Articles Posted in ATV Accidents

In a recent ATV accident, a local woman was flown via MedFlight to Boston hospital after her ATV crashed in a rural area off Main Street in Cotuit. According to the Cape Cod Times, the accident happened as the driver was riding along power lines near Santuit-Newtown Road.

Our Cotuit personal injury attorneysknow ATVs are common in the New England area. They’re fun and they’re cost effective. Unfortunately, they can also be very dangerous. Some of these vehicles can travel at speeds up to 60 mph and can weigh up to 1,000 pounds. Because a lot of ATV crashes involve high speeds and rollovers, many of these crashes result in serious damage — and even death.
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Dirt bikes may seem like a fun ride for your kids and both younger children and teens may be eager for the freedom and adventure that a dirt bike seems to bring. However, dirt bikes can also be extremely dangerous, especially if they are operated by inexperienced or under-aged drivers.

Our Watertown personal injury attorneys want to warn all parents of the potential risk of dirt bike accidents. Before allowing your child on a dirt bike as a driver or passenger, it is important to understand the dangers and to have a talk with your child about proper riding behavior and safety measures.

Dirt Bike Accident Highlights the Dangers to Young Drivers
With their quickness and with the limited protection they provide in the event of an accident, dirt bikes are inherently dangerous by nature. Tragically, however, a recent accident in Massachusetts underscores just how risky dirt bikes can be. In this accident, reported by Boston 7 News WHDH, a 14-year-old boy was killed.

The deadly accident happened when the 14-year-old was out riding dirt bikes with his father and his 11-year-old brother. The victim collided with another off-road vehicle at around 2:00 P.M. on a Saturday afternoon. The vehicles collided head-on near a cranberry bog. The 40-year-old driver of the off-road vehicle said he was going to get help but unfortunately never returned. The father of the deceased victim tried to save his son’s life, but was unsuccessful.

Understanding Dirt Bike Risks and Dirt Bike Legal Liability
As this tragic accident shows, dirt bike accidents can happen any time and anywhere. This young man who was killed was with his father and brother and it is not clear yet whether the young dirt bike rider or the older man who hit him was criminally negligent or unreasonably careless in any way. The only conclusive facts thus far in the accident are that the dirt bike and other off-road vehicle collided and that death and injury resulted.

If the driver involved in the dirt bike accident who hit the young victim is found to have been negligent, then it is possible that the family members of the deceased could file a civil lawsuit. The success of a lawsuit will depend upon whether the 40-year-old was unreasonably careless in a way that led to the young victim’s death. The property owner where the accident occurred may also face liability.

Of course, no amount of money will ever bring back the loss of a child. To help avoid this type of tragedy, parents should think carefully before giving a dirt bike to a young teen, especially one who is not yet old enough to legally drive. If your child does use a dirt bike, it is important to have clear rules regarding speed and regarding when and where the bike can be ridden. Crowded or well-populated roads should be avoided, as should busy times when there are more likely to be vehicles both on the roads and off-roading. By making clear rules with your child, monitoring dirt bike behavior and supervising, you can reduce the risk of a dirt bike accident.

Of course, the best way to avoid this type of accident may be to prevent your child from driving a dirt bike until he or she is legally able to drive and has proven he or she can safely operate a dirt bike. Even then, however, your child is always at risk of falling victim to an accident caused by someone else being negligent. Defective equipment may also contribute to an accident or exacerbate injuries.
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In a recent ATV accident, a 10-year-old girl was seriously injured after the 9-year-old driver rolled the vehicle.

According to New England authorities, the young boy drove the ATV into a rock, causing it to flip over onto the both of them. The Boston Globe reports that it happened in Danville. Luckily, the boy wasn’t injured and was able to climb from underneath the ATV and run and get help for the young passenger who was still trapped underneath. Two men were able to flip the ATV over and call 9-1-1. The young passenger was transported to Boston Children’s Hospital. Thankfully, both riders were wearing their helmets when the accident happened.

It’s during this time of year that we need to focus some attention on ATV and snowmobile safety. The temps are getting cool out there and kids will soon be off for Thanksgiving and Holiday break. During this time, they’ll be outside playing — many of them on ATVs and snowmobiles. Our Boston personal injury attorneys are asking parents and guardians to make sure that our youngsters do so safely and responsibly.

In 2009, there were close to 800 people killed in ATV accidents across the nation. An additional 132,000 people were injured in these incidents. Children under the age of 16 accounted for about 20 percent of all of the fatalities and a quarter of all of the injuries in these crashes. Parents are asked to make sure that their children complete safety training courses before heading out. It’s also important that these young riders are equipped with the proper protective gear. This includes a helmet, long sleeves, long pants and sturdy shoes. Goggles are also recommended to keep debris out of their eyes.

Young riders should avoid riding with a passenger. ATVs are usually designed to carry one person at a time. Passengers make these vehicles more difficult to control, too! Lastly, remember to keep these vehicles off of paved roads. They’re designed to be kept on grass, dirt and other natural terrain.

We also need to focus on snowmobile safety during this time of year. As the ground turns white and kids are let out of school, you better believe that they’re going to be heading out — on snowmobiles.

Each year, there are dozens of people who are killed in snowmobile accidents. Most of these accidents involve male riders and most of the accidents involve a snowmobile and a fixed object. Speed is one of the most common factors noted in these accidents. Just like driving a motor vehicle, alcohol is a serious factor, too!

When driving a snowmobile, it’s important to adjust your driving habits to the current conditions. Most snowmobile accidents are completely preventable!

Make sure that you wear the right helmet while riding, that you keep your snowmobile in good-working order and that your headlights and taillights are always working properly. Consider completing a snowmobile safety course while you’re at it. Although not required by the state of Massachusetts, it’s very beneficial in keeping you safe out there!
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During a recent New England ATV accident, a 2-year-old girl was injured. According to the Boston Globe, a 25-year-old father rode with his 2-year-old daughter in front of him and wound up slamming into a tree.

Accident reports indicate that the throttle on the ATV got stuck and forced the ATV to speed out of control. The father and his daughter were thrown directly into a tree. Reportedly, the little girl was not wearing a helmet when the collision occurred. She was taken to the hospital and treated for injuries sustained to her face. The father was also transported to the hospital and treated for leg injuries. Officials are still investigating the accident.

Our Boston personal injury lawyers understand that ATVs can be dangerous for riders of all ages. There should never be a reason to strap a 2-year-old to your ATV. According to ATVSafety.gov, there were nearly 320 reported deaths for ATV accidents in the U.S. in 2010 alone. In addition, there were another 120,000 people injured in these incidents. During this time, nearly 60 of these fatalities were of those who were under the age of 16. Of this young age group, nearly 28,500 of them were young riders. Young people accounted for about a quarter of all riders who were injured in these kinds of accidents and nearly 20 percent of those who were killed.

So why are these vehicles so dangerous? Well, they pack a lot of speed and power and when they’re on uneven or steep terrain or when they’re operated improperly, accidents can result. Some of the very first ATVs were merely seven horsepower. These days, they can come as high as 500 horsepower.

Most of the accidents and injuries that involve ATVs are in fact high-energy trauma. Still, there are thousands of injuries that officials believe are never reported.

Of those who are required to get medical treatment following an ATV accident, the most common injuries are musculoskeletal, fractures and spinal cord injuries (SCI). As a matter of fact, there was a near 250 percent increase in the number of ATV accidents among young riders in recent years. What’s even worse is that there was a more than 475 percent increase in the number of spinal cord injuries resulting from these accidents.

What it all comes down to is that young riders don’t have the motor control, the body mass or the strength to handle these powerful vehicles. The younger the rider the more likely an accident and injury. If you have any young riders in your family, make sure they’re on an ATV that’s specifically designed for their age and their size. Always provide them with supervision and the proper safety gear. And make them complete a rider safety course.
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