Recently, we’ve received numerous citizen complaints about the illegal use of ATV’s on city streets. Often, the complaints involve the unsafe usage of the ATV by juveniles or young adults that are operating it in a manner that poses danger to their life and those around them.
Unless the operator has a valid driver’s license and the vehicle has a valid state registration and insurance on it, it shouldn’t be utilized on a public street or state roadway. Due to this becoming more of an issue lately, officers will be taking a zero tolerance stance on the use of ATV’s, golf carts, and other prohibited vehicles being used on public roadways.
Every year, more than 700 deaths and over 100,000 emergency room injuries occur a direct result of ATV-related crashes in the United States. Thirty-five percent of those 700 deaths are children under the age of 16, with the highest risk age group being males under 16.
Every week, more than one child is admitted to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital after an ATV-related injury. The most common injuries associated with ATV accidents are skull fractures, brain injuries, paralysis, and spinal cord injuries. On a per capital basis, Arkansas currently has one of the highest child injury rates involving ATV’s in the nation.
It is the goal of the Benton Police Department to ensure the safety of everyone by enforcing laws related to this issue with the ultimate objective being compliance without the need for enforcement action. We are encouraging parents and guardians to please monitor their children’s ATV usage, because we are hoping for voluntary compliance with the law so that citations don’t have to be issued and impounding of the ATV doesn’t occur.
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*Sources: Injury Prevention Center at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and www.atvsafety.gov