| |
The Gainesville Sun reports that a 64-year-old man was thrown from his all-terrain-vehicle (ATV) and is in critical condition at Shands Medical Center at the University of Florida.
The Lake City man was driving the ATV in Lafayette County, Saturday morning, January 28, when the ATV went off the road and into a ditch where it rolled over. The accident happened 10 miles west of Branford on Airstrip Road, according to a report by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). The ATV was the 2005 Arctic Cat model, and the rollover occurred around 10:45 a.m. on a dirt and grass road. The FHP reports that for some unknown reason, the man made a sharp turn to the left and went into a drainage ditch. He was ejected when the ATV rolled. Our condolences go out to the family of this man for his accident. Let’s pray he survives his injuries.
Generally, we report about ATV accidents that involve children. Those younger than 16 are discouraged from riding adult ATVs. Riders should also remain off of paved roads where many children are injured. An ATV is designed to handle the uneven surfaces of an unpaved road.
In 2008, ATV accidents hospitalized 135,100 individuals nationwide.
If you have been injured in an ATV accident, Farah & Farah’s team of ATV accident lawyers in Florida will help you determine if your vehicle has been recalled for defective components. You may be eligible for compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Call us at 1(800) 533-3555 for a complimentary consultation on your ATV accident case.
Source: http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120128/ARTICLES/120129510/-1/entertainment?Title=ATV-crash-leaves-man-64-critically-hurt
It’s difficult to believe that there were two separate but fatal all-terrain vehicle (ATV) crashes in Levy County on Saturday, January 7. A Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) report says a woman died Saturday when she was thrown from the ATV around 10:15 p.m. She was traveling on a limestone road in Gulf Hammock and the ATV reportedly flipped and landed on top of her. A five-year-old boy riding with her suffered injuries and was taken to Shands Medical Center in Gainesville. According to the FHP report, neither the woman nor her young passenger had on helmets. Later, around 2 a.m. the same night, a man was on a county road in Bronson, reported to be racing, when he hit a dirt wall and the ATV flipped. His body was not found until the next morning by a woman walking by. Law enforcement believes he had been dead for hours.
The FHP says ATV off-road vehicles are not licensed to be on so-called numbered or paved roadways, and these fatal outcomes are the reason why.
ATV Regulations in Florida
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, all riders under the age of 16 are required to wear a helmet and eye protection when riding on an ATV.
Between 2007 to 2010, preliminary Florida data show there were 104 reported deaths associated with ATV use, and from 1982 to 2006, 105 children under the age of 16 were killed riding an ATV. There were 465 deaths recorded in Florida from 1982 to 2010.
If you or a loved one is injured in one of these dangerous and sometimes defective vehicles, product liability actions have led to many ATV recalls after a number of injuries and deaths, especially among young people. The ATV accident attorneys in Jacksonville of Farah & Farah can be reached at any time of the night or day at 1(800)533-3555.
Source: http://www.news4jax.com/news/local-florida-news/2-ATV-crashes-in-Levy-County-leave-both-riders-dead/-/475776/7663332/-/uhngxkz/-/index.html; http://www.atvsafety.gov/state/florida.html
A published study in Neurosurg Focus looks at accidents involving all-terrain vehicle crashes and deaths that often involve young children. There have been about 10,000 fatalities ever since the government began keeping track, and children ages 16 and under made up about a quarter of those deaths, reports Fair Warning. The study questioned why children are so frequently the victims of these off-road vehicles crashes.
The team concluded that the size of the rider is what matters. Often a younger person is not strong enough to control the adult-sized ATV and is more frequently ejected than a larger adult. The Polaris Trailblazer 250 sport model and Honda Four Trax 250 were used for the performance tests which involved riders of different sizes using three maneuvers that are often seen in crashes.
These ATVs weigh about 300 to 600 pounds and can go up to 75 miles per hour.
Banning Children from ATVs
Massachusetts has taken a step to reduce ATV injuries by banning children under the age of 14 from riding them, unless it’s part of an organized sport. And the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has urged manufacturers to stop marketing the vehicles to children. But while ATV ridership has increased 36 percent over the last 14 years, the number of emergency room injuries is up 109 percent, according to the CPSC.
In order to stay safe, the CPSC recommends:
- Children under the age of 16 not be allowed to drive or ride adult ATVs.
- Recreational off-highway vehicles (ROV) require riders to wear seat belts.
- Always wear a helmet in either vehicle.
- Keep hands and extremities inside the ROV in case it rolls.
- Do not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Taking these important safety precautions helps, but if a driver of any vehicle, including an ATV, is negligent or careless when behind the wheel you may be involved in a frightening accident. The Florida ATV accident lawyers of Farah & Farah can help if you have been involved in an ATV accident. Please call (800) 603-3640 for a consultation.
Source: http://www.fairwarning.org/2011/11/size-not-risk-taking-may-explain-why-many-kids-are-killed-in-atv-crashes/;www.ATVSafety.gov
Another all-terrain vehicle (ATV) crash has killed a 23-year-old rider from Fort White, Florida. The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) reports the man was out on the 2000 Honda 400 EX sometime between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. Saturday, November 5 when he crashed. The Gainesville Sun reports he was by himself and the collision happened on Hilliard Lane at Lime Way. Since the rider was alone, FHP has put out the narrative of what they believe happened.
The young man was eastbound on Hilliard when he drifted partially off the road on a curb, then hit an oak tree with the ATV and died at the scene. There is no additional information on this Florida ATV collision other than friends and family defending this young man’s character.
Our condolences go out to all who knew him.
ATV Injuries in Florida
The Gainesville auto accident lawyers of Farah & Farah understand that, unfortunately, ATV accidents tend to increase when the weather is welcoming in Florida. ATV injuries can result from a loss of control and include severe head injuries, broken and crushed limbs, spinal cord injuries, and death.
Some versions of the Honda 400 EX have been recalled for defective brake pads. In 2007, the Honda TRX400EX resulted in 53 reports of injury to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
The CPSC, which handles recalls of ATVs, encourages riders to always wear protective gear and a helmet and not drive on a paved road. A single-rider ATV should have just one rider and not a passenger. A hands-on training course is recommended to cut down on the number of fatalities and injuries on an ATV, numbered to be in the thousands every year, including children.
This Honda model is advertised to be the most powerful four-stroke engine Honda has ever put in an ATV.
Source: http://www.gainesville.com/article/20111105/ARTICLES/111109693; http://www.news4jax.com/news/Man-hits-tree-dies-in-predawn-ATV-crash/-/475880/4591158/-/xp8l0s/-/index.html; http://www.atvsafety.gov/
A 35-year-old woman and her boyfriend were riding a four-wheel all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on a dirt road early Thursday morning, October 13, when a collision took her life, according to a report in the Ocala Star-Banner. According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the two were on a dark bumpy road when the ATV, a Yamaha Big Bear 400, hit a railroad track. The man says he was knocked out and when he came to he found the woman unresponsive. The crash happened off Northeast 25th Avenue in the woods so the man said he had to find a home to get help. Marion County Fire Rescue pronounced the woman dead at 1:15 a.m. and the man went to Shands Healthcare in Gainesville with injuries.
Our condolences go out to all of the friends and family members of this woman. There is no further information on what may have caused her death but neither rider was wearing a protective helmet. A toxicology test will be conducted as part of the investigation.
ATV Injuries
Approximately 30 percent of the time, ATV injuries and deaths involve children under the age of 16. The Consumer Product Safety Commission found that from 2004 to 2006, ATV-related deaths of children rose more than 65 percent and for adults increased nearly 85% due to the popularity of ATVs.
Even with protection, hundreds of children and young people die every year in accidents involving ATVs.
If you have been injured as the result of an accident involving an ATV, you may be able to find compensation for medical bills and pain and suffering from the at-fault party which may include the manufacturer of a defectively-designed vehicle. The Florida ATV accident attorneys at Farah & Farah can help by initiating a thorough investigation.
Source: http://www.ocala.com/article/20111013/ARTICLES/111019884/1005/sports01?Title=Woman-killed-in-ATV-crash-overnight; http://www.atvsafety.gov/
Charges are pending in the crash involving a 9-year-old Lake City girl riding an all-terrain-vehicle (ATV) who was hit by a car Sunday evening, September 11. The girl is in serious condition, according to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) after she was on the north shoulder of County Road 18 and tried to turn into a driveway around 6:30 p.m. That’s when an eastbound car on CR 18 moved to try and avoid hitting the ATV by steering into a ditch. Unfortunately, the car hit the ATV causing its right tire to be caught in the car’s left front tire and fender. The girl and her ATV were dragged about 101 feet, according to the FHP. The little girl, who was wearing a helmet, was thrown from the all-terrain vehicle and taken to Shands Medical Center in Gainesville. The 50-year-old driver of the passenger vehicle and her 61-year-old passenger were not hurt.
Let’s all pray that this elementary school girl makes it through her injuries. There is no further word on the extent of her injuries or what sort of ATV she was riding.
ATV Dangers
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests riders of ATVs be at least 16 years of age because of the strength needed to handle the vehicles. Every year there are about 70,000 emergency room visits due to ATV accidents and 275 deaths, 100 of which are children.
In 1987, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) filed a lawsuit against the five major distributors to declare ATVs an imminent hazard. The notice bars ATV distribution in the U.S. and the importation of three-wheelers. Since the restrictions on three-wheel ATVs, manufacturers have made four-wheel ATVs as well as off-road-vehicles (ORV) that resemble a Jeep without any sides or metal around the riders, except for a roll bar. These too have a dubious safety record as injuries related to all ATVs that required emergency room treatment nearly tripled from 52,800 in 1997 to 150,900 in 2007, according to the CPSC.
If you or a loved one have been injured by one of these vehicles, it is important to seek legal guidance as soon as you can following your collision. An ATV is not a toy. There have been too many children injured or killed when riding ATVs and there are still three-wheelers left on the market. Farah & Farah Lake City personal injury lawyers will offer you a complimentary consultation on your ATV personal injury case to outline your options which may include seeking compensation from the manufacturer and distributor responsible for your injury.
Sources: http://www.news4jax.com/news/29157735/detail.html; http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/105/6/1352.abstract
Last week, an 11-year-old boy was critically injured after being thrown from an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on Jacksonville’s Westside. On Tuesday, July 19, the boy died of his injuries at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center, according to a report by Channel 4. Quoting the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the boy was on Manning Cemetery Road and was riding on the back of a four-wheel ATV on July 14 at about 2 p.m. The force of hitting a cattle guard threw the boy off the back of the vehicle. Neither of the other two people on the ATV, the 14-year-old operator or the 10-year-old passenger, was injured.
Our condolences are extended to the friends and family of this young boy for his sudden, unexpected passing.
We do not know the model or make the ATV but we do know is that children love to ride in ATVs.
During the Memorial Day holiday last year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported that 28 deaths occurred in just four days. That is about seven deaths per day and five of the fatalities occurred in children under the age of 16.
ATV Precautions
Under Florida law, ATVs are not supposed to be used on paved roads so investigators in this case wanted to know where the accident occurred. The CPSC says everyone riding an ATV should take a hands-on safety training course and always wear a helmet.
Regardless of where it occurred in 2008 alone, 135,100 people, including 37,700 children, were treated in hospital emergency rooms for ATV-related injuries. And injuries appear to be increasing. According to a report in BusinessWeek, between 2000 and 2005, injuries increased about 60% with children accounting for about one-third of all ATV injuries and deaths.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) reported last year that multiple riders in an ATV were 10 times more likely to need an amputation.
Children shouldn’t be driving ATV’s, said the group, but that doesn’t seem to be affecting sales. In 1985, there were about 400,000 ATVs in the United States. Today there are estimated to be more than 9 million.
Three girls were injured Tuesday evening, May 11, when they were ejected from the all-terrain vehicle they were riding in Mims, Florida. Desiree Curley, 12 was driving the ATV – a four-wheel 2005 Suzuki King Quad when she lost control of the vehicle. A story from floridatoday.com reports that also riding on the ATV were April Hebert, 17 and Cheyanne Lovell, 11.
Curley was trying to corner a curve on Huntington Avenue around 6:20 p.m. when she lost control. It is illegal to operate an ATV on a public roadway, but charges are not pending. Basically the question should be – would you allow a 12 year old to power a car? This high powered ATV can go 72 mph and ATVs are notorious for a high center of gravity and low stability. To make matters worse, none of the girls was wearing a helmet.
ATVs have caused hundreds of deaths and injuries in Florida over the years often because of defective design.
Top-heavy and very unstable, a tip-over can occur in speeds as slow as 15 mph. And often it is the person reaching for the ground who finds their hands or heads crushed when the ATV lands on them. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says that ATVs are still one of the most dangerous products that CPSC oversees.
In the CPSC 2008 Annual Report of ATV-Related Deaths and Injuries, released in January, the CPSC finds that serious injuries requiring ER treatment declined 10.5% from 2007 to 2008. Still more than 135,000 people required ER care. And the number of ATV-related fatalities decreased from 699 in 2007 to 410 in 2008. If you or a family member has been injured in an ATV-related accident, a Florida consumer lawyer can help you determine if one of the recalled models was involved in your accident. For safety sake, even the industry is recommending that adolescent and young teens not ride ATVs with engines larger than 90 cc’s and that no child under the age of 16 ride any ATV.
Their injuries are not life threatening. Curley and Herbert are in Parrish Medical Center in Titusville. Lovell was flown to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando. They are in our prayers.
The names of two children who were injured in an ATV accident have been released according to ocala.com by the Florida Highway Patrol. The 5-year-old girl and 3-year-old boy were both seriously injured in an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) being driven by their father. It happened in an Ocala, Florida field around 10 a.m. off Northwest 110th Avenue. That’s when the right front tire hit a wire fence. When the father tried to steer away from the fence, the vehicle rotated clockwise then hit a tree and overturned causing everyone to fall out.
The father and two children were taken to Shands Hospital, Gainesville. The father sustained minor injuries and the children sustained serious but non-life threatening injuries.
ATV Crash Statistics
All-terrain vehicles injure about 4,500 youngsters in the U.S. annually, according to newly released statistics from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. The study concludes that ATVs should not be ridden by anyone under the age of 16. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), 254,000 ATV-related injuries required treatment either in a hospital or emergency room in 2000.
ATV Injuries in Florida
New riders have about 13 times the average risk of injury on an ATV, largely because they are not as experienced in handling their high center of gravity. They can tip over even at low speeds. What results usually is a trip to the emergency room. Amputations of leg, toes, and fingers, are not uncommon and neither are head and spine injuries. In fact, the majority of spine injuries – 70 percent- occur in children under the age of 16, and more often among girls.
If the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons considers ATVs to be a significant public health risk, why are we allowing our children to ride them? Since they are popular in rural areas, a compromise might be to ride an ATV on a motocross track where everyone is going in the same direction and rules are followed. A Florida injury attorney should be at your side if you or your children are injured in an ATV accident. The many questions to ask may include whether the model you have purchased is under any recall and whether it contains defective parts, which means it should not be on the market.
A six-year-old Martin County boy died Saturday, January 16, when he was ejected from an off-road vehicle. The young child was ejected from the vehicles front passenger seat while on private property in Indiantown, Florida. His father, a 39-year-old, was driving the utility vehicle when it overturned. He received minor injuries.
Our sincere condolences go out to the family of this young boy.
Outdoor enthusiasts often turn to four-wheelers, off-road golf carts, mud buggies, off-road jeeps to have fun in nature.
The Florida Highway Patrol reports that the father was traveling about 1:25 p.m. in a pasture when the Polaris off-road utility vehicle overturned on its right side. The young boy was the right front passenger and was ejected.
Off-Road Vehicle Accidents
An estimated 700 Americans are killed every year in ATV accidents, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, including as many as 200 children. Another 135,000, most of them teens and children, are treated for ATV-related injuries.
While they provide lots of off-road fun, adults in charge often forget the number one rule – Wear a helmet! Many off-road vehicles have printed on the body of the vehicle a warning such as, “No drivers under 16. Only one passenger.”
Polaris Recall
Certain models of the Polaris Ranger off-road vehicle have been recalled because of a risk of fire danger from defective engine parts that can freeze in sub-zero temperatures. Other Polaris models have been recalled because of a loss of steering control.
Both the Polaris and Yamaha Rhino are prone to rollovers, even at low speeds under 20 mph and even on relatively flat ground without drivers doing anything dangerous. These sorts of rollovers can result in amputations, head injury, and death. Often, the manufacturer blames the driver for his own injuries or for not wearing a seat belt.
CPSC Sues Makers
The CPSC in 1987 sued five leading distributors, including Yamaha, declaring ATVs to be an “imminently hazardous consumer product.” The companies agreed in a settlement to stop distributing 3-wheel ATVs, the most unstable kind-though they did not have to recall existing 3-wheelers. The agency wanted a stability standard for ATVs, but backed off after industry pressure.
But in the late 1980s when sales grew, so did casualties. Previously about 250 ATV-related fatalities occurred annually, but deaths topped 500 in 2001, then rose steadily to 800 in 2005.
The federal government encouraged the industry to include consumer education including blunt warnings and safety videos. Please spend some time visiting the videos to educate yourself about the inherent instability of ATVs, especially before you allow your children to ride in them. If you or a family member has been injured by an off-road vehicle, you will want to consult with a Florida personal injury attorney to determine whether your rights have been violated by a defective product.
|
|
