NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
When it comes to ATV fatalities, Tennessee ranks among the worst states in the country, coming in at sixth.
That ranking does not even include children who visit emergency rooms around the state because they are hurt riding a four-wheeler.
At Vanderbilt University Children's hospital in Nashville, ATV accidents are the fourth leading cause of admission to the trauma unit.
That's why, with warm weather on tap headed into Memorial Day weekend, the hospital wants to remind parents to be extra careful.
"This is a great time to remind people as the weather gets better and better, to follow precautions," said Purnima Unni, the pediatric trauma injury prevention program coordinator.
Unni told Nashville's News 2 being safe includes wearing the appropriate helmet and making sure children are wearing long sleeved pants and shirts.
Unni also said parents need to make sure their kids are not riding on an adult ATV.
"Even if we can save one child and educate one parent," Unni added, "I think our goal and mission is met. That's how we see it."
At Castle Powersports in Rivergate, ATV safety is something they take very seriously.
"All the ATVs we sell come with very strict regulations on age requirements," explained Spurgeon Dunbar, a sales associate.
Spurgeon said full size ATVs are not meant for children and there is actually a federal law that prevents dealerships from selling to people who plan to let children under the age of 16 ride them.
"We have some people who will try and back peddle and say, 'Oh, it's just for me. I'm not going to let my child ride it.' As soon as we know it's for a child, we cannot sell," said Spurgeon.
There are however, ATVs designed especially for children that are smaller.
There's one for children six and up, 12 and up and then 14 to 16-years-old.
The age limits are clearly marked on all models.
Spurgeon said anyone who buys an ATV also signs a form promising to take a safety class and walks away with a DVD showing the proper way of driving and the right kind of equipment they should be wearing.
"Be safe about it," Spurgeon told Nashville's News 2, "You don't want to get hurt and these regulations are in place for a reason."
He added, "If you use the safety precautions, use them how they're supposed to be used, these are fun machines."
On Wednesday night a 45-year-old man was killed after the ATV he was riding was struck by a pickup truck in Wilson County.
Also on Wednesday, two subcontractors were injured in an ATV accident in Robertson County.
A 29-year-old male was transported by LifeFlight helicopter to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, while a 79-year-old man suffered non life-threatening injuries and transported by ambulance to a local hospital.
The men were working on a pipeline when the accident occurred on rocky terrain nearby.
For more information on ATV safety, visit ATVsafety.org.
For the rider training location nearest you, call 1-800-887-2887.
Click here to join the ATV Safety Coalition, or you can contact the Trauma Injury Prevention Program at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital at 615-936-8222.
