Children and teens riding all-terrain vehicles will have to follow new regulations, approved by the Senate last Wednesday, according to news reports.
House Bill 3562 passed the Senate last Wednesday, although the measures were a bit watered down, according to news reports. The bill bans drivers under 5 years old from riding an ATV and requires other young drivers to wear a helmet and undergo safety instruction.
Exceptions are made, however, to “children who are on family farms, are hunting or are on private property under the direct supervision of their parents or guardians,” according to news reports.
The bill, dubbed Chandelier’s Law, named after a 16-year-old who died in a 2003 ATV accident, will no longer make South Carolina one of six states with no youth ATV restrictions.
Gov. Nikki Haley is expected to sign the bill soon.
As a Greenville personal injury lawyer , I know how dangerous ATVs can be. In 2005, an estimated 136,700 injuries associated with ATVs were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms, according to Consumer Product Safety Commission statistics. There were 767 deaths associated with ATVs in 2004. I urge all ATV riders to practice safe habits while riding and never ride at high speeds. Drivers should also wear a DOT-approved helmet, protective eyewear, gloves and suitable riding boots for all riding conditions.
If you have been injured in an ATV, quad, quad bike, three wheeler, or four wheeler accident, contact a personal injury lawyer in Greenville .