In the News - May 2008
Extension offers ATV essay competition for youth
LITTLE ROCK - Knowing how to correctly operate an ATV can mean the difference
between a successful day in the field or a trip to the hospital.
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture is offering Arkansas youth
a chance to show how much they know about ATV safety through an essay contest
offered this spring.
"Whether on the farm or for recreation, ATVs are widely used in Arkansas,"
said Subodh Kulkarni, an extension agricultural engineering machinery
specialist. "However, many people purchase them without learning safe methods of
operation, which can lead to serious, if not fatal, accidents."
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there were
467 ATV-related deaths nationwide in 2005, the most recent figure available. Of
the 137,000 people hospitalized for ATV injuries, about a third of them were
children.
The ATV safety essay contest has two categories, one for youth up to age 12
and one for ages 12 to high school senior. The essays will be scored on the
basis of 50 points with 20 points awarded for originality, 10 points for
improvements/innovation, 10 points for grammar/style and 10 points for the
safety issues considered or similar.
Category A: Eligible Drivers
(For ages 11 and under)
Your essay theme for this category is "Why would you want to ride an
All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV)?" Points to include in your essay:
- What you would like to do before you get on the ATV? Will you go
get training? If yes, when and where?
- Why would you wear safety gear?
- Why you would not want your younger brothers, sisters and friends
to ride with you? Why you would not ride in tandem and not drive the ATV
on pavement?
- Why should you listen to advice from experienced riders and adults?
- Why would you watch the safety videos or read safety instructions
and operating manuals?
Category B: Experienced Drivers
(For ages 12 to high school senior in 2007-2008 school year)
Your essay theme in this category is: "What have you learned from your ATV
experience that others should know?" The essay should reflect the experience,
lessons learned through mistakes, if you made any, and what you could have done
to prevent the accident or injuries from those mistakes. Points to include are:
- What you did before riding the ATV; did you undergo safety
training? If yes, when and where?
- Did you follow the advice of adults and experienced riders?
- Did you watch the safety videos? Did you ask many questions to your
parents, elder brothers or sisters, grandparents if they were around?
- Did you read the operating manual and safety instructions?
- Would you have any suggestions to the ATV manufacturer?
Prizes
Certificates and other prizes will be given to the top three winners in each
category. Winners’ names and their essays will be posted on the Cooperative
Extension Web site: http://www.uaex.edu, All Terrain Vehicle Association Web
site: http://www.atva.com and 4-H ATV Safety Web site:
http://www.atv-youth.org.
Rules and regulations
The essay should be no more than 1,500 words. A panel of five judges will
rate the essays, and their decision will be final. The deadline for submissions
is Tuesday, June 1, 2008. The announcement of results will be made Friday, June
13, 2008. An essay entry can be submitted by:
- Turning in essay at county office
- Postal mailing or e-mailing the essay to extension state office
Postal:
Attention: Subodh Kulkarni
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension
Service
P O Box 391
Little Rock, AR 72203
By email: skulkarni@uaex.edu
Your e-mail should have a separate file as an attachment; write
"Essay" in your subject heading.
Be sure to include home contact information, instead of your school
contact information.
Contact your extension office for more information on essay topics and how to
submit your essay. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A
Division of Agriculture.
May 9, 2008
Media Contact: Elizabeth Fortune
Extension Communications Specialist
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2120
efortune@uaex.edu
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