An 11-year-old boy was killed in an ATV rollover crash in an unincorporated area of Alameda County the afternoon of April 13, 2009, according to a KTVU News report. The boy, who has not been identified, was riding an all-terrain vehicle on a dirt road on private property at 27309 Fairview Ave. north of Hayward when the rollover accident occurred. Officials say the 11-year-old was driving the vehicle down a hill when he lost control and the vehicle began to roll over.
The boy may have been partially ejected from the vehicle as it tumbled down the hill, California Highway Patrol officials said. He was taken to an area hospital where he died. CHP officials are also inspecting the ATV to check if any mechanical problems could have caused this tragic ATV crash. The news report does not specify the brand or model of all-terrain vehicle the boy was driving.
My heart goes out to the family of this 11-year-old boy for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. I offer my deepest sympathies to everyone who knew and loved this young boy. Please keep them in your prayers.
According to recent statistics released by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), injuries and deaths caused by ATV accidents have increased for the eighth straight year. Children under 16 years of age continue to suffer a significant portion of these injuries. Serious ATV accident-related injuries that required emergency room treatment increased from 146,000 in 2006 to 150,900 in 2007. Since 2001, there has been a 37 percent increase in serious injuries as a result of ATV accidents. There were also 542 reports of ATV accident related deaths in 2007. At least 107 of those deaths involved children under 16 years of age. In fact, this age group accounts for 20 percent of the 2007 ATV accident fatalities.
There is a lesson to be learned from these numbers. ATVs are powerful vehicles that cannot and should not be driven by children. In this case, I would be curious to find out who was caring for the child and why he was driving down a hill unsupervised. Was he wearing a helmet or any other protective gear? Was he entrusted to someone’s care? The answers to these questions will help determine whether this ATV accident was the result of someone’s negligence.
The family of this boy would be well-advised to contact a reputed California product defect attorney who has experience dealing with ATV accidents and ATV rollover cases. The ATV involved in this accident should be preserved in its current crashed condition so it can be carefully examined by an expert for vehicle product defects, mechanical malfunctions and other evidence. The best California personal injury attorneys will always offer a free initial consultation.