ATV Safety Tips: Preventing Injuries
Stay sober, wear a helmet, learn first aid
Stay sober, wear a helmet, learn first aid
For some adventurers, there’s nothing better than going to the desert to ride ATVs and other off-road vehicles. But letting lose on the trails doesn’t mean you can throw safety rules by the wayside.
Late fall heading into winter and springtime are when Scripps doctors see an uptick in off-road vehicle-related injuries, ranging from broken bones to spinal trauma to internal bleeding. But there are ways to have fun while still staying safe.
Vishal Bansal, MD, trauma surgery director at Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego, says that safety starts before you go out for your first ride.
“You want to have some degree of familiarity with the vehicles you’ll be using,” he says. “These vehicles go really fast. And that certainly seems great, but if you don’t know what you’re doing, that can lead to injuries.”
“Stick to the basics,” cautions Walter Biffl, MD, a trauma surgeon at Scripps Clinic and trauma medical director at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla.
“Our data shows that 77% of people who come in with injuries were wearing helmets,” he says. “But that means the number of people who aren’t wearing helmets is still too high.”
Stay sober
Dr. Biffl also notes that many of the patients he sees were driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. “The rules of the road are the same with these vehicles as anything else,” he says.
It’s a sentiment that Dr. Bansal echoes.
“We understand this is a recreational activity for people. You’re out in the desert for camping, barbecuing and drinking, but you need to be aware of what you’ve consumed and abstain from alcohol if you’re going to be driving,” Dr. Bansal says.
Prepare for emergencies
Before you go for a drive, both doctors say, make sure your communications devices work, know where the nearest help is and never go riding alone. The doctors also emphasize that, should an accident occur during your trip, call for help, then sit still while you wait.
“Be really careful with moving around, especially if you have back or neck pain,” says Dr. Biffl. “Spine injuries can get worse if people try to walk around or even get back on their dirt bike or whatever they were riding.”
Learn first aid
Dr. Bansal recommends that riders have basic knowledge of first aid — for example knowing how to apply pressure to a wound that’s bleeding and how to tie a tourniquet. He notes that there are many online resources that people can take advantage of. “There’s a great course called ‘Stop the Bleed,’ which is sponsored by the American College of Surgeons,” he says.
Keep children off ATVs
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents keep children under 16 off ATVs “because youth do not have the physical, mental and cognitive maturity to operate ATVs safely.”
This content appeared in San Diego Health, a publication in partnership between Scripps and San Diego Magazine that celebrates the healthy spirit of San Diego.