It’s almost inconceivable that the RNC has to call a press conference to tell parents not to let their underage children ride ATVs.
It’s understandable that the children look at the motorized machines and want to speed off with their friends ... but why any responsible parent would hand over the keys to them is mind-boggling.
Every year there are deaths and serious injuries reported from incidents with these four-wheeled machines that have become ubiquitous in every corner of this province.
Even grownups get into trouble when they underestimate the power and speed of ATVs.
Letting a 12- or 14-year-old hop on and operate these things is just asking for trouble.
There is a reason there are laws about who can operate ATVs — young children aren’t strong enough or mentally developed enough to safely operate them.
Police and ambulance operators must shake their heads in disbelief when they are called to one of these incidents where a young life is snuffed out or a child is crippled for life because their parents were thoughtless enough to allow it to happen.
ATVs are powerful machines ... they aren’t designed to be mechanical babysitters.
If children aren’t wise enough to keep themselves safe, it’s up to the parents to take their jobs more seriously.
