Three adolescents were injured in a Honda ATV four-wheeler crash recently in St. Johns County. News4Jax reports that the two boys and a girl were riding the off-road vehicle in the 1700 block of Carter Road off CR 214 in St. Augustine when the 11-year-old, sitting in front of the 14-year-old driver, hit the brakes as they rounded a curve. The four-wheeler rolled and all three were thrown off the vehicle. The oldest boy told St. Johns County deputies that he took the vehicle from his father without asking, knowing he had been told not to ride the four-wheeler. The three were taken by ambulance to Flagler Hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
Four-wheel off-road vehicles are not allowed on the streets. As a result, the 14-year-old is facing three charges of careless driving, operating a motor vehicle without a license, and operating an all-terrain vehicle on a roadway, according to a news release by the St. Johns Sheriff’s office.
The St. Augustine personal injury attorneys at Farah & Farah wish a swift recovery for these young people. Children and ATV vehicles are an unfortunate combination that result in 70,000 emergency room visits and lead to the death of approximately 274 children every year. Children account for more than one-third of all ATV-related deaths. With a high center of gravity, a three-or four-wheeler is prone to tip. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends an ATV be operated only by those who are age 16 and older and that the operator always wear a helmet.
If you or a loved one have been injured by an ATV, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer. In many cases, these vehicles have been found to have a design defect and successful product liability cases have been filed against the manufacturer that have resulted in compensation for the injury or wrongful death.
