ATV Accidents

ATV Accident Attorneys

All Terrain Vehicles can be used for many purposes, including search and rescue expeditions and recreation. Sadly, every year across the country, ATV accidents impact families, including children.

A typical ATV can weigh more than 750 pounds and can move at speeds as fast as 75 miles per hour. It is important that both adults and children know how to ride these machines responsibly.

You should only operate an ATV that is appropriate for your size and age. Industry standards recommend the following:

• 6-11 years old – 50-70cc
• 12-16 years old – 70cc – 90cc
• 16 years and older – 90cc

If you or your child has been injured in an ATV accident, our attorneys are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer your questions. Contact us for a FREE consultation, or give us a call.

Common Causes of ATV Accidents

Like car crashes, ATV Accidents can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

• Driver inexperience
• Operating an ATV at unsafe speed
• Operating an ATV under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Improper positioning on the vehicle
• Too many riders on the vehicle
• Lack of protective gear

The most common factors in ATV accidents are driver inexperience and alcohol or drug use.

Young ATV operators are 13 times more likely to cause an accident when compared to more experienced riders. Drug and alcohol use is a factor in 30 percent of all ATV crashes, and since ATVs are considered motor vehicles, operators could be arrested for driving under the influence.

Common ATV injuries include:

• Head and spinal cord injuries
• Abrasions
• Lacerations
• Abdominal injuries
• Fractures

Head injuries are, by far, the most common injuries resulting from an ATV accident. That’s why it’s always important to wear a helmet and receive proper training.

Three-Wheeler Accidents

Rollover accidents and injuries were so common among three-wheel ATVs that the U.S. Department of Justice claimed the ATVs and their manufacturers violated the Consumer Product Safety Act.

By the late 1980s, ATV manufacturers stopped making three-wheelers and began producing four-wheelers, which have more stability.

Unfortunately, there are still millions of defective three-wheelers on the market that were not recalled. These vehicles are extremely dangerous if they’re being used today.

Defective ATV & Recalls

Although most ATV accidents are caused by driver error, defects can also play a role. Defective ATVs have manufacturing flaws, and if a manufacturer fails to warn customers of a faulty design, that company can be held liable for any injuries resulting from an accident. Defects can make any vehicle very dangerous, and some of these flaws can cause serious injury.

Many riders have already won defective product lawsuits against ATV makers, and thousands of different ATVs have been recalled over the past 15 years.

ATV Recalls
Each year, thousands of all-terrain vehicles are recalled in the United States. To find out if your ATV is affected by an open recall, visit www.cpsc.gov/Recalls and enter your ATV’s make and model in the search bar.

If you or someone you love has been injured on an ATV, and you suspect a defective part may have caused the accident, contact The Barnes Firm now for a FREE consultation.