ATV accident Death and Injury Statistics - Idaho

All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) are popular in rural areas of Idaho where they are used for recreational trail riding and work on farms and ranches. They function as transport through trails, woodlands, open fields, and rocky land that are difficult for on-road cars and trucks to traverse. These motorized off-road vehicles travel on three or four low-pressure tires. Similar to a dirt bike, the rider straddles the seat and operates the machine with handlebars. However, more tires make ATVs more stable than dirt bikes.

ATVs pose a safety risk to riders. Accidents can result in fires, explosions, serious injuries, and even death. According to the U.S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission, 197 people have lost their lives from ATV accidents in Idaho between 1982 and 2012.

ATV Deaths

Far too many people have died in terrible four-wheeler wrecks. These open-top vehicles may or may not have roll bars so that riders can be ejected and pinned underneath their ATV. The following are some deadly wrecks that have happened in Idaho over the past few years.

  • Edwin L. McVey, 78, had been dead for several days before anyone found him pinned underneath his four-wheeler in July of 2017. McVey’s ATV was operating an ATV in Bland County when it slipped into a deep rut, rolled over, and landed on top of him, causing injuries to his head and upper torso. He was not wearing a helmet.
  • Jeffery D. Shafer, 48, was declared dead at the scene of an ATV accident. He was thrown from the 1998 Polaris he had been operating in Clearwater County. Shafer was not wearing a helmet. An ambulance, 2 Sheriff’s Deputies, and the County Coroner responded to the crash.
  • In April of 2015, a man and a woman were both killed after the ATV they were on flew off a 500-foot cliff in Bonner County near Lake Pend Oreille. Police said Thomas W. McTevia, 42, and Tina Hoisinton, 45, died at the scene. McTevia’s dachshund, who was also onboard, was found alive six days later.

Fire Hazards

ATVs constitute a serious threat of fires and explosions. Heat from the exhaust can ignite a wildfire, so operators should avoid driving or idling near dry grass. They should also inspect the vehicle for debris near the muffler and engine. A spark arrestor in the muffler prevents sparks from reaching the ground. It’s a good idea to keep a small fire extinguisher on board. Pay attention to local burn bans and fire restrictions during the dry seasons. ATVs have caused a number of fires in rural Idaho.

  • An ATV rollover resulted in a brush fire on Black Mountain near the Idaho-Wyoming border in July of 2015. The four-wheeler accident sparked a blaze that burned about one tenth of an acre of grass and timber. Responders from Eastern Idaho Interagency Fire Center sent two wildland fire engines to the scene. They were able to get the blaze under control.
  • The tire of an ATV caught fire while parked near Weiser, Idaho. The driver controlled the fire by dumping his drinking water on in. But then he received second-degree burns to several fingers on his left hand when he tried to move the vehicle.
  • Four-wheelers likely sparked a fire that burned over 80 acres and treated several homes and churches in August of 2007. Witnesses saw the ATVs driving through dry grass parallel to highway 95 near Athol, Idaho just before the blaze began. Level-two fire restrictions were in place which bans off-roading and other fire hazards during particularly dry times.

Serious Injuries

Idaho has seen its fair share of ATV-related injuries. Off-road vehicles are not toys, and safety precautions should be taken seriously. Anyone wanting to ride a four-wheeler should take a hands-on training course and always wear a helmet. The following are just some of the serious injuries people from Idaho have suffered from ATV wrecks.

  • An ATV operator in Owyhee County had to be airlifted to Boise Hospital after a crash in July 2017.
  • Idaho high school student Michelle Pratt was critically injured in a four-wheeler accident on July 3, 2017. Pratt was driving the ATV with her cousin, Danielle Lewis when the brakes failed, sending them over a 300-foot cliff. Pratt was airlifted to the hospital with a torn carotid artery, concussion, fractured vertebra, and broken hand. Lewis suffered from a fractured femur. Both were wearing helmets at the time of the crash.