Doctors call for change in Australian motorcycle laws to protect children

A study by doctors in Victoria has found that each year between 2000 and 2004, the number of deaths and injuries among children in motorcycle-related accidents has risen annually by almost 10%.

The pediatricians are calling for a review of the current motorcycle laws to stem the alarming increase in accidents involving young children.

The study which was carried out by doctors at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, analysed data from emergency departments across the state using the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset and the Trauma Registry database at the Royal Children’s Hospital.

The data used was on children taken to emergency departments as a result of motorcycle accidents and it revealed that of 3,163 children under the age of 16 injured, a quarter were under the age of 10 and some were as young as three.

Lead author Dr. Catherine A. Bevan says the trend has continued since the study period and she believes there is an urgent need for coordinated legislative changes and educational efforts to decrease these injuries and turn the statistics around.

It was found that the vast majority of injuries happened in off-road settings, such as farms, national parks and on private properties where there is no legislation governing the use of motorcycles.

More than half had fallen off their bike, almost a quarter had hit a stationary object and 13% had collided with another vehicle.

It is illegal in Australia for children to ride motorcycles on public roads other than as pillion passengers.

Dr. Bevan says the high number of children who had hit stationary objects such as trees and walls showed many could not control a motorcycle and she doubts that children under 10 years, have the developmental and cognitive ability to control the power and torque of motorcycles, or have the required capacity for hazard perception.

While the most common injuries recorded were fractures almost 24% of patients suffered head injuries and 40% of the children required surgery, 13% had to be admitted to intensive care and two died.

According to Dr. Bevan the data showed that only half of the accident victims were wearing a helmet and she suggests the growing popularity of small motorbikes known as "pocket bikes" or "monkey bikes" could be the cause of the rising number of injuries.

Such motorbikes are easily purchased in shops and are sold without any safety issues being addressed and while Dr. Bevan is not calling for a ban on motorcycle riding for children, she says action must be taken to reduce the likelihood of injuries in the form of a law that they must wear helmets.

Dr. Bevan says children who are bought bikes need to be educated and given training to ensure they understand safety issues.

The study authors say as most of the injuries occurred off road, outside of any legislative framework, coordinated legislative changes and educational efforts are urgently needed to decrease motorcycle injuries in children.

The study is published in the current edition of the Medical Journal of Australia.