ATV Accident Death and Injury Statistics – New Mexico

In the early 2000s, ATVs were largely unregulated in New Mexico – a problem that led to a big number of accidents. While there were state laws applying to motorcycles when it comes to safety gear, no such provisions were available for all-terrain vehicle riders.

In 2016, a senate bill was drafted in the state to allow the use of ATVs on paved roads. This is a major cause of concern. The use of off-road vehicles on paved roads is banned in many other states. It’s believed that the high speed makes the ATV unstable, increasing the risk of flipping over on asphalted paths.

ATV Accident Injury and Death Statistics for New Mexico

In 2016, there was only one ATV crash causing a fatality in the state.

That’s a serious reduction from previous years. In 2014, there were six fatal crashes, in 2013 – five and 2012 – two. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has thorough reports for the fatal ATV crashes that have occurred from 1982 to 2011. In this state, the number of fatalities was 110 – way below the national average.

Fire Danger

ATV crashes are troublesome because they have the potential to cause serious injuries or even death. There have been instances of ATVs catching fire or even exploding after flipping over. In some situations, the vehicle has had a design fault that contributed to the higher than usual fire hazard.

While there haven’t been reports about ATV fires in this particular state, driver negligence and inexperience are two of the factors that commonly contribute to accidents.

Some of the Most Serious New Mexico ATV Accidents

In the summer of 2016, a New Jersey teenager died in an all-terrain vehicle crash. The teenager was driving, and there was a 13-year-old passenger on the ATV. An eventual loss of control led to a crash that killed the driver. He wasn’t wearing a helmet at the time of the impact. The other passenger sustained minor injuries.

The latest report comes from the end of June 2017. Two people were injured in an ATV accident in West Newton. The accident occurred close to 11 pm and both victims were immediately taken to the hospital.

Here’s one more accident demonstrating the prominence of ATVs among teens. A 13-year-old girl died in an ATV crash in Albuquerque. The accident occurred during the night, and the teenager was critically injured. Later on, she was pronounced dead at the hospital. The ATV was carrying another 13-year-old passenger who sustained minor injuries.