A 14-year-old Alabama girl lost her life after the ATV she was driving veered off the road and overturned.

Kyleigh Rampley was operating the ATV on Friday, May 26, when it ran off the road, collided with a telephone pole wire, and flipped over, according to Deputy Coroner Blake Madaris of Cherokee County. The impact resulted in blunt force trauma to her chest, ultimately leading to her death at the hospital.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency revealed that an eight-year-old passenger, identified as Kyleigh’s younger cousin, was also in the ATV during the accident. The young passenger sustained injuries and received medical attention at the hospital.

State troopers investigating the incident revealed that neither Kyleigh nor her cousin was wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.

Pepperell Middle School mourned the loss of Kyleigh, a seventh-grade student. In a heartfelt Facebook post, her mother, Mallory Rampley, shared that Kyleigh had recently been baptized on Mother’s Day. 

ATV accidents involving child drivers continue to be a matter of concern, raising alarm among safety advocates and parents alike. Despite efforts to educate and enforce regulations, the number of injuries and fatalities resulting from ATV incidents among children remains troubling. These accidents often occur due to insufficient supervision, inadequate safety gear, or inappropriate vehicle sizes for young riders.

In April 2022, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office reported a fatal ATV crash that killed a 13-year-old girl. The vehicle was driven by a 9-year-old and crashed. Both children, were thrown from the ATV after it rolled over and the teen girl was killed when she was crushed under the vehicle.

In April, 2023, a five-year-old Virginia girl was crushed by an ATV driven by seven-year-old boy. The ATV flipped over and both children were thrown out of the vehicle. It fell on top of the girl, killing her.