Morbidity associated with four-wheel all-terrain vehicles and comparison with that of motorcycles.
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.
Acosta
José A
JA
Puerto Rico Trauma Center and University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan. macosta@centennialpr
Rodríguez
Pablo
P
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