Injuries Caused by Riding ATVs

I’m David Holub, an attorney focusing on personal injury law in northwest Indiana.

Welcome to Personal Injury Primer, where we break down the law into simple terms, provide legal tips, and discuss personal injury law topics.

Today’s question comes from a caller whose child was injured in an all-terrain vehicle mishap. Medical bills are mounting up, so she was interested in learning about her legal rights.

Over the years, many injuries and deaths have occurred due to riding all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).

Many of those killed or seriously injured are 16 or younger.

Often the incidents involve hitting a tree or being thrown from the ATV.

Since at least 1982, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has tracked close to 15,000 ATV-related fatalities.

The CPSC has noted that riding an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) constitutes a dangerous and deadly activity when safety precautions are not followed.

The ATV Safety Institute suggests the following safety rules:

• Wear a helmet, goggles, boots, gloves, long sleeve shirts, and pants
• Avoid paved roads (ATVs are optimized for off-road trails)
• Avoid operating an ATV under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• No passengers should be taken on an ATV intended for a single-rider
• An adult must supervise operators younger than age 18
• Riders should operate only on designated trails and maintain a safe speed

An ATV is not like a bicycle. Parents cannot simply turn over the keys to an underage ATV operator and expect safe operation.

ATV owners should watch for product recalls.  ATV recalls address seatbelt issues, defects with steering controls, and problems with brakes.

I hope you found this information helpful. If you are a victim of someone’s carelessness, substandard medical care, a product defect, work injury, or another personal injury, please call (219) 736-9700 with your questions. You can also learn more about us by visiting our website at www.DavidHolubLaw.com – while there make sure you request a copy of our book “Fighting for Truth”.