ATV Accident Death and Injury Statistics – Maine

Maine is one of the states that have thorough off-road and recreational vehicle statutes. ATV parks are available in various parts of the state, and there’s even a state fund established to set up ATV trails.

The use of ATVs for recreation or access to rural areas, however, has been linked to various accidents in Maine throughout the years.

ATV Fires in Maine

One of the most prominent cases linked to a fire started by an ATV in the state occurred in the spring of 2010. At the end of March, a bush fire started east of Pond Road in Nobleboro, Maine.

Investigators found ATV tracks close to the place where the fire supposedly started. According to the investigators, the lack of a working spark arrestor was the most probable cause of the natural disaster. Law requires all vehicles to have spark arrestors that prevent sparks from coming out of the exhaust

Dry conditions caused the Noblebloro fire to spread quickly, making the work of the local fire department quite challenging.

ATV Accidents and Deaths in Maine

While fires and explosions aren’t too common in the state, serious ATV accidents and even deaths have been linked to the use of all-terrain vehicles.

In 2010, a Brownville man was thrown from his ATV and killed on the spot. The 32-year-old allegedly lost control of the machine. The accident occurred on a leaf-covered nature trail, and the driver was not wearing a protective helmet.

Maine doesn’t rank among the states that have the highest level of ATV fatalities. West Virginia is in the lead with around 20 deaths per year. The state is known for its extensive system of ATV trails, which could have contributed to the high fatality number. Maine had two ATV fatalities in 2014, three in 2013 and four in 2012 – numbers that rank the state well below the national average.

This state is an exception rather than the general rule in these gruesome statistics. Over the past 25 years, ATV-related deaths have increased nearly three times in the US as a result of the availability of these vehicles on the market. In 2014, there were 323 ATV accidents with a fatal outcome. The number is slightly lower than the fatal outcome accident peak that was reached in 2008. During the year, 377 people died in ATV-related accidents.