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Off-road vehicle injuries decline among children after age-restriction law
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The rate of serious injuries related to off-road vehicles declined 41% among children and adolescents after the passage of a 2010 Massachusetts law that restricted off-road vehicles use by children aged younger than 14 years and regulated its use by children up to the age of 18 years, according to recent data.
“The significant morbidity and mortality associated with the use of [off-road vehicles] by children has led to medical societies, legislators and health care providers advocating for federal safety standards and injury prevention legislation,” Michael R. Flaherty, DO, from the department of pediatrics at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, and colleagues wrote in Pediatrics. “The Massachusetts law was the first to conform to nearly all the recommendations made by the AAP in its model bill and is based on recommendations made by professional societies … [but] no similar laws have yet been analyzed.”
Researchers performed a retrospective analysis of emergency department and hospital discharges between 2002 and 2013 in Massachusetts to compare the rates of injuries among children before and after the state passed the law in 2010. Using the Center for Health Information and Analysis database, they assessed external causes of injury codes specific to off-road vehicle (ORV)-related injuries.
In total, the investigators identified 3,638 emergency department discharges and 481 inpatient discharges of children who sustained injuries related to ORV use during the study period. After the law was implemented, the rate of inpatient discharges for children aged younger than 17 years decreased by 41% (P < .001). The rate of ED discharges declined by 33% in children younger than 9 years, 50% in those aged 10 to 13 years and 39% in those aged 14 to 17 years (P < .0001). Among adults aged 25 to 34 years, the researchers observed no significant drop in ED discharges.
“Our study adds to the evidence in favor of legislation as an effective means of reducing pediatric ORV injuries and fatalities. Strong regulations should contain all the components outlined by the AAP model bill, including a minimum age requirement of 16 years,” Flaherty and colleagues wrote. “Our state’s success, albeit with challenges, has shown promise in combating pediatric ORV-related injuries and could serve as an example in other states’ efforts to strengthen their laws.” – by Savannah Demko
Disclosures: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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