Health & Fitness: Rough Rides: ATV injuries climb

With the Christmas wrapping off, the compact motorbikes with balloon tires must have sent visions of roughriding adventure revving through tiny heads. But youngsters who roar off on their shiny new all-terrain vehicles had better watch out: the three- and four-wheelers can be fatal.

* Since 1982 about 1.3 million ATVs, costing $1,000 to $3,700, have been sold in the U.S., often for use by teens and tykes. Injuries from ATVs have bounded from 8,600 in 1982 to 85,900 in 1985, and there have been 559 deaths. Of those hurt or killed, 46% were under 16, and almost half of these...