IMMOKALEE, Fla. — A nine-year-old boy was hurt in an incident on an all-terrain vehicle in Immokalee Monday, raising safety concerns about riding the off-road vehicles. According to a report from the Collier County Sheriff's Office, the boy was riding in the back of the ATV in the yard of a home on Westclox Street when he hit his head against the roll cage.
Fox 4 received audio from a 911 call after the incident.
"I need someone here quick," the caller told a dispatcher. "He's bleeding from the head."
The accident caused a serious laceration to the boy's head and a contusion to his left eye, according the report. He was air lifted to Lee Memorial Hospital.
Cory Rodgers, battalion chief with the Immokalee Fire Department, said the incident is an unfortunate reminder to follow common sense and safety rules while riding. Florida law requires any ATV passengers under the age of sixteen to wear a helmet.
"Wear a helmet," Rodgers said. "Don't drive on the roadways, and if you're under sixteen, don't drive alone."
He also advises that people wear jeans and heavy shoes while riding, not shorts or sandals.
According to the sheriff's office, about thirty percent of all ATV crashes happen while drivers are under the influence. Alcohol does not appear to be a factor in this incident.
A neighbor of the boy's family told Fox 4 that he was transferred to a medical facility in Tampa, but that he should be fine. We are working to confirm this.
