JA:2021-10. The Epidemiology of All-Terrain-Vehicle Injuries: 2015-2017

Purpose: Injuries related to the operation of off-road vehicles (ORVs), including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), continue to be a significant public health concern, especially in rural areas and agricultural production. In fact, a previous study of ATV-related occupational deaths utilizing the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ annual Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries found 61% were in the agriculture production industry, and the ATV-related fatality rate per million workers in agriculture was 143 times greater than all other industries. This study was designed to describe the characteristics of ATV injuries and fatalities by using three different national databases. Methods (if applicable): Data on ATV-related injuries and fatalities during the years 2015–2017 was obtained from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), AgInjuryNews.org (AIN), and Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). Results/Findings: We are currently analyzing the data for this ongoing study. A preliminary analysis was performed on FARS, AIN, and NEISS for 2015–2017. By using FARS, we identified 1004 ATV roadway fatalities in 974 crashes. These crashes were mostly single-vehicle (76%) and not a collision with a motor vehicle (77%; overturn/rollover, fall from the vehicle, hit fixed object) crashes. There were 156 fatal and 114 non-fatal agriculture-related ATV injuries by using AIN dataset. Of these injuries, 46% were to youth aged 16 years or younger, and 25% of the victims were using ATV for farm work at the time of the incident. Using NEISS data, an estimated 325,096 ATV-related injuries were treated in U.S. emergency departments from 2015–2017. Almost 30% of these injuries were to youth aged 16 years or younger. Practical Application: By presenting the results from these three datasets, we are hoping to provide a more complete picture of the burden of ATV-related fatalities and injuries. This is much needed to effectively inform injury prevention efforts in rural areas and in agriculture.