CBS: ATVs: Too Dangerous For Kids

[kawGIRL]

    

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/01/11/earlyshow/living/ConsumerWatch/main666185.shtml

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/14/eveningnews/consumer/main617621.shtml

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/13/eveningnews/consumer/main617362.shtml

[jackinthebox23]

maybe we should all start raising h*ll about how dangerous those little two wheel motorized scooters are to kids.  Those things probably kill or injure more kids than quads do.  Why aren't they taking the heat off of us?  Let's create a diversion from us and maybe we'll all get our land back.  

in that first story, it wasn't the quad the broke that kids leg...it was a car who broadsided him.  He was crossing the road.  As if kids don't cross the road on bicycles. Are we going to take bikes away from kids too?  When are parents and parental guardians going to start receiving some of the blame for their kids actions?  OKay, getting too mad.  better go

[o4250]

Are we going to take bikes away from kids too? ?

and scooters, being able to go out, halloween, christmas, toys that arent 100% safe etc etc...

I feel bad for anyone just being born becuase by the time there older we are going to be so policlty correct and sh*t the drinking age will be 36 drivers licesne will be 25

and hillary clinton will be in office

[LakeMaryKid]

God that makes me STEAMED! Only watched the first two soo far and the first one wasnt the atv's fault. And the second wasnt the ATV's fault. I mean come on. Kids walk, ride bicycles, scooters, gopeds. You naem it across roads. Why dont we ban all of them too!? But i mean i cant even put it into words how i feel.

[innocent_bystander]

This is what annoys me. In the article it reads:

Part of the problem? Kids are riding ATVs that are too big for them. There are smaller machines made for children, but many parents simply buy one full-size model for the whole family to use.

"They are not toys. These are vehicles," Dr. Upperman says, "If we put children behind the wheel of a car, and said, 'Why don't you go down to the corner store?', we'd expect them to have injuries. Children should not be able to jump on one of these things and drive down the road."

Safety experts say what's needed is mandatory training for young riders.

According to the ATV Safety Institute, more than 90 percent of child injuries are caused by improper driver behavior.

Sheryl Van Der Leun of the ATV Safety Insitute says, "They're riding without the right protective gear like a helmet. They're riding without supervision. Parents should always supervise their children. They should never ride on public roads. They should never carry a passenger."


So what the experts are saying is that kids should be supervised by parents, wear protective gear, and have mandatory training. OK, makes sense. Seems obvious. Now where did the experts say ATVs are too dangerous. People just read headlines, they dont take the time to read articles unless it pertains to them. The ATV community gets a black eye because the news media fails to remain unbiased.

Also:

Because there was no law prohibiting it, the Rabes thought it was safe.

"It would have saved our son's life if there had been a law that said he was too small to ride that," says Sue Rabe.

...Others, like the Rabes, never thought the dealer would sell them an ATV that wasn't safe for Kyle to ride.



I hate to be this way but what ever happened to responsibility and parenting, do they not coexist anymore? It always seems to be someone elses fault. Do we need the government to establish laws in everything. Maybe we can just drop our kids off and let the government raise them, because from the above quote, it seems as if we cannot make our own decisions.

Everytime something happens we look for someone else to blame. "It wasn't the killers fault, it was the gun manufacturer." "It isnt the parents fault, its the ATVs."

Jack your right, in the next couple of years we will all be walking around in pressurized protection bubbles, with no contact, and anything to do.

[customrubicon]

Adult supervision would have probably prevented the kids from getting hit by the car. Parents need to be with their kids when riding.

[bumblemoose]

I was thinking the same thing about those scooters, they are everywhere and most don't even have brakes.

[Shotgun]

The knee jerk reaction is always the same, we had better ban them. Ban everything that could possibly hurt people. You can't protect epople from themselves. Stupid.

[kawGIRL]

Yeah they better ban swimming pools while there at it, how many kids die each year from drowning.

[TurboBanshee_kid]

I'm 15teen I have been riding ATV'S for 4 0r 3 years now I started off riding a honda 300ex and I do stopyes and wheelies and all that good stuff  but never was did get hurt I think I'm a good rider but some dum kids should not ride ATV'S.
AND THERE THE ONE'S THAT ARE GOING TO OUT LAW MY BIG BAD DS650. [smiley=Angry.gif] [smiley=Angry.gif]

[big-daddy]

Atv keys need to be locked away so kid dont have access to them. parent at work, kid get out of school and off there go

[MadMudder]

More kids get killed riding their bycicles then ATVs. Also whoever says that you have to be 12 to ride a 90 has lost his mind. I think it should be based on the childs skill level and size. NOT by how old the kid is.

[MOKAS]

exactly, you have a better chance dieng while taking a trip on an airplane

[superstar]

Usually kids that are dumb enough to ride out in front of a car, should be banned from atvs. Kids and atvs are the same as kids and guns. Take the time to teach them right from wrong, and kick their a$$ when theyre wrong. I guarantee you they wont do wrong.

[wakeriderof87]

The first article wasn't to bad, mostly good info.  But the second two were just plain off.  It was a Yamaha 80 4 moto.  My parents were always there when I rode it.  And I always wore a helmet.  Never once was injured.  My sister inherited that bike and was never hurt on it once.  She is getting a TRX250 sportrax tomorrow.