California Injury Blog
A teenager who was killed in a Fresno ATV accident on December 6, 2008 has been identified as 16-year-old Alyssa Wiley. According to this news report in the Fresno Bee, the off-road vehicle accident occurred in the 13000 block of Bullard Avenue near Academy Avenue.
California Highway Patrol officials apparently have no other information about this ATV crash. Alyssa died of her injuries a day after the accident.
My heart goes out to Alyssa’s family for their tragic loss. To lose someone so young must be heartbreaking for any family. Please keep them in your prayers.
There are many unanswered questions that arise from the tragic accident. What type of all-terrain vehicle was Alyssa riding? Was she a driver or a passenger? Was she wearing safety gear, specifically a helmet? How did she lose control of the ATV, if she was the one driving it? Answers to these questions will help determine what exactly went wrong or caused this ATV crash.
Hundreds of young people, especially teenagers, are injured, maimed or killed every year in the United States as a result of ATV accidents. According to a recent study by Dr. Gary Smith of the Children’s Hospital in Ohio, more than 136,000 people nationwide go to emergency rooms each year as a result of ATV accident related injuries. Out of the 136,000, one-third are usually 16 years old or younger.
This statistic shows that ATV use is quite common among teens and children and that they are the ones most frequently injured in these accidents. ATVs are vehicles that are not designed for children. They are inherently unstable and pose the hazard of rolling over and crushing the rider. This has happened even in ATV accidents involving adults. Teenagers must NEVER be allowed to operate an ATV without the supervision of an adult. In my opinion, it is best that children under the age of 16 not drive or ride ATVs.
Parents must especially watch out for three-wheeled ATVs that have design defects and are extremely dangerous. These vehicles are top-heavy and tend to tip over even at low speeds. These three wheel ATVs are hazardous especially in the hands of an inexperienced teenager. \