The Prairie Star, MT
04-14-06
ATV accident makes for constant reminders for safety
By HANNAH FLETCHER, For The Prairie Star
When it comes to all terrain vehicles (ATVs), safety hits close to home for Mary
Pepper's family.
Three years ago, on Labor Day weekend, her sons, Tom and Jim, were in an
ATV accident.
It was an accident unlike most ATV accidents for Tom, now 16, and Jim, now 13.
They were going slow and ran over a cable that snapped back and hit Tom in the
neck. The blow knocked them both off the vehicle.
Luckily, they were in the front yard on their farm near Boone in Central Iowa, and
the Peppers were able to rush them to the Boone Hospital.
Tom was life-lifted from Boone to a Des Moines hospital. But, both boys came
out of the accident healthy, despite a few broken bones and scars.
“The nurse told us most of the time the accidents don't turn out like this because
usually (operators) are going way too fast,” Mary said.
The boys were going less than 15 mph and were riding a small, age-appropriate
ATV, which probably contributed to turning out OK, said Dave Pepper, the boys'
father.
“We were really lucky,” Mary says. “But, it could have been a completely different
story.”
ATVs are a popular on farms because they are can get people around quickly
and are powerful enough to haul equipment, said Chuck Schwab, Iowa State
University agricultural safety specialist.
“What we see is ATV (use) has grown, not just in farm usage but for recreation,”
Schwab said.
There are more than 40,000 ATVs registered in the state. Another 25,000 are
estimated to be unregistered, said David Downing, ATV programs manager for
the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
“There are very few farms that don't have ATVs anymore, and we don't want to
see people get hurt,” he said.
Downing warns there are more accidents involving ATVs than people realize.
DNR mandates a safety program for children between 12 and 17 years of age to
use ATVs on public land. Because the program is for children and is expensive $75 for individuals under 16 and $125 for individuals over 16 - the DNR is
designing a less-expensive program for operators of all ages who use ATVs for
recreation or work.
Accidents often involve users who were not using the ATV properly or had
multiple riders, Downing said.
Schwab said there are three main safety considerations in using ATVs:
1) Consider the size of ATV and capability of the operator. ATVs should be ageappropriate if children are going to be using them.
“These machines are expensive and they can only afford one. Often they buy
ones for adults and let kids use it,” Downing said.
Schwab said it is hard to determine the capability of the rider by age alone.
Parents must determine their capability based on their demonstration of visual,
reasoning and physical skills.
“You put them into something with power and speed and they are supposed
know how to use it, when to stop, but their bodies haven't completely developed
for that yet,” he said.
2) Riders must be trained for proper operation.
“Look at the warning stickers on the ATV,” Downing said. “The rules are there,
and if you bend them it could kill you.”
Operators need to understand appropriate speeds and how to address the
environment to appropriately adjust their speeds and weight, Schwab said.
People who are not properly trained should not be allowed to use ATVs and
multiple riders are not allowed on ATVs, he adds.
Experts say many accidents occur when there are multiple riders.
Schwab said the wide, large seat can be misleading.
“The large seat is needed so the operator can control it. Put an extra person on
there, and it interferes with their ability to maneuver,” Schwab said.
Also, added weight from attachments can alter an operator's control.
“Even for a person who has been using an ATV for a long time, if you change
that ATV slightly and if they don't realize what that change does, it could change
how it needs to be handled,” Schwab said.
3) Wear protection.
Riders should wear gloves, boots, long-sleeve shirts and pants to protect
themselves from brush. And, most importantly, they should wear a helmet
designed specifically for ATVs, Schwab said.
Today, the Peppers have three ATVs on their farm, including the one that was
involved in the accident, although it does not get much use because it is too
small, Dave says.
“ATV's are an integral part of our farming operation. I pull a small 20-foot sprayer
over many acres each year and have a tow hitch on mine,” he said.
The Peppers make a point to not allow anyone besides family members on the
vehicles.
The boys help with farm chores and use the ATVs. But, David said they wear
helmets and no longer ride double.
“They know how to ride it, and they are very respectful of it,” Mary said. “I know
they haven't forgotten about (the accident) and neither will we.”