Brandon McBride, a 10-year-old boy, was killed in a car accident after his ATV was struck by a pickup truck on a rural road in Kings County. According to a CBS news report, the fatal crash occurred the afternoon of September 6, 2010, when Brandon was driving his ATV near 5 1/2 Avenue and Newark Avenue. Officials say the boy pulled out into the road, ahead of a pickup truck that was passing another car. Brandon was wearing a helmet, but didn't survive his injuries after being thrown off the ATV. The truck hit a power pole. Both, the driver of the pickup truck, 28-year-old Eloy Solis, and his 16-year-old passenger sustained minor injuries.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Brandon McBride for their devastating loss. Please keep them in your prayers.

ATVs and Children

According to recent studies performed by the University of Utah's Department of Neurosurgery, there were about 1.1 million emergency room visits and 495 deaths because of ATV accident nationwide in 2001. The estimated costs of ATV-related injuries nationwide are $3.24 billion each year.

The study found that although all age groups are prone to ATV accidents, children are especially disproportionately affected. About 42 percent of head and spinal injuries documented in the study involved victims under age 20. Researchers say children are at an increased risk for ATV-related catastrophic injuries and deaths because of their underdeveloped motor coordination, lack of physical strength and lack of experience operating a vehicle. When children are left unsupervised with ATVs, the consequences can be fatal, as in this case.

Product Liability Issues

There are several ATV accidents that are caused by individuals who operate these vehicles improperly. However, a significant number of accidents also occur as a result of defective ATVs. If an accident is the result of a defective product, then, the manufacturer of the ATV could be held liable for the accident and injuries caused. In such cases, injured victims or their families would be well-advised to consult an experienced California personal injury lawyer, who has successfully handled products liability cases against large corporations. The best product defect law firms will always offer a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation for injured victims and their families.

Would you allow your child to ride an ATV? We would like to hear about your thoughts on this important issue.

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At the time this article was posted, none of the parties mentioned in this article were represented by any of our sponsoring law firms. The source of our information is cited in the article. No independent investigation was conducted unless specifically mentioned in the article. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein; get a comprehensive consultation with a reputable law firm.