All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Accidents on the Rise

May 2004

In 2002, ATV crashes resulted in 357 fatalities and 113,900 injured riders.  The number of fatalities is up by 67% from 1997.  The number of injured riders more than doubled in the same time period.  Sadly, 33% of injured riders since 1992 have been under the age of 16. Children under the age of 12 have accounted for 14% of fatalities.

In 2003, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) began hearings to find out why All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) accidents in the United States have risen.

Consider the following:

• Injuries sustained in an ATV accident are fatal to children 12 times more than injuries from bicycle accidents.
• ATVs generate more injuries and deaths than snowmobiles or personal watercraft.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is not required to regulate ATVs.  Neither are the states, and most do not.  In fact, only 20% of states require helmets and only slightly more (27%) require a that operators of ATVs have a driver's license. 

West Virginia has the highest ATV fatality rate per capita and after 7 years of debate, has yet to pass a single regulation for ATVs.  Since 1990, West Virginia has averaged 15 deaths per year from ATV use. There were 27 deaths in 2003.

Some experts believe manufacturers aren't doing enough to prevent their product from causing injuries and death.  In fact, while injuries and fatalities continue to increase, the ATV industry has rolled out ATVs with higher speeds and quicker acceleration.  Some safety advocates also point to the fact that ATV manufacturers are marketing ATVs to entire families - adults and children alike without stressing the dangers of ATVs.

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