2 yr old Dies While Operating ATV

[Gallntfox]

While this is as tragic as it gets you have to wonder what the hell the parents were thinking. How could his parents not be charged with a crime? 2 FREAKIN YEARS OLD! :doh:

http://somd.com/news/headlines/2007/5122.shtml

LA PLATA, Md. - A two year-old La Plata boy died on Saturday when an ATV he was operating rolled over on top of him.

According to the Charles County Sheriff’s Department, on Jan. 6 at 12:46 p.m., officers responded to the family's residence in the 12200 block of Little Rock Place in La Plata after they were alerted to the accident. The officer's investigation revealed that the boy was operating a Baja Wilderness 50 four-wheeler in the front yard of his residence.

According to police, the vehicle is designed for children between 6- and 12-years-old and is equipped with a remote cut-off switch. When the boy’s mother turned the ATV off by the remote, the ATV came to a stop but the front wheels turned, causing the ATV to overturn on the boy.

The boy was taken by ambulance to Civista Medical Center and then flown by a helicopter to Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where he was pronounced dead at 4:21 p.m. He was wearing a helmet.

His parents were not charged with a crime.

Officer J. Timko is investigating.

[Coooleeey]

WTF?!?! Two year olds should be coloring and learning their ABC's not riding ATV's.

[RonJeremy]

Sadly, you don't have to pass an I.Q. test to be a parent. :doh:

[Zguy28]

This is tragic. And this is the reason why I believe ATV's and Dirtbikes are no different than cars. 16 needs to be the minimum age to operate. My friend's nephew got paralyzed from the waist down racing dirtbikes, he was 14. :(

Not to mention, I must be the only person in So MD who is too poor to afford an ATV. These people got more money than brains. :mad:

[Gallntfox]

Not to mention, I must be the only person in So MD who is too poor to afford an ATV. These people got more money than brains. :mad:

Amen Bro...I have a guy that lives behind me that is up to his eyeballs in debt and just bought his kids a $7500 ATV for Christmas because "it was only $90/month"

[DButz65]

Simply tragic, not much common sense by the parents.

Had dirtbikes , 4 wheelers and gocarts at a younger age, even the smallest ones can kill , especially if not taken seriously. Sounds like the parents were trying to stop it and it was just a horrible rare accident. Maybe they thought he was going to do something crazy and tried to shut it off via the remote. But still he shouldnt of been on the thing being only 2.

I thought about buying one again recently, until i saw how much they were, lol sheesh, the last one i had, a 500cc yamaha back in like 88 was only $1100 or so, but like $5000 for not even a 250? fogetaboutit

[skinsfan44]

Sadly, you don't have to pass an I.Q. test to be a parent. :doh:

You got that right.

What were these parents thinking???

2 years old???

I'm a biker and I wouldn't let my kids operate ANYTHING (4-wheeler, mini-bike, motorcycle) until they were like 10 years old.

[SkinInsite]

Ban ATV!!!!!!

[Cskin]

I'm betting the manufacturer of that ATV is assembling their lawyers, because that family is angling to sue the manufacturer claiming the wheels turned to the right on their own after she pressed the "stop" button on the remote... flipped their child over the handle bars.... and then turned over on top of him. New stories will focus on the faulty ATV and the careless negligent manufacturer...... and completely IGNORE THE 2-YEAR OLD OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE.

[EersSkins05]

I can't believe it was an actual ATV.

I thought this was going to be a story about a power wheels accident...

[More Complete]

A two year old can hardly drive a tricycle! I feel terrible for the parents but they should be charged with stupidity.

[rtbasye]

two- are you FREAKING KIDDING??? My son is just over two, and can't quite sit on a TRICYCLE!!! The parents are clearly at fault and should be held accountable for the death of their child, although any parent who helped cause the death of their own probably will suffer with that thought for the rest of their life.

[SkinsOrlando]

More proof for selected breeding.

[blitzpackage]

I know children are getting smarter and smarter nowadays but I'm trying to understand how this kid knew to wear a helmet and how he found one that fit him. His father's helmet would have been too heavy, and they would have probably mentioned in the article he had taken his Dad's helmet. Interesting stuff.

*oh, and how in the Hell do you not know where your 2 year old child is at all times during the day.:doh:

[Who Del]

What the...? Idiots!!

[Henry]

I'm betting the manufacturer of that ATV is assembling their lawyers, because that family is angling to sue the manufacturer claiming the wheels turned to the right on their own after she pressed the "stop" button on the remote... flipped their child over the handle bars.... and then turned over on top of him. New stories will focus on the faulty ATV and the careless negligent manufacturer...... and completely IGNORE THE 2-YEAR OLD OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE.

Heh. You are probably right. Though if I were the ATV manufacturer I'd say that the vehicle is designed to operate with a heavier passenger, and would not have flipped over if a 6- to 12-year-old (for whom the thing is designed) had been operating it.

[blitzpackage]

Heh. You are probably right. Though if I were the ATV manufacturer I'd say that the vehicle is designed to operate with a heavier passenger, and would not have flipped over if a 6- to 12-year-old (for whom the thing is designed) had been operating it.

Case closed:)

[Henry]

The thing is, it doesn't say whether or not the parents put the kid on the thing. I guess it's possible that he got on it by himself (or with the help of an older kid) and that the mom found out and hit the cutoff switch.

[Gallntfox]

Another story on this tragedy along with some staggering #'s related to ATV accidents.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/08/AR2007010800705_pf.html

A 2-year-old boy was killed in Charles County over the weekend when the child-size all-terrain vehicle he was operating overturned on him, according to the Charles County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office said the boy was operating a Baja Wilderness 50 four-wheeler, which is designed for children 6 to 12 years old and equipped with a remote cutoff switch. When the boy's mother turned the ATV off by the remote, the vehicle stopped but the front wheels turned, causing it to overturn on the boy, sheriff's deputies said. He was wearing a helmet.

The boy, the child of a couple who live near La Plata, was taken by ambulance to Civista Medical Center in La Plata, then flown by a helicopter to Children's Hospital in Washington, where he was pronounced dead at 4:21 p.m. Saturday. His parents were not charged with a crime, the sheriff's office said.

A family member declined to speak to a reporter yesterday. Three neighbors described them as a nice couple; one said they were responsible parents who were devastated by the accident.

In 2005, there were 57 ATV-related deaths of children younger than 12 years old, according to figures released Dec. 6 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. It did not report how many were on child-size vehicles.

For children younger than 16, the number rose to 120. An estimated 40,400 people younger than 16 were treated in emergency rooms for ATV-related injuries, the commission said.

In 2005, there were an estimated 136,700 ATV-related injuries. There were also 467 ATV-related deaths, although a safety advocacy group says that number will probably increase as more reports come in to the safety commission.

The All-Terrain Vehicle Safety Institute, a division of an industry-sponsored group, the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, said the company that made the ATV, Baja Motorsports, is not a member. Efforts to reach Baja Motorsports were unsuccessful yesterday.

According to the company's Web site, the Wilderness 50 model is designed for operators age 6 and older with "proper adult supervision." The chassis weighs 142 pounds and the ATV is powered by a 49-cubic centimeter, four-stroke engine.

The institute recommends that children younger than 6 not operate ATVs and sets standards based on the age of riders. For riders 6 to 11, the group says, ATVs shouldn't be allowed to travel more than 15 mph and should be delivered to customers with the speed adjusted so it can't top 10 mph. Standards for ages 12 to 15 are slightly less stringent.

The group also says that ultimately parents must decide if their children are of sufficient size and maturity to ride the vehicles.

To date, it said, only North Carolina has adopted the standards.

Sue DeLoretto-Rabe, co-founder of Concerned Families for ATV Safety, whose son Kyle, 10, was killed on an ATV, said North Carolina has the strictest laws but she would like to see stricter laws in other states.

[Metalhead]

This is tragic. And this is the reason why I believe ATV's and Dirtbikes are no different than cars. 16 needs to be the minimum age to operate. My friend's nephew got paralyzed from the waist down racing dirtbikes, he was 14. :(

Not to mention, I must be the only person in So MD who is too poor to afford an ATV. These people got more money than brains. :mad:

I agree man. There just as dangerous as cars. And what really gets me is while driving through Country Lakes in Mecahnicsville. there are several people that ride without helmets and right beside heavily traveled roads. If you're familiar with the neighborhood, a kid was jumping a ditch on a dirtbike at the corner of Asher and Millseat. The idiot almost lost control when landing and nearly went right in front of my car while I was driving by.

[Buddha]

If these people have any other children, Social Services should rescue them immediately. They are too stupid to be parents. I pictured this poor 2 year old riding wide open while the half drunk parents sat yards away with the remote in hand. Hit the kill switch while the kid is going full speed and there is no way a 2 year old could possibly understand how to react.

I own a similar model 50cc ATV that my two boys ride. It's not equipped with a remote "safety" device but has three other features that are far more efficient to keep young kids safe while they learn to ride -- a governor screw that can be tightened to slow the ATV to a virtual crawl, a kill switch that can be connected to the child's waist that stops the motor if he/she shifts too far off the seat, and a leash kill switch that allows the parent to walk behind the ATV and stop it if needed. My 6 and 8 year old boys have had plenty of supervised practice in full safety gear and had to repeatedly demonstrate basic ATV skills before I even considered increasing the governor speed.

ATVs are only as safe as the rider. Unfortunately,they will continue to get a bad rap when people of all ages with no experience or common sense get injured or killed.

[GibbsFactor]

I know some people in SoMd that bought dirt bikes for their 3 year olds. It's really mindboggling. 3 year olds tearing it up down the paths all decked out in motocross gear.

[Zguy28]

I agree man. There just as dangerous as cars. And what really gets me is while driving through Country Lakes in Mecahnicsville. there are several people that ride without helmets and right beside heavily traveled roads. If you're familiar with the neighborhood, a kid was jumping a ditch on a dirtbike at the corner of Asher and Millseat. The idiot almost lost control when landing and nearly went right in front of my car while I was driving by.Wow. I live in Country Lakes, on West Spicer near the back entrance. Small World. I've witnessed the same thing. THere was a kid that got killed on a farm right on 234 a year or so ago on a 4 wheeler as well as that 12 year old in Wicomico Shores a few years back. There just too dangerous for kids, supervision or not.


In 2005, there were 57 ATV-related deaths of children younger than 12 years old, according to figures released Dec. 6 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. It did not report how many were on child-size vehicles.
For children younger than 16, the number rose to 120. That's 120 too many.


I know some people in SoMd that bought dirt bikes for their 3 year olds. It's really mindboggling. 3 year olds tearing it up down the paths all decked out in motocross gear.It doesn't just apply to ATV's. Look at how many parents were in line for PS3's...:rolleyes: American parents have generally lost the ability to say NO to their kids. The chicks rule the roost instead of the rooster. :(

[Henry]

So over a quarter of ATV-related deaths in 2005 were kids under 16? That's a huge red flag right there.

[Zguy28]

So over a quarter of ATV-related deaths in 2005 were kids under 16? That's a huge red flag right there.Somehow I'm not surprised.

[blitzpackage]

I agree man. There just as dangerous as cars. And what really gets me is while driving through Country Lakes in Mecahnicsville. there are several people that ride without helmets and right beside heavily traveled roads. If you're familiar with the neighborhood, a kid was jumping a ditch on a dirtbike at the corner of Asher and Millseat. The idiot almost lost control when landing and nearly went right in front of my car while I was driving by.

This is ridiculous. This reminds me of this group of rednecks(probably 18-22 years old)that ride full clip up and down my street with no protective equipment. This is a residential area with a 1/4 mile straight away. These idiots use my street as their personal dragstrip with little or no respect for the surrounding houses and families. Nevermind the noise these things make when riding wide open, but it's just flat out dangerous when they're flying to the end of the road and cars are trying to turn into the neighborhood off of a 55mph road.

A couple of neighbors have called the cops to no avail. Anyone know how I can sabotage their ATV's?:silly:

[Zguy28]

This is ridiculous. This reminds me of this group of rednecks(probably 18-22 years old)that ride full clip up and down my street with no protective equipment. This is a residential area with a 1/4 mile straight away. These idiots use my street as their personal dragstrip with little or no respect for the surrounding houses and families. Nevermind the noise these things make when riding wide open, but it's just flat out dangerous when they're flying to the end of the road and cars are trying to turn into the neighborhood off of a 55mph road.

A couple of neighbors have called the cops to no avail. Anyone know how I can sabotage their ATV's?:silly:Spike strip? :D

[Gallntfox]

This was posted on another forum by someone that allegedly knows the family. Wow. This could happen to any child? No..this couldn't happen to my child because I wouldn't be stupid enough to let them operate this kind of vehicle at 2 years of age!

http://forums.somd.com/showpost.php?p=1872692&postcount=57

What happened to this baby could happen to any child (regardless of age). The family has a big open property with plenty of room for four wheelers. The parents were raised on four wheelers. They taught their son early on how to work it. He was not unsupervised. She sat there the entire time, supervising him. When it was time to come in, she told her to get off the four wheeler...with any almost three year old, they dont' want to, they want to have fun. She turned the switch off, as she's done many times before. The ground was wet from Friday's rain and the front wheels turned, the entire four wheeler slid and flipped. The boy was trapped under the four wheeler, while his mother ran helplessly to him. 911 was called, but it was too late as his chest was crushed. His mother watched him die. This child wasn't left to roam around and do as he pleased. His mother was very attentive. Yes, most 2 year olds shouldn't be riding a four wheeler. I agree with you there. Yes, he had a toy that was too big for him. Yes, he's dead. But I'm asking that you please have some sympathy for these people and respect the fact that they're mourning and their lives will never be the same. I stick by the fact that she made a mistake. She shouldn't have allowed her husband to buy her son that present....and trust me, she'd give anything to go back. Hold your babies tighter tonight knowing that they're safe, I did after I heard the news. Anything can happen in the blink of an eye. Accidents happen.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Bump for this thread for this video...

http://www.break.com/index/kid_gets_close_lined_by_slide.html

:doh: :doh: :doh:

[Cskin]

The update from the person who knows the family is useful... but it's no excuse for allowing a child of 2 years old on a motor vehicle. There is a reason the manufacturer explicitly states in it's sales literature, as well as on the vehicle itself somewhere, that the vehicle should not be operated by anyone under "X" age. The family ignored it..... and as a result their child is dead. When the suit is filed it should be dismissed immediately. The child's death is the result of poor parenting and ignoring the safety precautions presented by the manufacturer. End of Story!!!