ATV rollover claims another child's life in Mississippi
March 10th, 2010 by Kurt Niland
A bill that would have encouraged ATV safety by setting age and passenger limits and requiring passengers to wear helmets died in Mississippi’s last legislative session. Now another child is dead and two others injured following an ATV accident in the Hebron Community, located about halfway between Jackson and Hattiesburg in the south-central portion of state.
According to authorities, 18-year-old Taykra Murphy was driving an Arctic Cat Prowler with three children on board, ranging in age from 3 to 11 . Jones County Sheriff Alex Hodge said that Murphy lost control of the vehicle just after 11:30 a.m. Sunday. The ATV flipped onto its side and ejected the three children. According to witnesses, the occupants of the ATV were seen wearing helmets prior to the accident.
Two trucks from the Hebron Volunteer Fire & Rescue were dispatched to the scene of the accident after a 911 call was made. Also responding were two deputies and an investigator from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department; Nancy Barnett, an investigator from the Jones County District Attorney’s Office, and two ambulances.
A 3-year-old boy was found dead at the scene. Investigators believe he was killed immediately in the rollover. The other children received minor injuries and were treated on the scene.
“It is truly disheartening when accidents such as this occur,” Sheriff Hodge said. “We extend our prayers and condolences to the family of the 3-year-old and all those involved in this accident.”
Mississippi continues to rank highest among states for its number of ATV injuries and fatalities. The state’s numerous farms and enormous swaths of rural terrain make off-road vehicles extremely popular modes of transportation for both work and pleasure. Yet Mississippi lawmakers have resisted passing laws that would govern the use of ATVs, despite the concerns of safety experts and others who have seen first-hand the horrific injuries a simple ATV rollover can cause.
Because of the ATV’s popularity and the lack of state laws, ATV-related deaths and injuries are three times higher than they are in just about every other part of the country.
According to state numbers, 29 people were killed and 1,500 seriously injured in ATV accidents in Mississippi last year alone.