All-terrain vehicle injuries in central Wisconsin: a continuing problem.
All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) have become well recognized as associated with injuries. This recognition has resulted in attempts at education and regulation to reduce the number and severity of injuries and number of deaths. The Marshfield Clinic and St. Joseph's Hospital surveyed all-terrain vehicle accidents in the Emergency Department in 1985 and again in 1988 and followed these patients for at least 1 year after the injury. Between the two dates, extensive educational and legislative activity had taken place. The actual number of all-terrain vehicle accidents had increased. The characteristics of victims who were involved in all-terrain vehicle accidents did not change. The actual number of accidents associated with three-wheeled ATVs did not appreciably decrease but the number of accidents associated with four-wheeled ATVs did increase. To date, it is not clear that legislative and educational activities are effective in reducing the number of ATV accidents or in changing the pattern of the accidents.
Stueland
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Section of Emergency Medicine, Marshfield Clinic/St Joseph's Hospital, WI 54449.
Aldrich
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015541:Off-Road Motor Vehicles / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012424:Rural Population; D014922:Wisconsin / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*