Danger of ATVs propels safety advocates into action.

Byline: Winston Ross The Register-Guard

WINCHESTER BAY - His bushy brown hair swirling in the gusts, Andrew McConkey shut off his all-terrain vehicle and reflected upon his virgin ride.

"Power," the 15-year-old Bremerton, Wash., resident said Wednesday, cracking a wry smile. "It's exhilarating. Scary at first. But worth it."

Scarier still was that he wasn't wearing a helmet or other protective gear. And he's too young to possess a driver's license. A helmet is required under state law for ATV users younger than 18, and a license or a permit is required for unaccompanied riders younger than 18.

Plus, McConkey had received no training on how to operate the ATV (other than tips from his teenage buddies), and he was riding an adult-size quad - all things that make safety advocates shudder.

In 10 years, deaths on ATVs have doubled nationwide, from 183 deaths in 1993 to 357 in 2002. One-third of those hurt or killed are children under age 16, said Ken Giles, a spokesman for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

As the sport's popularity continues to skyrocket - with more than 15 million people riding ATVs today - those numbers are unlikely to fall.

"For 20 years, we have been very concerned," Giles said. "Especially with kids under 16."

In Oregon, no one keeps statistics on the number of ATV-related accidents, U.S. Forest Service officer Roger Geeting said. But at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, his territory and a well-known haven for ATV users, the dangers are imminent.

"There were 183 ambulance calls last year to the dunes" - mostly on weekends, Geeting said. "Last year, we had three fatalities in a six-week period. This year, we've had two fatalities so far." In light of that, the Forest Service issued a reminder this week to ATV users to make safety their top priority.

"On big weekends, we staff an extra ambulance just for the dunes," said Coos Bay paramedic Jason Hoffman of Bay Cities Ambulance.

That would include this weekend. Wednesday marked the kickoff for Douglas County's annual Dunefest, a five-day event that will bring thousands of ATV users to Winchester Bay, sandwiched about in the center of the 60-mile stretch of coastal dunes.

There are vendors, food, music and exhibits for the latest products and vehicles, along with a variety of drag races, slaloms, "heads-up Banshee racing," even quad croquet - played with balls and wickets.

Since last year, Forest Service officials have restricted the consumption of alcohol in any area open to off-road vehicle travel, which accounts for 43 percent of the dunes. That's put a damper on the madness of prior years, when drunken brawls, nudity and huge parties led to overflows in Reedsport's jail during the festival. But it hasn't made the dunes safe.

"We always wear helmets," said 15-year-old Joe Sparks of Marysville, Wash. - McConkey's mentor. "But we just got here, and we're teaching him to ride."

Sparks and Seattle's Anthony Kubin, 15, said they told their friend to be sure to lean into turns, as ATVs tip easily, and never let off the gas going uphill. The boys have had their share of learning experiences.

"I broke an arm last year," Sparks said.

"I rolled down a hill at Spinreel (Dunes,)" chimed in Kubin, who escaped injury. "The quad chased me down the hill."

Their anecdotes aren't rare. "We get a lot of ambulance calls on the sand," said Hoffman, the paramedic. "Any age, any sex. People just get careless."

Matt Danigelis offers a unique perspective on the topic as a 36-year-old emergency room physician at Peace Harbor Hospital in Florence and an avid dirt biker.

"I typically stay off the dunes," Danigelis said. "It's too crowded."

He's seen the result of those crowds. "Mostly, it's broken wrists, ankles and cuts," he said. "But people can really hurt themselves."

Or kill themselves. On July 3, a 38-year-old Kent., Wash., resident was riding in the sand at Florence's South Jetty, when he was thrown from his ATV and died. Last Saturday, a 30-year-old Beaverton woman died after tumbling 100 feet down a dune at Umpqua Beach.

The dunes may seem flat, the sand soft, the challenge easy. But they're not, Danigelis warned.

"You can't read the terrain well," he said. "It's all sand-colored; everything blends in. Second, it changes all the time, with the wind. I put my dirt bike in 3 feet of water once. I thought it was flat. It's not hard to do."

The doctor also sees a consistent disregard for safety. "I've seen people riding at night, no helmet, drunk. You're like, `Buddy, that's three strikes. You're not giving yourself much of a chance.' '

The vast majority of dune-related accidents aren't fatal. But there's much that needs to happen to make a trip on an ATV safe, said Giles of the safety commission.

"We want kids under 16 to be on smaller vehicles, not the adult vehicles," he said. "We want the industry not to sell adult vehicles - 90 cc's or bigger - for use by kids under 16. We think this is a big issue."

The commission is considering a petition from the Consumer Federation of America to ban the sale of adult-size vehicles for use by children under 16.

It's an idea Susan Rabe wholeheartedly supports. Her son, Kyle, who would be 13 today, died in spring 2002 on a neighbor's sprawling property in Turner. Kyle used the family's ATV for transportation only, but on that day, he somehow flipped the vehicle while driving down a slight incline. The machine landed on top of him.

"It's hell," said Rabe, 45. "He was the spitting image of my husband. To live without him - there's no reason to get up in the morning. You lay there in bed, thinking, `Everybody's up, taking their kids to school.' '

Rabe has told her story to the "CBS Evening News," People magazine and Reader's Digest in the hopes that lawmakers will support the sale-to-children ban and require everyone to receive training before being allowed on an ATV.BEING SAFE

Scout out the area first and ride within your ability

Always wear Department of Transportation-approved helmet (required for riders under 18), over-the-ankle-boots, long-sleeved shirt and long pants

ATVs aren't for passengers: An extra person increases risk of accidents and reduces ability to maneuver

Children under age 18 must have a valid driving license or ATV operator's permit, or be accompanied by a licensed adult

CAPTION(S):

Joe Sparks, 15, from Marysville, Wash., rides an ATV at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area near Winchester Bay. State law requires ATV riders under age 18 to wear helmets.