• Straddle seat
• Handle bars
• 4 low pressure off-road vehicle tires
• High clearance
• Narrow wheelbase
High Center of Gravity
Prone to Rollovers
Sport ATV
Utility ATV
• Generically referred to as side-by-sides.
• Maximum speed of >30 mph.
• 4 or more pneumatic off-road vehicle tires.
• Bench or bucket seats for 2 or more riders
• Steering wheel and foot pedals.
• Seat belts/Safety harness
• Rollover protection structure (ROPS)
• Passenger handle grips
Sport ROV
Multipurpose ROV
Prone to Rollovers To The Side
• Each year in the U.S., ATV crashes result in 700-800 deaths.
Since 1982, 60% of deaths have been from roadway crashes.
• More than 400,000 ATV-related injuries annually.
Iowa (2002-2013): 1/3 of non-fatal crashes were on the road.
When compared to off-road crashes:
ATV roadway crashes are more likely to involve…
Multiple riders and multiple deaths
A vehicle-vehicle collision
Severe trauma
Traumatic brain injuries
Roadway ROV crashes:
87% rollovers
73% while turning
85% on flat or gentle
slope
95% on clear or cloudy
day
93% on dry surface
Roadway Off-Road
More than half of documented ROV crashes are on the road
56% 44%
Consumer Product Safety Commission Data (2002-2011)
Yes No
18%
82%
Have you ever ridden an ATV on a public road?
>4,600 Iowa students (11-16 years old)
Have you ever ridden an ATV on a public road?
Yes No
635 Farm Progress Show Attendees
34%
66%
“It must be safer on nice flat open
roads than off-road.”
The majority of fatal ATV crashes …
1/3 of non-fatal Iowa ATV crashes
>50% of all ROV crashes …
… are on the road.
Rollover
Typical turning path for a car High Center of Gravity
Once center of mass is
off balance, hard to
restore control.
CM Fixed Rear Axle
Increased risk of
losing control in
a turn
Low Pressure Off-Road Vehicle Tires
Unexpectedly grab paved surfaces
Unpredictably interact with unpaved
surfaces and to ruts and bumps in the road.
Rollover
Vehicle Design Contributes to Loss of Control On the Road
vs.
Roadway Off-Road
“It’s safe on the roads as long as
there is not much traffic.”
Yes No
9-State Region Farm Equipment Crashes (ATVs not included)
Did the ATV crash involve another vehicle on the road?
Fatal U.S. Roadway Crashes Non-Fatal Iowa Roadway Crashes
Yes No
13%
87%
Yes No
71%
29%
85%
15%
Harland et al., Acc Anal Prev, 2014
Yes No
Did the ROV crash involve another vehicle on the road?
93%
7%
ROVs Farm Equipment
Yes No
85%
15%
CPSC ROV Data (2002-2011)
Harland et al. Acc Anal Prev, 2014
Very high percentages of
ATV and ROV crashes are
single vehicle crashes, i.e.
not traffic-related.
“I enjoy the scenery riding on
roads in the middle of nowhere,
where it’s safe.”
A window of time following traumatic injury during which there is the highest likelihood that prompt medical treatment will prevent death.
Ambulance
Remote rural roads in Iowa
may be particularly
dangerous if a crash occurs.
“The warnings say paved roads,
so unpaved roads must be safe.”
Consumer Product Safety Commission ATV Fatality Data (1982-2012)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Paved Unpaved
Per
cen
t o
f R
oad
way
Fat
alit
ies
58%
42%
100% Paved
100% Unpaved
27 states
21 states
2 states 50%
Controlling for helmet use, CHANCES of getting a head injury are …
TWICE as high in UNPAVED roadway crashes …
3 times higher in PAVED roadway crashes …
When you compare them with OFF-ROAD crashes.
We recommend safety labels and training materials use the more general term
“public roads”.
“It’s safe on the roads as long as I
follow the speed limit.”
20 mph or less Over 20 mph
Estimated Speed of Single Vehicle ROV Crash
47% 53%
CPSC ROV Data (2002-2011)
• Many ATV and ROV crashes occur
well below posted speed limits.
• Higher speeds if a crash occurs are
more likely to result in serious
injuries or even death.
“Bad stuff rarely happens and even
if it does, there’s nothing we can
do to prevent it. ”
Appeared to unexpectedly turn to the right …. Jordan
Muxfeldt and her 3-year-old son were thrown from the
vehicle …. victim landed on pavement …. she was
carrying twins (a boy and girl) who also died.
The most recent fatal ATV crash on Iowa’s roads happened last month (March 14, 2016).
The most recent fatal ROV crash on Iowa’s roads happened three days ago (April 23, 2016).
Operating on road … left road and ended up in drainage ditch … not wearing seat belt … ejected from vehicle … later died from injuries.
If riders simply avoided the road except when
absolutely necessary, we could prevent …
hundreds of deaths and …
thousands of injuries and …
save billions of dollars …
every year.