Stay Safe on ATVs in Missouri
ATV accidents in Missouri are on the rise, particularly in the summer months. A ksmu.org story mentions that local health care workers have reported seeing an increasing number of ATV accident victims in recent months and years.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has a number of recommendations to keep ATV riders safe this summer:
- Take a course. The Commission recommends that ATV drivers take a formal safety course. Course attendance has been shown to reduce the chance of accidents.
- Wear a helmet and proper attire. Missouri law requires those under 18 to wear a helmet at all times on an ATV. Wear a helmet that is certified by the U.S. Department of Transportation or the Snell Memorial Foundation. Avoid sandals and shorts. Instead, wear boots, pants, long-sleeved shirts and gloves to protect against cuts or other injuries to the skin.
- Avoid paved roads. Missouri has laws that restrict the use of ATVs on public roads, but many accidents still occur on paved public roads. ATVs are difficult to control on paved roads and collisions with other vehicles can be dangerous.
- Don’t let children ride. Children should not be permitted to ride on or drive an adult ATV. Children are involved in a third of all ATV deaths and E.R. visits.
- No passengers. Don’t drive ATVs with a passenger or ride as a passenger. The majority of ATVs were designed to carry only one passenger. Additional passengers make the ATV more difficult to control.
Stay safe this summer. If you have been injured in a St. Louis ATV accident as a result of someone else’s negligence, or because of a defective ATV, contact the Missouri personal injury attorneys at Page Law today at 314-322-8515 for a free consultation.