2 Polk County Children Killed in Separate ATV Accidents

This weekend, two boys from Polk Country were killed in unrelated ATV accidents.

About the Fatal ATV Accidents

According to KTRE, the first accident involving Ethan Vaughn Cronin, 15, occurred on Sunday. Cronin was making a left turn on a 2013 Honda Rancher ATV on Benny Griffen Road when the ATV flipped onto its side and landed on Cronin. He was transported to CHI St. Luke’s Memorial Hospital in Livingston but was pronounced dead at 12:26 p.m. on Sunday.

The second accident, unrelated to the first ATV accident, occurred near Camp Ruby Road on Saturday. The teenage boy involved died at CHI St. Luke’s Memorial in Livingston. No further information was available.

Motor Vehicle Accident Statistics

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that 33,561 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the United States in 2012.
  • In 2012, 2.36 million people were injured in motor vehicle crashes.
• According to the Texas Department of Transportation, 232,041 people were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes in Texas in 2013.
• ATVSafety.gov states that 327 people were killed in accidents involving ATVs in 2011.
• About 107,500 people went to the emergency room in 2011 to be treated for ATV-related injuries.