There aren’t many cities in the US which offer as many fun activities as Miami. The place is full of exotic beaches, resorts, luxury hotels, expensive restaurants, night clubs, and casinos. Apart from these, the city is a haven for outdoor lovers as well. With Biscayne National Park and Everglades National Park present at a few minute drive, from the city center, you can enjoy hiking, camping, adventure sports, dirt biking, ATV rides, and other similar activities on your trip to Miami. Talking more of the ATV rides, you aren’t confined to use these in the wilderness only. You will find hundreds of these vehicles inside the city center as well. ATVs are sporty vehicles used both for off-roading and for rescue. People use them for commutation, sports, and adventure. These are also used by lifeguards at Miami Beach, for relief purposes. Despite all the fun and thrill offered by these rides, there are some risks associated with these as well. The motorized vehicles are responsible for scores of accidents every year. Thousands of people are severely injured, children in particular, because of ATV accidents.
All-Terrain Vehicles
ATVs are motorized vehicles, supported by either three or four wheels. These cars come in varying speed ranges and can catch a speed of more than 100 km/h. The three-wheel ATVs, however, aren’t manufactured anymore because of their tendencies to roll over. Even though the three-wheel ATVs aren’t produced anymore, the ones already present in the market are used by people, posing an immense danger not only to the riders but the lives of other people as well. The dilemma which adds to the ratios of accidents caused by ATVs is that you don’t need any license to ride one nor need to undergo any training programs. Moreover, there aren’t any age limits set by authorities over the use of an ATV vehicle. The ATV manufacturers have, however, determined age limits for different speed boundaries of the car;
- The young children of the age between 6 and 11 should be driving the 50cc to 70cc ATVs.
- Teenagers between 12 to 16 years should ride 70cc to 90cc vehicles.
- The vehicles of 90cc and above should only be used by people over the age of 16 years.
These are mere suggestions forwarded by the manufacturers and are seldom brought into considerations by the users. ATVs are heavy vehicles with an average weight of more than 750 pounds. A small mistake and things could turn out be dangerous, both for the rider and the people walking nearby. If you or any of your loved ones has been suffering from the accidents caused by an ATV vehicle, then you should immediately hire the services of Percy Martinez P.A and discuss your case. You can talk to one of our experienced attorneys, at 1-800-888-8888, before engaging with us.
General Causes of ATV Accidents
There are many reasons which could lead to casualties and fatalities in an ATV accident. Driving under the influence of drugs is the biggest of all. Apart from DUI, carelessness, over-speeding, lack of proper training, and mechanical faults in the vehicles are also major reasons for accidents. Here, we have briefly discussed some of them;
Driving Under Influence
You are risking your life, as well as that of others while driving a vehicle under the influence. The risk of injuries and accidents increases many folds when you’re driving an ATV while on drugs. This is because there isn’t much safety associated with an ATV. Statistics propose that DUI causes more than 30% of all ATV accidents.
Lack of Training
The second biggest reason of accidents on an ATV is a lack of proper training before embarking on your ATV expeditions. Studies have shown that an inexperienced driver is 13-times more likely to face an ATV accident compared to an experienced driver.
Not Wearing Protective Gears
The vehicle offers little to no protection on its own. A slight imbalance and you could be rolling on the ground. So, it is important to wear protective gears like helmets, gloves, jackets, knee protectors before driving an ATV. Head injuries are the biggest cause of fatalities in ATV accidents and are mostly caused when you don’t wear a helmet.
Over Speeding in Congested Areas
Over speeding is another reason which leads to ATV accidents. You can easily hit someone when driving in crowded areas. The best practice is to keep the speed up to a minimum while riding an ATV on streets or a congested beach. Improper Sitting Position Maintaining the balance is a key to safety on an ATV. A slight imbalance and you could rollover. Therefore, you shouldn’t go out of position while driving an ATV.
Maintain your posture to ensure maximum safety.
Moreover, when too many riders sit on a single ATV, this also leads to problems for the driver, who could end up hitting someone. ATVs are designed for a maximum of two. Respect the limit to save you and others from injuries and traumas which follow an accident.
The Three-Wheel Dilemma
Of the many reasons which could cause accidents on an ATV, one is the rolling over of a three-wheel vehicle. The tri-wheel ATVs can easily roll over when turning at high speeds. Moreover, it ‘s hard to apply brakes on a three wheeler, thus elevating the chances of accidents. The manufacturing companies stopped the production of three-wheel ATVs in 1987. The four-wheel vehicles, which offer more stability on the road, hit the market and widely produced all over the US. There are more than 2.4 million tri-wheel ATVs which were never called by the manufacturing companies, and most of them are still in public use, posing great threats to the lives of people.
Mechanical Failures
Lastly, the thing which leads to accidents on an ATV is mechanical defects associated with these vehicles. The defects in manufacture or limited service life of the parts could result in accidents, causing severe injuries to riders and the walkers on the road. If a manufacturer knows about the manufacturing defects, then it is their responsibility to inform the buyers and to recall the vehicle.
Recalling an ATV Vehicle
As we have already said that it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to recall a car if there are manufacturing defects in it. If they don’t, then they are answerable for the accidents, occurring on these vehicles. Apart from direct recalls from the manufacturers, there are several websites which provide online recalling services. You can log on to these sites and lodge your request for replacements of defective parts. The ATV manufacturers who have received recalls are;
Razor Dirt Quad: The products with IDs 103110-01 and 103110-02 undergo failure in throttle control module, which resulted in more than 30,000 ATV recalls.
Kawasaki: More than a dozen reports of drivers losing steering control,
due to loosening of the nut which secured front upper suspension arm pivot bolt, have been filed against Kawasaki.
Arctic Cat Inc.: Vehicles with IDs 4UF06MPV06T300001 and 4UF06MPV86T300781 have reported failures, like brake pad dislodging and foot brake lever flexing. Contact the manufacturer if you own one such vehicle in your collection.
Bombardier Recreational Products Inc.: Multiple models of this manufacturer have been reported with problems in the rear axle bearing brake, leading to lost control of drivers on the vehicles.
Polaris: Numerous incidents of gasoline leakage (due to fuel line rubbing against chassis) and rolling of brake line have been reported in the vehicles of this manufacturer.
A failure in an ATV can lead to serious injuries to head, spinal cord, bruises, fractured bones, abdominal injuries, and body cuts. Therefore, you should seek proper training and wear essential protective gear before embarking on an ATV ride.
If you have faced any injuries because of someone else’s driving negligence then you should seek our help in defending your case in the court. We can get you justice and help you win compensations which you deserve. Moreover, you can find our services if you have faced an accident out of a mechanical failure in your ride.
At Percy Martinez P.A, we are a group of experienced professionals who have been providing Miami legal services; including Miami Beach, Miami City, Doral, and Coral Gables. Either it is you or any of your loved one who had to undergo the menace of injuries, pain, or sufferings, we are more than ready to assist you in your pursuit of justice.
Our team of dedicated lawyers can win compensations for medications, therapies, lost wages, and for psychological traumas which you had to undergo. We know what it feels like to be a part of an accident and the sufferings which follow. You are not alone in this. Call today at 1-800-888-8888 and talk to one of our representatives. Discuss your case and set a suitable time for the meeting as well. Follow our blog for more information.