Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt supports the American Academy of Pediatrics' and the American College of Surgeons' recommendations: Children 16 and under should not ride or drive off-highway vehicles (OHV) such as all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).
ATV-related crashes involving children are on the rise. In 2010 there were an estimated 115,000 ATV-related emergency department-treated injuries in the U.S. About 25 percent involved children younger than 16.
Tennessee ranked seventh in the U.S. with 101 reported ATV-related fatalities between 2007 and 2010. This shows the importance of spreading awareness about this issue throughout our state.
To encourage the well-being of Tennessee's youth, Children's Hospital has teamed with the Tennessee 4-H Youth Development Program and numerous other state organizations to promote OHV safety.
Mission of the coalition: Promote OHV Safety in the state of Tennessee
Goal: Launch a statewide public educational campaign on OHV Safety
Objectives
- Increase awareness of OHV safety among youth, parents and communities in Tennessee.
- Build partnerships with consistent messaging, committed to addressing the major issues of OHV safety.
- Identify grant opportunities for furthering OHV initiatives.
- Create and provide a toolkit on OHV safety for coalition partners.
- Develop a database that records pediatric OHV injuries and educational outreach efforts.
- Conduct research to understand and guide future OHV safety initiatives.
Steering committee organizations
- Castle Powersports
- Tennessee Future Farmers of America
- Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt
- Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
- Tennessee Department of Health
- Tennessee Emergency Medical Services for Children
- UT Extension
- TN 4-H
- Tennessee Department of Education
Advisory board organizations
- Rural Health Association of Tennessee
- Children's Hospital at Erlanger
- East Tennessee Children's Hospital
- Tennessee Department of Health - Traumatic Brain Injury Program
- Vanderbilt School of Nursing
- Tennessee Academy of Family Physicians
- National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council
- LeBonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis
You may join the coalition by contacting the Trauma Service's Injury Prevention Program Manager Purnima Unni- purnima.unni@vumc.org
