Pediatric Recreational Motorized Vehicle Trauma in Alberta: Injury Patterns, Resource Utilization, and Opportunities for Prevention

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Abstract
Background: Recreational motorized vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), dirt and motor bikes, snowmobiles, and e-scooters, are an increasingly recognized source of severe trauma among children. Adult provincial data from Alberta demonstrate high morbidity, mortality, and more than $6 million in acute care costs from ATV-related injuries over a decade; however, pediatric injury patterns remain under-characterized despite rising exposure. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of pediatric patients presenting with major trauma (Injury Severity Score > 12) to the Stollery Children’s Hospital between December 2019 and June 2023. Recreational motorized vehicle-related cases were analyzed for demographics, injury mechanisms, injury severity, hospital resource utilization, and clinical outcomes. Available Abbreviated Injury Scale data were reviewed descriptively for a subset of ATV-related injuries. Results: Of 345 pediatric major trauma cases, 55 (16%) involved recreational motorized vehicles, accounting for 17% of major blunt trauma presentations. ATVs were the most common mechanism (58%), followed by dirt/motor bikes (23.6%), snowmobiles (14.5%), and e-scooters (3.6%). Patients were predominantly male (72.7%) with a mean age of 13.1 years. Operative intervention was required in 58.2% of cases, 30.9% required pediatric intensive care unit admission, and mortality was 5.5%. Helmet status was incompletely documented; only 36.4% of patients were recorded as wearing helmets. Children from rural regions accounted for 43.6% of injuries. In the ATV subset with available AIS data, head, facial, and extremity injuries were most common, and all patients sustained at least one serious injury (AIS ≥ 3). Conclusions: Recreational motorized vehicles represent a substantial and preventable cause of severe pediatric trauma in Alberta. When contextualized with adult provincial data demonstrating significant mortality and healthcare costs, these findings support strengthened injury-prevention strategies, improved safety enforcement, and evidence-informed policy approaches.

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