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In a horrible tragedy this weekend 13-year-old Peter Lenz was killed while warming up for a motorcycle race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He crashed while taking a warm-up lap and was struck by another rider, who was 12 years old.

The accident raises many questions about the safety of allowing teens to participate in dangerous sports. Some argue that while the sport is inherently dangerous, the tweens and teens who participate are well-trained and aren't allowed to race competitively until they've got enough experience. They also argue that there are many dangerous sports which risk serious death or injury to participants, such as downhill skiing and snowboarding.

Critics argue that the likelihood of injury in a sport like motorcycle racing is much higher than other sports - after all, would you let a 13-year-old race cars? Some even claim that this borders on child neglect and point out that Peter Lenz was seriously injured last year in a racing accident. Why would his parents allow him to continue? Also, what will become of the 12-year-old who hit him? How will he recover?

The debate centers around two questions. First, who decides what is an appropriate age to participate in dangerous sports? Is it up to the parents or should certain sports be more tightly regulated? Second, is 13 too young to compete in sports like motorcycle racing in the first place?

What do you think? Are some sports just too dangerous for kids? Are parents to blame for allowing their kids to participate? Would you allow your kids to participate in risky sports?