What You Need to Know About the Dangers of Kids Using ATVs

02/06/2017 11:07 pm EST

Jamie Lynn Spears' 8-year-old daughter Maddie has been hospitalized after her ATV crashed into a pond leaving her under water for several minutes.

Similar ATV-related accidents have occurred in the past involving children and adults. It brings into question how dangerous ATVs truly are, according to KTXS.

Over 135,000 people are injured and 700 killed each year due to ATV accidents. Of those 700 deaths, 1/3 of the people killed are under the age of 16. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, "no child under the age of 16 should drive or ride an ATV."

Many individuals believe ATVs are fun to ride and disregard the possible dangerous disadvantages.

A Harley Davidson in Texas is licensed to sell ATV and their employees are trained to make sure all terrain vehicles will not end up in the wrong hands.

"The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the federal government put in rules that dealers like us have to oblige and deal with," said Steve Hood, a sales manager at the store. "We're required by law to make sure that they understand that children cannot operate that vehicle. We have refused to sell vehicles to people that have said, 'I'm gonna buy this for my kid.'"

Although there is not always a direct cause of all ATV accidents, many of them occur due to negligence or recklessness of the driver or person nearby.

ATVs are not fun "toys" that should be operated by children. Hood advises parents to not give in to their kids because it's simply not worth the risk.

"I can tell you more stories about people riding ATVs than you can shake a stick at," Hood said. "You know, we just think 'It's a toy.' Well, there are things that aren't toys. Even the smallest ATVs we have run 40 to 50 miles per hour. We have some that will run upside of 60 to 70 miles per hour."

Related:

Jamie Lynn Spears Watched Her 8-Year-Old Daughter's ATV Crash but Couldn't Save Her
Jamie Lynn Spears' Father Asks Fans to 'Pray for Our Baby' After Granddaughter Maddie's Reported Accident
Britney Spears Reveals Tweet About Her Niece Who Was In Severe Accident

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