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.

SOURCE: Yamaha Rhino Rollover › ATV rollover claims another child’s life in Mississippi

Mississippi remains one of the few states with almost no laws restricting the use of ATVs. As a result, the number of ATV-related injuries and deaths in Mississippi is three times higher than in most other parts of the country.

Tragically, in Mississippi, children are too often the victims of the dangerous vehicles, and there is a growing feeling that the state’s lack of legislation governing their use and safety represents a big part of the problem.

Two days before Christmas, in Warren County, Mississippi, an ATV accident claimed the life of 15-year-old Caitlin Lopez, who was driving a Yamaha Big Bear when “suddenly it flipped,” according to Jackson NBC affiliate WLBT. The accident injured 6-year-old twin sisters Kimberly and Kaylee Madison, who were passengers in the Yamaha when it rolled over.

“Knowing that they’re here and that they’re walking and talking and breathing. It is remarkable to me,” Selena Madison, the mother of the twins, told WLBT.

Last year, Coroner Gillentine-Green pronounced the deaths of 20-year-old Crystal Hooper and her 5-year-old cousin Natalie Aguilar, who were killed when the ATV they were on crashed. According to available reports, Hooper lost control of the ATV and ran into a trailer full of building supplies. Both Hooper and Aguilar sustained head injuries in the accident.

But will adding new legislation, such as requiring the use of helmets, help reduce the number of ATV-related injuries and fatalities? Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace says it will.

“I attribute at least some of this to Mississippi’s lack of legislation,” Pace told WLBT, referring to the recent spate of ATV crashes that claimed the lives of Mississippi teens and children.

But Sheriff Pace also believes that the vehicles are dangerous to start with, and that anyone riding them should be extremely cautious, no matter what the laws are.

“In 2009, we’ve lost two beautiful teenage girls to four wheeler accidents. And they’re just inherently dangerous vehicles,” Pace said.

Two Mississippi legislators, Gray Tollison (D) and Dannie Reed (R) are also calling for better legislation.

“We need to consider legislation this session to decrease the increasing number of ATV deaths and serious injuries, especially children. I believe that the passage of a law requiring the use of a helmet and required training for persons without a drivers license would go a long way to reduce the number of ATV deaths and serious injuries in Mississippi,” Tollison said in a statement.

SOURCE: Yamaha Rhino Rollover › ATV deaths prompt Mississippi to consider better ATV legislation

In July 2008, Gillentine-Green pronounced the deaths of 20-year-old Crystal Hooper and her 5-year-old cousin Natalie Aguilar after the ATV they were on crashed. According to available reports, Hooper lost control of the ATV and ran into a trailer full of building supplies. Both Hooper and Aguilar sustained head injuries in the accident.

Mississippi remains one of the few states with almost no laws pertaining to the use of ATVs. As a result, the number of ATV-related injuries and deaths in Mississippi is three times higher than in most other parts of the country.

ATV deaths have been creeping upward in the state since 1981, but the numbers suddenly spiked in 2005. From then until 2007, the last statistically current year in the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s data, 65 ATV-related deaths occurred, representing more than 25 percent of all the state’s ATV-related deaths since 1981.

According to state numbers, 29 people were killed and 1,500 seriously injured in ATV accidents in Mississippi last year alone.

A bill that would have encouraged ATV safety died in Mississippi’s last legislative session, but Republican State Representative Dannie Reed plans to reintroduce a similar bill in the upcoming session. The legislation would require all ATV drivers to wear helmets while driving on public land. Drivers also would have to meet the minimum age requirement for the vehicle and the number of passengers would be restricted. Ignoring the safety laws would cost $100 per violation.

“Mississippi has lost more people on ATVs than the state has lost soldiers to the Iraq war,” Reed told the Clarion-Ledger.

SOURCE: Yamaha Rhino Rollover › Mississippi coroner supports legislation governing ATV safety

The accident occurred at West Florida Motocross Park in the northern section of Walton County. The racing park normally holds up to 6 ATV races a year, drawing participants and spectators from across the South, the park’s co-owner Krystal King told the Walton Sun.

According to King, Pierce was the first fatality at the park since she and her husband purchased it about a year ago.

Witnesses said that Pierce’s ATV went airborne after topping a hill on the course, propelling the boy forward over the handlebars. After Pierce hit the ground, the vehicle crashed on top of him, splitting his helmet in half. Emergency medical workers flew the boy to North Okaloosa Medical Center in Crestview, Florida, where he died just after 1:30 p.m.

WMBB in nearby Panama City said that the accident “leaves some parents with questions about ATVs,” especially in the holiday season when many children receive ATVs as Christmas gifts.

State laws may govern what ATVs children may legally ride and where there they can ride them. After that, staying safe is mostly a matter of following safety procedures.

King told the Walton Sun that all drivers at West Florida Motocross Park must wear helmets, boots, long-sleeve shirts, and long pants. Chest protectors, knee pads, and neck braces are optional gear that many people choose to wear.

“Even with the gear it can be very dangerous,” King told the Walton Sun.

The past few days have been particularly deadly for children driving or riding on ATVs. Last weekend, ATV accidents and rollovers claimed the lives of a 5-year-old in South Carolina, a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina, and a 3-year-old boy central Wisconsin.

SOURCE: Yamaha Rhino Rollover › Mississippi teen dies in Florida ATV accident

The recalled vehicles were sold by authorized dealers across the country from June 2007 through July 2009 and retailed for about $10,000. Bad Boy Enterprises has received 32 reports of unintended acceleration involving the vehicles since their appearance in the market.

According to the CPSC report, some of the incidents resulted in injuries such as “a fractured toe, rotator cuff injuries and sore muscles.” The agency advises all consumers to stop using the vehicles immediately and contact their Bad Boy Buggy dealer for a free repair.

Models included in the recall have serial numbers between 85004828 and 95010404, which are printed on a sticker in the driver’s side cubby. The Bad Boy Buggy Classic ATV is the only model included in the recall. The all-electric vehicles have an open, side-by-side design that requires occupants to sit on a bench.

Bad Boy Enterprises can be reached toll-free at (866) 678-6701 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday. The company’s website is http://www.badboyenterprises.com/.

Last week, the CPSC announced that it voted to publish an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to confront the safety issues commonly associated with recreational off-road vehicles (ROVs).

According to the CPSC, “the ANPR invites written comments from the public regarding the risks of injury associated with ROVs and ways in which these risks could be addressed. Following publication of the ANPR, the public will have 60 days to provide comments to the Commission. Comments can be submitted at www.regulations.gov.”

CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum issued a brief statement on October 21, in which she said “the need for federal rulemaking on ROVs” comes from “not having a voluntary standard that effectively safeguards consumers.”

SOURCE: Yamaha Rhino Rollover › Bad Boy ATVs recalled after reports of unintended acceleration

According to an article in the DeSoto Times-Tribune, the sixth grade class at Lewisburg sponsored the planting of a red maple in front of the school, and they decided to dedicate the new tree to the memory of their classmate Lauren. A plaque bearing Lauren’s name sits beside the tree. The red maple was donated by Quality Landscaping and Garden Center of Olive Branch, Miss.

“Everytime you see it, you can think of her,” said Kelly Wallhood, whose children also attend Lewisburg Middle-High, to the gathered crowd. “You can watch it grow and remember your friend.”

The girl’s father, Trae Dilworth, told the Times-Tribune that he will stop by to see the tree frequently.

“It’s just a living memory of Lauren that will hopefully be here for years to come,” he told the paper.

Lauren’s father was also moved by the kindness of the community in remembering his daughter, especially because she and her family were new in town.

“To have only lived here a short period of time, it’s amazing that such caring people thought so much about Lauren,” Dilworth told the Times-Tribune. “This says a lot about the community.”

Lauren and her friend Emily Bates, also 11 years old, were both in the Rhino when the rollover occurred. Both girls were pinned underneath the vehicle. Dilworth died at the scene and Bates died later at the emergency room.

Dilworth’s science and social studies teacher, Tabitha Green, said that Lauren made a quick and lasting impression on those who knew her, if even for a brief time.

“I never met a girl who was so happy,” Green told the Times-Tribune. “We love Lauren and miss her.”

SOURCE: Yamaha Rhino Rollover › Community remembers girl killed in Yamaha Rhino rollover