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Louisiana launches first ATV/UTV Safety Task Force aimed at educating, protecting children
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BATON ROUGE — Louisiana has launched its first-ever Youth ATV/UTV Safety Task Force this month, aimed at educating and protecting children under 14.
The task force brings together law enforcement, health professionals and the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, with a main focus on raising awareness and creating policies to help prevent crashes.
Emergency room nurses at Ochsner Medical Center in Baton Rouge say they frequently see serious injuries from four-wheeling crashes. Amberlee Gaubert and Alaina Brown have a combined 20 years of experience in the emergency room.
"So, a lot of times we can see like broken bones, things like that, neck injuries, spinal cord injuries," Gaubert said. "But one of the most serious injuries that we can see is brain injuries."
ATV crashes kill about 10 people every year in Louisiana, with nearly half of those requiring a hospital visit or surgery and about 500 people are injured every year, with most of those injuries happening to children ages 10 to 14.
Nurses say children are more at risk because their bodies have not fully developed, making them more susceptible to significant injuries. They also stressed that children need to be supervised at all times and that riders should not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
If a crash does happen, nurses say the first step is to call 911. Elena said that if someone is experiencing neck pain or has injuries to delicate areas, they should not be moved unless they are in immediate danger.
"Try not to move them until someone with a medical, you know, your medical team can come to provide assistance," Elena said. "But be seen. Be seen by somebody so that they can assess whether or not how severe the injuries may or may not be."
She said even if someone feels fine after a crash, a CT scan could reveal something that is not immediately obvious.
The task force is currently looking for members and people to serve on its board. More information is available by emailing rfaul@wlf.la.gov.
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