The annual number of all-terrain vehicle registrations in Maine have risen from approximately 33,000 to 62,000 since 1998. Annual injuries from their operation have also about doubled, from 161 to about 300.

This means, according to Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife figures, about one injury occurs for every 186 registered ATVs.

Increased injuries are expected to rise in usage, as with any motorized transport.

Such as snowmobiles. About 82,000 snowmobiles have been registered in Maine yearly since 1999, and, on average, about 186 injuries have annually stemmed from snowmobiling, according to DIFW.

Yet snowmobiles have half the injury rate of ATVs, despite 30,000 more registrations. One injury occurs for every 440 registered snowmobiles.

A recent investigation by The Oregonian newspaper found federal oversight and consumer protections regarding ATVs are minimal. Paired with Maine’s data, this revelation shows the real perils of ATV riding.

Controlling ATVs is the goal of legislators like Sen. Bruce Bryant, D-Dixfield, who has proposed compelling riders to join ATV clubs or face stiff financial penalties. Clubs work to curb ATV riders’ outlaw image.

Taming riders is a sound idea, to preserve private property or preventing ecological damage, and sounder given the safety concerns. The DIFW numbers illustrate this point.

Sometimes, statistical analyses can obscure issues.

For ATVs, though, the numbers don’t lie.