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ATV enthusiasts are questioning the timing of a study that shows motorcycle and ATV accidents have jumped 76 percent in five years. (Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell) ATV debate Local enthusiasts challenge a study saying Oregon's all-terrain vehicle accidents have risen 76% in five years By damian mann Mail Tribune Sequoyah Munroe carefully watches her 4- and 5-year-old daughters go round in circles on a small all-terrain vehicle, ready to pull a safety tether that can kill the engine. The Sams Valley mother is an off-road vehicle enthusiast who is skeptical about a new study that shows motorcycle and ATV accidents have jumped 76 percent in Oregon over a five-year period, with many of the injuries affecting children. Munroe, who is with the Motorcycle Riders Association and chairwoman of the Timber Mountain Johns Peak Citizens Alliance, said other activities such as cycling, skateboarding, horseback riding or swimming also pose risks to children. "Does that mean they are going to ban swimming?" she asked. "Do they talk about the thousands of kids who ride safely each year?" Advertisement The study, which appears in the February issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, examined off-road injuries that occurred in the state between 1998 and 2003. Besides the sharp jump in injuries overall, the study found that children younger than 15 suffer about 20 percent of the off-road injuries. "There obviously is a growing problem, and we need to respond to it," said Dr. Richard Mullins, the chief of trauma/critical care at Oregon Health & Science University who led the study. According to the study, 20 people were injured in Jackson County from 1998 to 2003. In Oregon during the same period, 1,237 were injured. The study found that 50 percent of injured riders treated at OHSU suffered a head, neck or face injury. The number of patients requiring care for severe injuries has doubled, and the number of patients requiring spine operations has grown by seven times, Mullins and his co-authors said. The study comes as Oregon lawmakers consider a measure that would ban children under 12 from riding ATVs and limit 12- to 15-year-olds to riding ATVs with smaller engines. The bill has been pushed by public health officials and by parents whose children have been killed or injured in ATV accidents. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that more than 700 people die and about 136,000 are injured each year on the nearly 7 million ATVs in use nationwide. David Lexow, president of the Motorcycle Riders Association, said other studies and statistics have put different spins on the issue, but he thinks that safety equipment, more education and safer vehicles have reduced the chances of getting injured. As to the study, he said, "That sounds like hogwash to me." Lexow said he is suspicious of the timing of the study because of the bill being debated in the Legislature. Munroe said the study also doesn't reveal how many new off-road vehicles have been sold in recent years, which would translate into more injuries. Citing statistics she said she obtained from the Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation, 67,812 off-highway vehicle permits were issued in 2004, 76,937 were issued in 2005 and through November 2006, 81,695 were issued. Compared to other activities such as driving a car, the number of injuries in Jackson County is relatively few with only 20 cited by the study, she said. Munroe said many of the injuries are caused by people not wearing helmets or protective gear. She said riding motorcycles or quads also gives young people an outdoor activity other than playing video games or watching television. Pointing to her own children, she said, "They are growing up to be confident, healthy people." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476 or [email protected] . The Associated Press contributed to this report. Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Casinos Canada Cord Blood Banking Entertainment Guide Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Trunks, Footlocker Men's Clothing Debt Help