While it’s not uncommon to see a young person on an ATV or side-by-side in the north, the Canadian Paediatric Society says anyone under the age of 16 should not operate them.
“Most kids actually don’t have the necessary cognitive, physical, or developmental skills developed yet to safely operate a large, powerful motorized machine like this,” said Dr. Suzanne Beno, chair of the society’s injury prevention committee.
Data from the Paediatric Society found that in Canada, as many as 35 per cent of deaths related to off-road vehicles are among children and youth under 16, even though they represent a small percentage of drivers and passengers.
“When we looked at the numbers over time, we saw that the rates really haven’t appreciably decreased,” Beno said.
“In fact, they peaked during the pandemic and then have really been about the same. So that really tells us that we haven’t made enough progress on this issue. And so we felt it was time to look at the evidence again, put the literature together and come up with a set of recommendations.”
‘Children will ride ATVs’
But Shari Black, executive director of the Ontario Federation of All-Terrain Vehicle Clubs, said they understand and respect the importance of safety, but said the recommendation isn’t practical.
“Children will ride ATVs,” Black said.
“Whether … that’s with their family, on private property, on trails as passengers, the reality is with education, with training, with guidance, with supervision, this is a very safe sport.”
Among the society’s recommendations are improved vehicle design and safety features, new federal safety regulations and provincial rules to regulate the use of the vehicles.
Information for parents and families is available here.
