Child Killed In Polk County ATV Accident

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A 5-year-old boy was killed in an ATV accident in Polk County Saturday.

Deputies said a 32-year-old father and his son, 5, were riding in an area near the 3700 block of West Socrum Loop Road. The child was sitting in front of his father on the ATV, wearing a soft helmet.

The man told deputies he was running the ATV on a dirt road when he made a U-Turn, accelerated and went over a grass mound. At that time, the passenger side front tire support arm broke, causing the ATV to roll several times.

Both riders were thrown from the ATV.

Both were transported to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, where the boy was pronounced dead. The father suffered possible broken ribs.

Deputies specified that the helmet the child was wearing was not designed for use with motorized vehicles. The investigation is ongoing.

Polk County has a variety of places where people enjoy tooling around on on all terrain vehicles (ATVs) like four-wheelers, three wheelers, and even dirt bikes. We see a growing number of children playing with these machines each year, which results in more and more injuries and wrongful deaths. Many people do not view these machines as dangerous, and see them as little more than toys, which is sadly not the case.

ATV accidents result in 150 deaths every year.  More than 10,000 children under the age of 16 have been killed on ATVS since the 1980s. According to a survey from Johns Hopkins University, the amounts of deaths from ATV accidents have doubled since 1996.    

If you or your child has been injured or killed in an ATV accident, our Florida ATV Accident Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can help you understand your legal rights. Your consultation with us is completely free, so call us today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online.

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