When ATV racer Brandon Leach got sideways in the air during a race in Mammoth in April, he pretty much figured the outcome would be bad. It was. The wheels of the 450cc Honda TRX quad hit the ground, slamming him into the dirt. The 350-pound vehicle then flipped into the air and landed on him. "Right there I went blank," Brandon, 16, said recently between runs at Pima Motorsports Park. Brandon was airlifted to Tucson's University Medical Center, where a dislocated collarbone, bruised pelvis, three cracked ribs, collapsed lung and a concussion kept him hospitalized for 12 days.

Accidents such as Brandon's - those involving kids - are on the rise nationwide, according to a new study. State lawmakers, federal regulators and local authorities are trying to improve safety, but it's an uphill battle. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommend that children younger than 16 not drive ATVs. State Rep. Jerry Weiers, a Phoenix Republican, plans to reintroduce a bill in January that would require kids riding off-road to wear helmets. The proposal never made it through the Arizona Senate during the last legislative session.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission plans to make mandatory the restrictions ATV manufacturers voluntarily follow governing the sale of age-appropriate engine sizes. Dr. Dale Woolridge, a pediatric emergency physician at UMC, has seen a steady stream of bumps, bruises, broken bones and head injuries from ATV crashes in his five years here. "My personal experience is that it is a huge problem and that it is increasing," Woolridge said.

Learn more about ATV dangers and injuries and accidents relating to Yamaha Rhino ATVs.