Wisconsin records its third all-terrain vehicle fatality in one month. A Jefferson County man died over the weekend from injuries suffered after he lost control of the ATV he was driving.
The Department of Natural Resources ATV safety administrator Gary Eddy says most ATV-related deaths and injuries could be prevented. “We’ve investigated several of these fatal crashes where the victim could have easily walked away from the crash if they had only protected them self through use of a helmet.”
The agency wants ATV operators to be on high alert to always think about safety, Eddy says, especially on private property for recreation or agricultural use.
Regulations are relaxed for ATV use on family farms. State law is more strict for kids riding on the trails. Eddy suggests parents take training classes with their kids. “… to take an ATV safety course together. It’s really important that those adults reinforce what the children are learning during an ATV safety course … to take the course with them.”
In addition to Sunday’s fatality, an adult and a child died in two separate ATV incidents in April.
Emergency medical staff at the American Family Children’s Hospital recently reported seeing a lot of injuries related to ATV use. Last year, Wisconsin saw 16 fatalities involving the use of an ATV.
AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report 1:41
