USA Today article on youth motocross fatalities

Saw a thread about this on Vital. Not a surprise to many of you, I'm sure, but a depressing read, nonetheless.


https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...death-kids-teens-deadliest-sport/87379050007/

 

a friend and i were talking about this articles last night riding mtn bikes (He saw it yesterday) .. Dade city raceway is 10 minutes from my house. MX is dangerous, no doubt, especially with the lack of safety at many private tracks (as outlined in this article). Everything is dangerous, but it is shocking to read about some tracks having almost no flagers, no ambulance on site, and worst (IMO), that all ages and bike sizes practice on track at the same time. The difference at some mx tracks, and how most road racing outfits run sessions, is astonishing.

 

I feel the lack of riding areas everywhere have lead to more people riding on the now fewer tracks that are available.
It seems like most of the deaths listed are from the impact from other rider's bikes. We didn't have this issue on our practice track at my buddy's family farm.

Of course most of the tracks today are generally built with a much greater degree of difficulty than what I raced on back in the day.

 

It’s been a problem for decades. Nothing new, but seemingly getting worse. Same problem with many sports activities, including downhill skiing. Many in the industry and government try to sweep it under the rug because it’s not good for business.

 

Down here it’s e bikes and to a lesser extent, mini bikes.

A few weeks back a bunch of e bikes raced by. Two didn’t turn and went right into trees. Ambulance, cops and an angry dad blaming the road and the trees.

 

I'm suprised MX tracks let kids ride with adults considering there are blind jumps on the track.

 

We lost a potentially great roadracer to an accident that happened on a MX track maybe 10 or 15 years ago? This wasn't during a race or anything just a tragic accident that happened while riding on a MX track. He wasn't as young as the kids in this article but I'm pretty sure that he was still a teenager. He was fast as eff when we saw him racing with WERA West. The name escapes me but I'm sure that somebody here knows who I am talking about. Mongo?

 

Tommy Aquino?

 

The “NEWS” is the deadliest sport. Simply avoid it to stay safe.

 

That's him. RIP

 

Oh look, more Karen's trying to control other people's lives. Who could have ever guessed that these days?

 

The shocker for me is that USA Today still exists in some fashion.

 

158 fatalities in 25 years. That's about 1/10 of the number of kids who drowned in public pools.

 

A lot more kids go into pools than on motocross tracks, though.

 

I wondered who'd be the first to say it.

 

The article isn't really about how dangerous it is to ride motorcycles, it's really about the unsafe tracks and unsafe situations that are brought on by lack of organization.
No flaggers or medics, no plan of action for crashes and injuries etc those are all irresponsible actions by the organizers.

 

They are struggling, especially after buying a bunch of formerly well established but now dying publications in big markets across the country.

 

Perhaps the pendulum is swinging back to where it will become 'cool' again for the pro racers will wear more protective gear. The kids won't wear it if the racers they watch aren't.

Btw, that's the issue here. Cool jerseys the sponsors pay big money for the riders to wear. I was happy when Leatt was sponsoring a bunch of pro riders, but few are wearing them now. Air vests are required for everyone racing the Dakar Rally on a bike.

I loved my original HRP chest and shoulder protection, worn outside of my jersey. The Hannah Racing Products protection was near hockey level of protection, while still allowing airflow.

https://racerxonline.com/2025/12/05...racing-program-chest-protectors-are-mandatory

I'm all for mandated safety gear, at the professional level.

 

RIP Tommy Aquino, he was kicking butt on the WD40 bike.

 

Better than drinking, doing drugs, driving fast in POS, bringing unwanted and unsupported babies into the world or getting buggered by a priest, coach or scoutmaster. Or all of the above. We need more MX, RR and Karting.