MX safety in the spotlight in Michigan

Very sorry to hear about this accident. I didn't know you had to be 16 to ride a dirt bike on public land in Michigan. I don't know the details, but it says this rider hit a steel pole.


Few regulations restrict motocross in Michigan
Posted by Shannon Murphy | The Flint Journal April 02, 2008 18:29PM

GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan -- Few regulations in Michigan restrict motocross, a high-speed recreational sport that left a 7-year-old rider dead earlier this week after an accident on a Fenton Township track.

The decision on who should ride and at one age is left to parents, according to the Secretary of State's office. The state does not restrict them as long as they ride on private property.

"Injuries will happen and people assume the responsibility for those," said Kip Bigelow, chairman of the motocross division of the American Motorcyclists Association, District 14. "But a fatality is something that I'd never expect."

In motocross, riders steer motorcycles through winding, hilly dirt courses sometimes flying through the air. Broken bones and concussions are among the most common injuries.

Michigan dirt tracks have races for children as young as 4-years old.

Dr. Stephen Burton, a Flint Township orthopedic surgeon, said young children may not have the sense to be riding motocross bikes.

"If you know a sport has a risk this high and you still do it, that's your choice," Burton said. "But I don't know how a 4-year-old or a 7-year-old could know that."

Michigan does not have any age restrictions for dirt bikes on private land, although riders under 16 need supervision and a permit on public land and children under 10 cannot operate 4-wheel all-terrain vehicles.

Secretary of State Spokesman Ken Silfven said private property use is up to parental discretion and is not regulated by the state.

Only a handful of states have age limits for off-road motorcycles. Some require adult supervision up to a certain ages and other states require smaller engines for young children. Most states, however, do not have age restrictions for off-road motorcycles.

"Anytime you participate in an activity with higher speed, there is inherently a risk involved," said Hurley Medical center emergency room doctor Josh Newblatt said. "You're engaging in risky behavior."

Tyler died about 8 p.m. Monday at Genesys Regional Medical Center from injuries he suffered when he crashed his dirt bike into a steel pole at Fenton Indoor Motocross three hours earlier.

His father, David Waller, said his son was an experienced rider, and he isn't sure what caused the boy's sudden crash.

An autopsy was performed Tuesday, but results weren't available Wednesday afternoon.

Concerns also have been raised about a delayed ambulance response to the accident scene.

Riders acknowledge there is a risk involved in the sport, but said rules are put in place at private facilities and tracks to reduce injuries. Some requirements include wearing helmets and goggles.

Richard Steele of Lapeer said his 8-year-old son, Brett, has been riding for four years. The Steele's were at the indoor dirt track Monday when Tyler crashed.

Steele said his son has flipped over a few times, but that doesn't deter him from racing.

"It's just part of it," Richard Steele said.

Riders and parents of minors are required to sign waivers before participating at tracks.

Bigelow said the association relies on parents to teach their children the guidelines and how to operate safely.

Tommy Barron, general manager at Fenton Indoor Motocross, said he first got on a motorcycle when he was 3-years-old.

While he admits there are some risks to the sport, he doesn't think it's any less safe than hockey or football.

"There are people that walk down the street and get injured," he said. "It's something about how sheltered do you want to live?"

Barron said the bikes younger kids ride, which typically have smaller engines, only reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour and don't go much faster than 15 miles per hour on a track. The lower speeds, he said, reduces the possibility of injuries.

"Broken bones, bruises and cuts are the kind of common stuff you take from driving around and falling off," he said. "It's much like hockey; a rough and tumble sport. But it's not lie we're out there beating ourselves up."

Dr. Pino Colone of St. Mary's Mercy Hospital in Livonia argued, however, that injuries to riders are more severe than other sports.

"I think people just need to use common sense and need to realize how dangerous motocross is," Colone said. "When you're talking about younger kids, they don't have the reflexes and the experience to react to a sudden change (on the track)."


• In Michigan, off-road motorcycles are not regulated on private property, meaning there is no age restriction on who can ride. On public property, riders must be 16.

• The American Motorcyclists Association, which is the sanctioning body for most racing events, has specific rules that riders must follow. Rules include riders wearing helmets and goggles. Riders and parents of minors must sign waivers prior to participation and parents of minors must stay at tracks with their children.
Injuries are common, but fatal accidents like the one Monday at Fenton Indoor Motocross that killed Tyler Waller of Oakland Township are rare.