the provincial government to prohibit anyone under age 14 from getting behind the wheel of an ATV. It also wants 14- to 16-year-olds restricted to operating ATVs that can't exceed 30 kilometres an hour, as well as mandatory helmet laws for users of any age. The restrictions should apply whether the vehicles are on private or public property, the group said.
The call comes weeks after a six-year-old Alberta girl, who was riding an ATV operated by her stepsister, was killed when the vehicle rolled over. Both were wearing seatbelts and full face helmets.
ATVs, also referred to as "quads," are motorized vehicles with three or four wheels that are designed for use in off-road areas. Many experts say that three-wheel models have largely been phased out of use in Canada. Although they can be used as modes of transportation, particularly in rural areas, ATVs are also popular for recreational use.
Most ATV manufacturers, such as Polaris, Arctic Cat and Bombardier Recreational Products, offer a variety of models designed for youth. They tend to be smaller in size and may have a less powerful engine than adult models. Some also offer functions so a parent or supervisor can better control the vehicle's speed.
Safety concerns over ATV use are hardly new. But many medical experts say the popularity of the vehicles has been growing rapidly in Canada in recent years, prompting numerous safety organizations to step up their calls for new restrictions.
"I don't know that people recognize how dangerous they are," said Pamela Fuselli, executive director of Safe Kids Canada, a national advocacy organization.
Dr. Strasberg said the growing prevalence of ATV use among children, and a corresponding spike in the number of injuries, is what prompted the Ontario Medical Association to launch its appeal for a ban.
In 2007, the Canadian Institute for Health Information reported that hospitalizations related to off-road vehicles rose 66 per cent in the nine year period ending 2004-2005. Males between ages 15 and 19 suffered the largest proportion of ATV-related injuries, followed by those between 20 and 24.
Many injuries occur when the vehicles roll over, which can occur when they're going up a hill, for instance. But problems can occur in other ways, such as if the ATV runs into something at a fast pace.
Regulation of ATVs varies from province to province, and rules in most parts of the country are too weak to protect children and young people, said Ms. Fuselli. In Ontario, children under 12 are not supposed to operate an ATV on public property unless they have adult supervision. But there are no rules if the child is on private property owned by the vehicle's owner.
Similar rules are in place in other provinces, such as Manitoba, which allow children under age 14 to operate an ATV with adult supervision. In Alberta, children under age 14 can't use an ATV on public property unless they are supervised by an adult. There are no restrictions for use on private property. But in British Columbia, there are no regulations governing ATV use for kids.
Ms. Fuselli points to rules adopted in Nova Scotia a few years ago as a potential model for other areas. The province passed legislation that says ATV drivers must be at least 14 years old, unless they are in a closed course, have completed training and have supervision, among other restrictions.
But Andrew Lynk, chair of the advocacy committee of the Canadian Paediatric Society, said the rules would have been much more effective if they had set 16 as the age limit.
"Kids under 16 don't have the strength or the ability or the judgment to operate the ATVs, even the smaller ones," said Dr. Lynk, who is also chief of pediatrics at the Cape Breton District Health Authority.
Dr. Lynk said he likes Quebec's legislation, which prohibits children under age 16 from operating ATVs unless they have completed a competency course on a youth model.
One group representing ATV enthusiasts said legislation restricting use among children isn't unwelcome, but also isn't necessary. Wayne Daub, executive director of the Ontario Federation of All-Terrain Vehicle Clubs, said ATVs can be very safe for children who have been taught proper use, are wearing a helmet and have very close supervision.
"If they're supervised, I think it can be done just about as safely as any other activity a child will be doing," Mr. Daub said.
