PASQUOTANK CO., N.C. — The 1300 block of Lynch’s Corner Road in Pasquatonk County was quiet Monday except for the wind.
No sign of the tragic ATV accident that took the life of an 11-year-old-boy March 8.
“The biggest thing is not to underestimate these vehicles," said Sunrise Cycles Salesperson Eli Jackson. “A lot of people look at them and say ‘It’s got four wheels. It’s just like a car.’ That is absolutely not the case. The handling dynamics are very different, so you can get caught up pretty quickly.”
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The vehicle the 11-year-old was in was a side-by-side that rolled over and pinned him underneath.
For Jackson, safety is a top priority, especially since he has a friend who was seriously injured in a crash.
“The mistake he made was, when he rolled his, he braced himself on this role cage here," Jackson said of his friend's accident, gesturing to the roll cage on an off road vehicle he was standing in front of. "Many, many surgeries later, he’s lucky to have a hand still."
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Someone who lives on Lynch’s Corner Road near where the 11-year-old died didn’t want to speak on camera but said the death is just a tragic accident.
The boy was not wearing a helmet or seat belt.
“Wear your helmet and any safety restraints that the vehicle is equipped with," Jackson emphasized. "Also, I always recommend our customers, especially on ATVs, to go get a training class."
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Between 2017 and 2019, nearly 2,200 people died in off highway vehicle related deaths according to a May 2023 report from the Consumer Product safety Commission.
More than 1,500 were with ATVs specifically, what the 11-year-old is reported to have been using.
Kids under the age of 12 accounted for 6% of the nearly 2,200 deaths.
As of Monday, exactly what caused the side-by-side to roll and kill the 11-year-old was not clear.
For more information about off road vehicle safety, click here.
