Sports, Fitness and Recreation

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urges all consumers using all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) to understand the risks and necessary safety measures of ATVs before riding them.

The dangers of riding off-highway vehicles (OHVs) are real and include overturning, collisions and occupant ejection. CPSC’s latest data show an annual average of more than 800 deaths and an estimated 100,000 emergency department-treated injuries involving OHVs.

According to CPSC’s latest report, from 2018 through 2020, there were 2,448 deaths in the United States associated with OHVs, which includes all-terrain vehicles, recreational off-highway vehicles and utility-terrain vehicles. ATVs accounted for more than two-thirds of the deaths. Nearly 300 deaths were among children under the age of 16.

CPSC estimates that 94,700 injuries, associated with OHVs, were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments in 2022. Over five years, ATVs were the vehicle involved in 92 percent of the OHV injuries.

These 5 states accounted for 613 deaths, or more than 30 percent of the off-highway vehicle deaths from 2018 through 2020: Pennsylvania, California, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Florida.

Ride safely with a few tips:

Training: Get hands-on training from a qualified instructor
Seats: Never ride with more passengers than there are seats. Most OHVs/ATVs are designed for one rider.
Stay Off Roads: Stay off paved roads. Never ride on public roads, except to cross, where permitted by law.
No Drinking: Avoid drinking alcohol before or while driving an OHV/ATV.
Age Limits: Riders younger than 16 should drive only age-appropriate youth models - never adult models.
Safety Gear: Always wear a helmet and other protective gear, such as eye protection, boots, gloves, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.