Total Injury

ATV enthusiasts and opponents are at odds over bills in various states that would change current riding laws, some of which would allow riders more freedom and others which would strive to avoid ATV accidents like the fatal one in Mississippi last week. A 23-year-old woman was killed last Sunday when her ATV crashed with another man’s ATV, throwing her into the path of an SUV. This incident is the second ATV-related death in the Lucedale, Mississippi area already this month, and another example of why a state like Oregon is trying to tighten ATV-riding laws.

• An Oregon ATV bill would bar anyone under 12-years old from driving these vehicles. Strongly pushed by Senator Alan Bates, Senate Bill 49 would also limit 12 to 16-year olds to operating ATVs with engines of 90 cc or less. This bill has sparked much protest as Southern Oregon constituents are threatening to launch a recall against Bates. According to statistics from the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission, one-third of the near 6,500 victims who died in ATV accidents between 1982 and 2004 were children.

While this bill attempts to curb Oregon ATV accidents involving minors, other states are trying to open up the roads for younger riders.

• A North Dakota ATV bill would allow 10-year olds to ride off-road ATVs and dirtbikes under the supervision of their parents and refute a current law requiring riders on public land to be 12-years old. Proponents of the bill say that such a bill would allow North Dakota children to be trained in safety procedures at an earlier age while opponents question the full cognitive abilities of children below 11 years of age.

• A Nebraska ATV bill would allow ATVs to be driven on all roads except controlled-access highways. Legislative Bill 288 has drawn criticism from safety advocates who say that ATVs are designed for off-road and not on-road use and do not turn as sharply as motorcycles or cars. 

Follow this personal injury blog for the latest developments with these ATV bills.

People need to use some common sence when riding atv's. The people that get hurt probably dont know how to properly ride and are doing things that they shouldnt have been doing, or riding beyond there experience level. Just like riding a motorcylce you have always have to be a defensive driver, you have to what out for yourself in case no one is watching out for you. This bill is not alowing atv use on highways so the speed should not be an issue, as in most communites the speed limit is 20 to 25 mph, and atv's handle vey well on pavement at that speed. How about all the accidents on motorcyles, i bet there are more than atv accidents, lets ban them as well. Everyone wants to look out for my saftey when i can look out for my own and make my own decisions. With gas prices soaring it makes more sence for me to ride my atv 6 blocks to the store rather than driving my pick-up 1 mile cause i have to go around the over pass to get there. lets just ban everything that could cause an injury then we dont have to worry about getting hurt, thats what its comming down to, everybody just live in a bubble. they talk about the injury factor, so lets get the real facts and compare the amount of atv injuries to motorcycle, car, gun, ect. injuries. there are also too many sue happy people that cant except the fact that people get hurt, but they have to blame someone else because of it, and cant take no responsibilty themselves, mostly they sue out of greed, the root of all evil. so to the people who think they are looking out for my saftey, in dont need you to thank you, i can take care of myself just fine, you need to worry about yourself and stay out of my buisness and i will stay out of yours. i dont sue because i dont need to be rich and if i get hurt then its my fault, no one else. but i guess not everyone is blessed with common sence and smarts.