ATV Accident Death and Injury Statistics – Louisiana
While ATVs are incredibly popular recreational vehicles, they could potentially lead to serious injuries and even death. Instances of ATV fires and explosions have been observed throughout the country, and Louisiana isn’t an exception.
National Statistics
Before taking a look at serious accidents with ATVs in Louisiana, let’s examine the national averages as a reference point. According to a 2014 report by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 13,617 ATV-related fatalities have occurred throughout the country in the period from 1982 to 2014. In 3,098 of the cases, the fatalities involved minors younger than the age of 16.
In 2014 alone, there were 93,700 people admitted to hospital with serious injuries caused by ATV accidents.
ATV Fires and Major Accidents in Louisiana
According to a report published in the Journal of the Louisiana State Medical Society, there have been multiple cases of serious injuries after the introduction of all-terrain vehicles on the marketplace.
In 1995 alone, there were 15 cases of spinal cord and brain injuries caused by riding an ATV in Louisiana. Of these injuries, 11 were sustained by people under the age of 18. While all manufacturers warn of the age restrictions linked to the use of ATVs, such recommendation is widely ignored.
Louisiana ATV Accidents: The Latest Occurrences
An ATV rider was killed on June 12, 2017, in a New Orleans East crash. A car was traveling alongside the Majestic Oaks Drive when it was hit by the ATV and two dirt bikes. One of the dirt bike drivers was in a critical condition after the accident.
The driver of the ATV was ejected from the vehicle immediately after the impact. He was declared dead at the sight of the crash.
In February 2017, four people were hospitalized after riding ATVs at Muddy Bottoms ATV and Recreation Park. According to authorities, this has been an ongoing occurrence ever since the opening of the specialized Louisiana park.
Since it was opened in 2014, the park witnessed an array of injuries, as well as four deaths. The first one occurred on Labor Day 2015. Two separate accidents at the time led to the death of two drivers.
State statistics suggest that there have been more than 300 deaths in Louisiana since 1982 linked to ATV accidents.