title: Injuries from all-terrain vehicles: An opportunity for injury prevention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patient demographics, behavior, and injury patterns were assessed to inform preventative efforts for reduced incidence of all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  ATV-related injuries treated at a Level I trauma center from 2008 to 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient outcomes and incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) were compared by helmet use and alcohol intoxication.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Helmet data were available for 304 patients of 404 patients included; of these, 75 (24.7%) wore a helmet. Incidence of TBI was lower in the helmeted (8.0%) versus the unhelmeted subgroup (26.6%) (P < 0.001). Helmeted patients had lower injury severity scores, lower intensive-care unit (ICU) admission rates, and shorter ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS) (P < 0.05). Intoxicated patients had higher rates of TBI and ICU admission as well as prolonged ICU LOS (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data support the requirement for a greater emphasis on injury prevention among ATV users.
authors.affiliation: Division of Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC, USA. Electronic address: Emily.benham@carolinas.org.
authors.forename: Emily C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Benham
authors.affiliation: Division of Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC, USA. Electronic address: Samuel.ross@carolinas.org.
authors.forename: Samuel W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: Division of Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC, USA. Electronic address: Marimavilia@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mavilia
authors.affiliation: Division of Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC, USA. Electronic address: Fischepe23@me.com.
authors.forename: Peter E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.affiliation: Division of Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC, USA. Electronic address: Ashley.Christmas@carolinas.org.
authors.forename: A Britton
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Christmas
authors.affiliation: Division of Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC, USA. Electronic address: Ronald.Sing@CarolinasHealthCare.org.
authors.forename: Ronald F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Sing
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000070642:Brain Injuries, Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006260:Head Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D015541:Off-Road Motor Vehicles / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ATV; All-terrain vehicle; Blunt trauma; Helmet use; Injury prevention; Intoxication