Adolescent All-terrain Vehicle Exposure and the Association of Training Course Certification with Safety Behaviors and Crash Experiences

Background: All-terrain vehicle (ATV) training certification courses are recommended, but there is little data published regarding how it effects subsequent safe riding behaviors. Our objectives in this study was to determine adolescents’ exposure to ATVs and their crash and injury experiences. Moreover, we wanted to determine factors associated with having completed an ATV safety training course and its impact on riding behaviors.

Methods: A survey was conducted by the Iowa Off-Road Vehicle Safety Task Force and completed anonymously by students approximately one year after they had been presented the Safety Tips for ATV Riders (STARs) program in their schools. These surveys were provided to the study investigators and compiled using Qualtrics, a web-based survey tool. Frequency and chi square analyses were performed using Microsoft SAS software, V.9.4.

Results: 4,906 students from 30 school districts completed the survey from Fall 2012-Fall 2019. Participants ranged from 10-18 years old, but three-quarters (75.5%) were 12-14 years. Male and female proportions were equivalent. Almost three-fifths lived in town (59.2%) with about one-fifth living on a farm (18.5%) or in the country, but not on farm (22.3%). Just over two-fifths (42.0%) stated their families owned an ATV. Overall, 77% had ridden an ATV. Of those that had ridden an ATV in the past year, two-fifths (40.0%) reported riding at least weekly. Although the majority (51.3%) used ATVs for recreation only, over two-fifths (42.7%) used them for both work and recreation and 6.0% used them for work only. In the previous 12 months, over one-fifth (21.8%) of riders reported having had a crash (rollover, collision or ejection) and of these, 17.0% had an injury requiring medical attention. Of adolescents who had ridden an ATV in the past year, only 8.1% had completed an ATV safety training certification course. Those with higher proportions having taken a course included younger riders, males, those whose families owned ATVs, and more frequent riders. However, the percentage having taken a course was no higher than 14.3% for any of these demographic groups. Those completing a safety course had higher proportions that wore helmets (30.2% always or almost always vs. 20.5% of those who had not taken a course, p<0.0001) and lower proportions that reported riding with passengers (62.8 vs. 78.8%, p<0.0001), but had higher proportions that reported riding on roads and having been in a crash.

Conclusion: Iowa adolescents in the study had high exposures to ATVs and crashes were common. Formal safety training was infrequent but those that received training did demonstrate greater helmet use and less riding with passengers than other riders. Multi-targeted approaches including education/training and enforced safety regulations are needed to increase safe riding behaviors in adolescents and decrease ATV-related deaths and injuries.