If you enjoy riding an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) during the summer, it is essential to understand the unique risks you face with respect to accidents. While you are on an ATV, you are particularly vulnerable. Whether you fall off of your ATV after riding over a pothole or become hurt due to a drowsy driver who fell asleep behind the wheel and veered off of the road, you face many risks.
It is helpful to look at statistics on ATV injuries in order to understand the prevalence of these accidents.
Data on the number of ATV accidents
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission published data on ATV accident injuries. CPSC estimates show that during 2020, emergency departments treated more than 112,000 injuries due to off-highway vehicle (OHV) accidents, which includes ATVs. In fact, the CPSC references a five-year study that found that ATVs accounted for 96% of all OHV accident injuries.
Between 2016 and 2018, OHV accidents resulted in more than 2,200 deaths, and ATV accidents made up almost 75% of these fatalities.
ATV safety and recovering from an accident
The CPSC shares safety tips that can help you avoid an accident, such as avoiding public roads (except for crossing, when necessary and permitted), never riding with an additional passenger if they do not have a seat and wearing protective equipment, such as a helmet, boots, gloves and eye protection.
Unfortunately, you could become injured in an ATV accident due to another party’s negligence, such as a reckless driver or a negligent property owner. If you are struggling with injuries after an ATV accident, make sure you examine the details of the accident thoroughly.
