The statistics do not have to be tweaked too finely to determine that children under 16 are involved in a higher percentage of accidents involving all-terrain vehicles than adults.

Such statistics have many questioning whether children under 16 should be allowed to ride ATVs -- otherwise known as "four-wheelers" -- at all. Current laws do not allow children under 16 to purchase an ATV, and those from 16 to 18 must take both written and driving tests before doing so.

However, parents are allowed to purchase ATVs for children under 16, and apparently the Legislature has given parents the responsibility of teaching their children how to use them.

Parents need to take responsibility for their children, and no question, most of them do when it comes to riding ATVs.