ATV Accident Death and Injury Statistics – Oregon

Oregon is one of the states that have a mandatory all-terrain vehicle safety education program. The purpose of the initiative is to acquaint potential operators with the best practices and safety measures linked to driving an ATV.

While the program is a step in the right direction, Oregon ranks among the states that have a relatively big number of ATV-related accidents and fatalities.

Oregon Crash and Fatality Statistics

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, in the period from 1982 to 2012, Oregon has had 211 fatalities related to ATV crashes. The number for the period from 2013 to 2015 is 20. Experts, however, believe that the number of actual crashes is higher than the one reported by CPSC.

Another report suggests that the three-year death rate per one million members of the population in Oregon is 1.3 – a number that’s much lower than the averages for many other states.

ATV Risks – Fires and Malfunctions

The design of the ATV makes it stable in off-road settings but prone to flipping over on the road. In some instances, there have been design glitches and problems increasing the risk of a malfunction and a serious crash.

An ATV is prone to catching fire in the process of crashing. The fire hazard has been so high in certain models that market recalls have been undertaken. Polaris is just one of the companies that have had to carry out multiple recalls through the years.

ATV Crash and Accident Examples from Oregon

There have been no reports about ATVs catching fire or exploding on the territory of Oregon. Multiple crashes, however, have taken place. Some of them have resulted in serious injuries and even the death of the driver or some of the passengers.

One of the newest cases involved a 16-year-old from Salem. Kate Christofferson was a passenger on the ATV when the Yamaha Rhino rolled over. The 17-year-old male driver underwent hospital treatment and was later on released. Kate was declared dead at the scene of the crash.

Oregon witnessed probably its biggest number of ATV accidents over a short period of time on Memorial Day weekend in 2014. Seven ATV crashes, including one with a fatal outcome, occurred at the Dunes National Recreational Area. A woman was killed when another ATV driver hit her while attempting to do a jump off the dunes. Another driver suffered a back injury, and while she was wearing a helmet, she was found unresponsive at sight.