With winter approaching, the American Academy of Pediatrics wants curbs on snowmobiling and says children should not be allowed to drive the vehicles.
Some states have no age restrictions.
Others allow children as young as 8 to ride alone if they have completed a safety course. Evidence is lacking that operator safety certification courses adequately educate children and youth to operate snowmobiles safely,'' the academy says in new guidelines published in November's issue of the journal Pediatrics say. More than 10,000 snowmobile injuries were treated in emergency rooms nationwide in 1997 and 1998. Consumer Product Safety Commission figures show that 51 children under 16 died in snowmobile-related accidents between 1992 and 1997. In 1998, there were more than 2 million registered snowmobiles nationwide, according to the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association.