5 injured, 1 killed in ATV accidents

SALT LAKE CITY -- This Labor Day weekend proved dangerous for some ATV riders in Utah's back country. Several people were sent to the hospital after crashing their ATVs. One person died.

In the wake of such a tragic weekend, experts are urging people to be sure to have the correct size ATVs as well as proper safety gear, which are key to protecting riders of all ages.

At least five people were injured while riding ATVs on Sunday.

• Shortly after 1 p.m., a 31-year-old woman from Murray flipped her ATV while trying to ride over a log in American Fork Canyon near Silver Lake. The woman was flown out of the canyon by medical helicopter. She suffered back injuries and a fractured hip.
• About an hour later, two Clearfield women riding on a dirt road in Logan Canyon crashed when they hit a rock. The Cache County Sheriff's Office says both women were flown to McKay-Dee Hospital with serious injuries. Both were wearing helmets.
• Around 5:30 p.m., another ATV accident occurred outside of Huntsville. Two teenage girls crashed while riding near State Route 39. The 13-year-old driver was not injured. Her 15-year-old passenger was seriously injured and later flown to Primary Children's Medical Center.
• Just after 7 p.m. a 21-year-old man riding side-by-side with his 20-year-old female passenger near Spanish Fork rolled his ATV. It pinned the man to the ground. Witnesses to the crash helped pull the machine off the man and began performing CPR. Search and rescue crews responded and the man was flown to a local hospital in extremely critical condition.
• Park Rangers say two men were riding an ATV on a Dirt Road near Daniels Summit in Wasatch County on Saturday. They took a turn too fast and slammed into a tree. Neither was wearing a helmet. The driver, 25-year-old Brady Price of Orem, died at the scene. The 26-year-old passenger was injured. Authorities say alcohol was a factor in the accident.

Officials warned people to be careful while using off-road vehicles. They stress that with so many people out riding for the holiday this weekend, the risk of something happening is much greater.

A.J. Ferguson, vice president of Farm Safety and a member of the Utah County Safe Kids program, said, "There are a lot of people out here. It's a lot more crowded which means in some cases you're going to have more riders on a trail. If you're not looking ahead, you could easily head into somebody or even rear-end them. That can lead to pushing someone off the trail and down a hill."

One of the biggest concerns for experts this year is youth not wearing helmets while riding.

"When you're on a machine that can weigh 500 pounds, you want to give that child the protection you can," Ferguson said. "The helmet is the best way to keep that child safe."

In the past five years there have been 60 deaths in Utah due to ATV accidents; 35 percent of those were children.

"They can be prevented," Ferguson said. "A lot of it is being smart, understanding the choices we make do have consequences."

On Saturday, Utah County Safe Kids and the Utah County Health Department teamed up to educate families about how to prevent such tragedies.

In addition to having the proper safety gear, experts say to make sure you and your child are on the proper size ATVs.

"All too often, families will save up. They get one four-wheeler and they're excited to go out riding, but the four-wheeler they buy is one for everybody. So mom and dad can ride it and then they'll share it with the kids. That's great, but at the same time if it's too big, it's dangerous," Ferguson said.

Experts also warn parents to obey the rules. According to Utah law, if you're under the age of 18 you must wear a helmet. Ferguson says a helmet should always be the first thing a child should have before riding.

Also according to law, children must be at least 8 years of age to ride alone on public lands, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends kids not drive off-road vehicles until they are 16.

E-mail: spark@ksl.com

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