ATV Accident Death and Injury Statistics – North Dakota

Just like many other states, North Dakota has legal provisions that prevent the driving of ATVs on paved roads. Such vehicles are intended for off-road use. When driven on a paved surface, ATVs can reach a high speed, and they can become potentially dangerous.

In addition, there are restrictions for individuals under the age of 16. Minors cannot operate all-terrain vehicles unless they have a valid license or they’ve completed a state safety course. There are penalties for violations, but such do occur on a regular basis.

North Dakota Accident Rates, Injuries, and Deaths

This particular state isn’t one of the states that have the highest fatality rate resulting from ATV crashes. From 1982 to 2012, there were 84 fatalities related to ATV crashes. From 2013 to 2015, the number fell to five.

Other studies, however, suggest that crash deaths involving off-road vehicles on public roads are increasing throughout the US. In North Carolina, there were ten deaths in the period from 2007 to 2011, USA Today reported.

The ATV Dangers

Riding an ATV poses various dangers that don’t stem from the use of another vehicle.

For a start, an ATV has either three or four wheels. As a result, most people believe the ATV to be much more stable than a motorcycle, for example. This isn’t necessarily the case. ATVs are unstable at a high speeds and they can easily go off the road or flip over.

ATV crashes are also dangerous due to the risk of combustion. Certain elements of the vehicle can get too heated. Fuel leaks are also possible, which increases the fire hazard and the risk of a possible explosion.

Recent Serious ATV Accidents in North Dakota

There haven’t been reports about ATV fires or explosions in the state, but multiple people have either lost their lives or gotten seriously injured after a crash.

A 48-year-old man lost his life in June 2017 after crashing his ATV. He was driving north on Richland County Road 8 when he veered to the right, and it flipped over multiple times. The man wasn’t wearing a helmet, and there’s some evidence that he consumed alcohol prior to getting on the ATV.

One of the youngest ATV crash victims was a boy aged ten who lost his life in the summer of 2016. The boy was operating the vehicle on his own when the tire caught in a rut, and it flipped over. The body was pinned underneath and killed at the scene.