Dangerous ATV's and the Rhino
Here in Southwest Missouri, we recently finished our 2008 deer season. Deer hunting is big business here, especially in Taney, Stone, Ozark, Douglas County and counties that have sections of the Mark Twain National Forest in them. These days, the deer camp does not seem complete without an ATV. One of these ATV’s , the Yamaha Rhino is a new category called a UTV (Utility Terrain Vehicle) Many farmers in Southwest Missouri now have these UTV’s including the Yamaha Rhino as well.
Recently the Wall Street Journal featured the Yamaha Rhino in a front page article. The article states that Yamaha is currently facing over 200 lawsuits and 30 instances of wrongful death, primarily from rollover accidents. The two-seat vehicle resembles a cross between a golf cart and an ATV. It's a popular design that enthusiasts say makes the Rhino fun to drive but the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is investigating whether stricter regulations are needed to make the Rhino safer.
It is the believe of many personal injury lawyers that the vehicle is too narrow and too tall which causes the vehicle to tip and leads to a rollover accident. Yamaha defends that many of the complaints are due to improper operation, modifications such as taking off the "protective roll cage", and failure to wear a helmet or seat belt. There are currently no regulatory standards on UTV’s, which have a steering wheel, yet do not adhere to automobile safety requirements, and it’s not until after an injury is reported do lawmakers and regulators intervene. Consumeraffairs.com states that “the Rhino falls into what the CPSC calls the "emerging hazard" category -- a niche sometimes created by crafty manufacturers who find ways to work around existing safety regulations.”
According to consumeraffairs.com, new research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Center for Injury Sciences indicates injuries associated with the use of golf carts may be under-appreciated, suggesting the need for the implementation of new safety measures.
Mark Huffington of consumeraffairs.com recently reported that according to the June issue of the Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection and Critical Care, UAB researchers found that there were more than 48,255 golf-cart related injuries between 2002 and 2005, with the highest injury rates observed in males 10-19 years old and those over 80. Gerald McGwin, Ph.D., associate director for research at the Center for Injury Sciences says fractures and head trauma are among the most common injuries associated with golf cart-related accidents. Due to the high risk of rollover and ejection, he recommends the use of helmets and seatbelts.
If any of you have had similar experiences with off road vehicles please tell me about it.
