ATV’s Can Be Fun, But Also Dangerous

The call of the mountains, wilderness, forests and the outdoors is irresistible to many. And to many, there is possibly no other way to enjoy those outdoors, than on an all terrain vehicle or ATV.

As the name implies, the ATV is designed to allow the user to traverse the roughest of terrain, and to go where other, standard vehicles cannot go. But despite their designed purpose, they still can be dangerous if misused, and they can, and do, cause injury.

Height Can Be Problematic

One inherent problem in an ATV, is the startling lack of safety measures or protective devices that are on them, despite the fact that they are made to go over very rough and uneven surfaces.

One inherent problem is that the ATV rides very high—it does this so that it can get over the rocks or branches that may be on the ground. But that height causes another problem—a very high center of gravity, and thus, the potential for the ATV to tip over.

High Speed and Too Many People

Rollover or tip over accidents are common when the ATV is driven at speeds that are too high, and because the ATV is going over difficult terrain, even a slower speed can be inherently dangerous.

Worse, when an ATV does tip over, the ATV may have no roof, or a poorly reinforced roof, leading to crush injuries to the occupants of the ATV. Many may even lack seat belts, and thus, being ejected from the ATV—and even, possibly, being run over and crushed by the ATV—and accidents that can and do happen.

Many ATV’s crash or cause injury, because of misuse by the owner; people seeking thrills, or young people who aren’t responsible enough to operate the ATV safely, often cause injuries. In some cases, the ATV may be overloaded with too many passengers, or passengers that aren’t seated properly.

Who is Liable?

When ATVs do crash and cause injury there may be a number of responsible parties. The owners of the ATV, if not the driver, may be liable for the injuries caused by the driver. This can include people injured inside the ATV, but also those outside the ATV, such as pedestrians who may be hit by ATVs.

Depending on the land, the owner of the property could potentially be liable; property with potholes or hidden dangers can also be liable, if the property is in such poor shape that an ATV could potentially crash.

Many ATV owners also do not properly service and maintain their ATV, as they do with a car. When ATV’s fail, or when they have non working safety features, the owner of the ATV—and potentially, the manufacturer of the ATV—may be liable for compensating you for injuries.

Injured on an All Terrain Vehicle, or other off-road vehicle? Contact our Rhode Island personal injury lawyers at Robert E. Craven & Associates at 401-453-2700 today.

Sources:

upi.com/Health_News/2022/09/26/children-fatal-ATV-accidents/9661664197724/

cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/2021-Report-of-Deaths-and-Injuries-Invoving-Off-Highway-Vehicles-with-more-than-Two-Wheels.pdf