The use of recreational vehicles such as jet skis, snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles (ATV) can be dangerous, even for some of the most experienced operators to ride on. They’re even more unsafe, though, when an inexperienced child gets behind the wheel of them. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that no one under the age of 16 operates these vehicles; however, many do.
Snowmobiles
AAP data shows that a significant number of kids who are involved in snowmobile accidents are males. Those who venture off alone away from designated trails are most likely to end up involved in a crash. Any snowmobile operator who consumes alcohol prior to riding it puts their life at increased risk as well.
The most common types of snowmobile injuries that riders end up with include broken legs, hearing loss, head injuries and frostbite. They’re also vulnerable to drowning. Snowmobile operators can minimize their risk of injury by wearing protective clothing such as boots, a helmet and goggles.
Off-road or all-terrain vehicles
Individuals who ride ATVs often don’t undergo formal training to learn how to properly operate them. If they did, then they’d know that they should never be driven on paved roadways, that carrying passengers on them is unsafe and that riding one at night is dangerous.
Although Michigan restricts the age at which an individual can operate an off-road vehicle (ORV), many Rochester residents use these on their property thinking that nothing serious will ever happen or that they’ll never get caught.
Injuries that ATV operators suffer are often worse than they otherwise could have been because the operator wasn’t wearing the appropriate protective clothing including gloves, a helmet and boots at the time of their crash.
There are several steps that you should take after any accident. One of those is to reach out to a personal injury attorney so that they can begin to gather evidence necessary to determine who you can hold liable for your injuries.
