title: Morbidity associated with four-wheel all-terrain vehicles and comparison with that of motorcycles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in their annual report (2001) of all-terrain vehicle (ATV) deaths and injuries concluded that in the late 1990s there had been a gradual increase in the number of deaths and injuries related to ATV collisions. The objective of our study was to describe the morbidity of four-wheel all-terrain vehicle collisions (ATVCs) and compare them with motorcycle collision (MCC) victims.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a 24-month (April 2000-November 2002) retrospective review of all trauma patients admitted. Statistical significance was defined at p < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 2,380 blunt trauma patients were admitted, of which 74 (3.1%) were ATVC victims and 169 (7.1%) were MCC victims. The average age was 23.9 +/- 9.4 years for ATVC victims and 29.1 +/- 11.5 years (p < 0.001) for MCC victims. The median Injury Severity Score was 16.0 for the ATVC group and 13 for the MCC group (p = 0.106). ATVC patients had a higher incidence of head and neck injuries (56%) than MCC patients (30%) (p < 0.001). The incidence of chest and abdominal injuries was similar between groups. Mortality occurred in 15 of 74 (20%) ATVC patients and 24 of 169 (14.2%) MCC patients (p = 0.236).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that ATVCs are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. When compared with MCCs, ATVCs have similar mortality and a much higher incidence of head injuries. National tracking of ATVCs should be continued and improved in an effort to assist legislators in enacting laws protecting the riders of ATVs.
authors.affiliation: Puerto Rico Trauma Center and University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan. macosta@centennialpr
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Acosta
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D009049:Motorcycles / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015541:Off-Road Motor Vehicles / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality