must be that time of the year.........

[JackstandJohnny]

http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/mortality+rate+eight+times+higher+than+Alberta+accidents/4760734/story.html#comments



just waiting for the next slanderous add for 4x4s........

[Bone206]

Full Disclosure. . .my response is totally biased because I treat these trauma patients every day. It is devastating seeing a young person totally messed up for the rest of their life because they made a poor decision or two. I fully agree with the original article that the Herald is referencing (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=buckley%20atv). It isn't intended on restricting ATV/motorbike/4x4 activities at all, it is just highlighting that trauma secondary to ATVs happens in a predictable fashion. Namely, the database that was used for the original research (which includes all trauma from areas within medivac distance from Calgary) showed that trauma happens to a predictable group; usually young dudes riding ATVs drunk with no helmets. The data showed that the strongest predictors of mortality in these patients were vehicle ejection, vehicle rollover, driving drunk, and no helmets. The main point of the article, and why the Trauma Group at the Foothills Hospital published the article, is to help create awareness to stop drunk driving, and increase awareness that seatbelts save lives. To me, this article is right in line with the CJA mandates that wheeling if fun, and should be done safely (without Alcohol and with seatbelts). If anything, to me is supports what a great organization the CJA is.  Anyways, just my $0.02.

[cLAY]

I agree with everything it the article as well. I just hate when they use a misleading title to draw people in.

[Evil-Jeep]

my issue with the article is in the death rate. even one death is too many, and in no way am I advocating for people to participate in these activities drunk or with out helmets. But 79 deaths in 10 years is a rate of 7.9 a year. I can think of so many other activities that have higher rates way higher. Smoking, crossing streets, and shoveling snow have higher rates.

Based on Bone206's comments it once again seems that the article is nothing more than poor journalism.

[Bone206]

I agree it is a poor representation of the original research. As you commented on, 79 deaths in 10 years is relatively low on a global population scale, but the kicker is that ~8 deaths per year in the proportion of people who ride ATVs around Calgary in the Summer months (which is really not that many people and is much much much much smaller than the number of people across Canada smoking or doing other life-shortening things) is actually really high. It's even higher when considering most are preventable deaths in young otherwise healthy people. If anyone would like to read the original study for mental masturbation purposes, drop me a line and I can forward the pdf on. It always kills me when I go out to McLean or other places like that and see people cruising around with no helmets, drunk, or both. Last time I was there I saw a guy cruising down one of the trails really fast with no helmet, and a 40oz big bear in the other hand. Sheesh.

[WhiteOut]

I have ZERO issues with ATVs needing a special class of license like motorcycles and age restrictions on riding and owning one, 18 seems like a good age.

[Evil-Jeep]

good point on the # of users vs deaths, never really consider it that way.

Not a huge fan of a blanket license for all atvs and bikes, but there should be something for the larger power bikes and ATVs, and let the kids ride the kiddie quads and bikes.

[Bone206]

yeah, there has to be some kind of solution. I think closer monitoring of alcohol and helmets would be a start. I used to think "well, if you don't want to wear a helmet, it's your head". I've changed my mind in the past 5 years or so. Indirectly, even though it is someone else's brain, in a public payer health care system we all are affected. For the duration of the said study, it cost upwards of 6 million in health care dollars to take care of these patients with preventable injuries (stemming from poor life choices). We all paid for that with our taxes. Think of what 6 million could do if the money was all re-routed to the CJA?  .

[hps4evr]

im tired of seeing atv/dirt bike riders with no helmets. to me its like driving with no seat belt. ive always been pro-safety when it comes to sports, motorized or not. i own 3 different types of helmets for mounting biking alone! the alcohol factor is a no-brainer. driving an atv and drinking can be worse then driving a car drunk.
i love the people that comment after an atv accident, "oh a helmet wouldnt have helped him anyways", maybe, maybe not, but now he wont walk ever again.
being in the mountain bike crowd i have been seeing Hans devices and spine protection used a lot more in the last few years. which is good. but how can an adult make his kid wear a helmet while driving an atv and not wear one himself. sure would suck for your kid to watch you die on the side of a trail. oh well, thats life i guess. maybe its Darwin kicking in