RMC’s Trauma Team Urges Safe ATV Riding

Think Twice. Because you only live once. That is the message Roosevelt Medical Center’s trauma staff are sending to everyone who rides all terrain vehicles during their recent campaign to raise awareness about the potential for serious injury and ATV use.

Recently, Teresia Moore, the trauma coordinator and EMS Director, worked to create awareness for practicing safe behaviors related to ATV use.

“We want to reduce the number of people who are killed or seriously injured while riding and help them to understand the dangers of riding on ATVs without the proper safety equipment,” Moore said.

The effort comes during a time when many people are opting for outdoor recreational activities while practicing social distancing during the COIVD-19 pandemic.

To showcase the real dangers associated with recreational riding, the ambulance crew created a visual reminder of how easily an ATV can be flipped over by displaying one on a trailer in Culbertson at the intersection of Highway 16 and Highway 2. For ten days, the trailer was visible to everyone.

“All-terrain vehicles are a big draw for adventure-seekers and are a big part of our rural culture in Montana. Our EMS and Trauma teams want to remind people that a seemingly harmless thrill ride can land them in the emergency room,” Moore said.

The good news is that many injuries can be lessened or avoided altogether by wearing proper riding gear. This includes closed-toed shoes, long pants and sleeves and a helmet. There are other precautions that can be taken as well, such as riding an ATV appropriate to the rider’s size and never riding on an ATV if there is not a proper seat available.

Alcohol and drugs, including prescription drugs that cause drowsiness or impairment should never be used while riding.

Age can also be a factor with children riders who may lack mature judgement and adequate strength and coordination to handle a powerful motorized machine.

Zoe Fugere, family nurse practitioner, stressed that many patients involved in ATV accidents suffer serious traumas such as head and neck injury as well as fractured and broken bones. “The very worst part of my day is telling a family member bad news. Sometimes there are accidents that do not allow for second chances. That is why we want people to stay as safe as possible when riding,” Fugere said.

A helmet can go a long way in preventing serious injuries like traumatic brain injury, according to Fugere. “Riders should be aware they won’t be as protected in the event of an ATV crash as they would in a car. Riders shouldn’t test the limits of the vehicle, and they shouldn’t ever use alcohol or drugs while riding,” Fugere added.

State law requires anyone under the age of 18 to wear a helmet.

I think it’s going to take continued awareness in our community to get people to use protective gear and recognize that many injuries are preventable,” Moore said.