368 Off-Highway Vehicle Parks: Do Increased Regulations and Enforcement Improve All-Terrain Vehicle Safety?

Abstract

Study Objectives: All-terrain vehicle (ATV) popularity has risen dramatically in the past 15 years and has been accompanied by an even greater increase in crash-related deaths and injuries. The number of off-highway vehicle parks, both public and private, continues to grow to meet the recreational needs of ATV enthusiasts. These parks require users to obey all state laws, often have additional safety regulations, and in our state have personnel dedicated to enforcement of laws and regulations. Little is known about how off-highway vehicle park regulations and enforcement affects ATV user behavior and safety. The objective of this study was to determine whether there were differences in crash mechanisms and/or compliance with ATV safety laws and regulations when comparing off-road ATV crashes inside and outside state off-highway vehicle parks. Methods: Data were derived from our statewide ATV injury surveillance database (2002-2009). Descriptive analyses were performed for demographics, risk factors (eg , carrying passengers), crash mechanisms, and outcomes of injuries. Comparisons of categorical and continuous variables were performed. Results: A total of 813 injured persons were included in the final analysis; 6% of victims were from OHV park crashes. Relative to outside the parks, a smaller percentage of park victims were under the age of 6teen (7% versus 31%, p<0.01), a lower percentage were passengers (2.5% versus 13%, p=0.07), and a dramatically higher percentage were helmeted (90% versus 24%, p<0.0001). However, park crashes involved more jump-related injuries (34% versus 5%, p<0.001). Mean injury severity scores were not different between the 2 locations, but 5% of victims outside the parks had severe brain injuries (GCS <8) as compared to no park victims. Conclusion: Off-highway vehicle park crashes involved more jump-related events, suggesting that additional studies of individual parks may be necessary to identify high-risk areas and to improve park safety. However, park victims exhibited better compliance with ATV safety-related laws and regulations and suffered less severe brain injury outcomes. These findings support the hypothesis that ATV safety regulations accompanied by effective enforcement promote safe behaviors that may prevent injuries.