ATV accident Death and Injury Statistics - Indiana
All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) are useful transport through, woodlands, open fields, and rocky land where on-road cars and trucks can’t get to. These off-road vehicles are popular for recreational trail riding rural Indiana. ATVs are similar to dirt bikes—the driver straddles the seat and steers with handle bars. However, ATVs prove more stable than dirt bikes on four low-pressure tires.
Remember that these vehicles are not toys. Crashes and malfunctions can lead to fires, explosions, serious injuries, and death. Data from the U.S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission reports 263 lives lost in Indianan ATV accidents between 1982 and 2015.
Accidental Deaths
Horrendous accidents have been the cause of far too many deaths. There was a string of children and teen deaths from ATV accidents in the spring of 2017. These tragic deaths have devastated families and communities across the state and prompting concerns about off-roading safety and laws.
- Kaleb S. Poehlein, 14, died after an accident in Petersburg, Indiana in March of 2017. Poehlein lost control of his vehicle and hit a ditch. The ATV then went airborne, hit a tree, and landed upside-down. They boy was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
- Emma Clark, 7, was killed following a four-wheeler wreck near Mt. Vernon, Indiana in April of 2017. The girl was a passenger on the ATV, sandwiched between her mother and another woman who was driving. None of them were wearing helmets. The two adults sustained minor injuries.
- Mitchell Steckler, 11, died after the John Deere side-by-side ATV he was driving rolled over, threw the boy, and landed on top of him. The boy was later pronounced dead at Gibson General Hospital. No helmet or restraints were used at the time of the crash.
Fires and Explosions
Three people, including a 1-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl, were killed in a fiery ATV wreck in Center Point, Indiana in 2013. Andrea Allen, the boy’s mother, was operating a single-seat vehicle carrying three small children. The passengers were her sons, 1-year-old Jaylen Rawls and 2-year-old Xavier Rawls along with her friend’s daughter, 2-year-old Nevaeh Dempsey. The Polaris four-wheeler crashed into a concrete wall and caught fire. Jaylen and Nevaeh were killed instantly. Allen died later in the hospital. A nearby fisherman pulled Xavier from the wreckage. Xavier was transported to the hospital with serious injuries. Clay County officials had received reports of an off-road vehicle driving recklessly, and soon after responded to a call about the crash. Police suspect alcohol and speed were factors.
Serious Injuries
Off-road operators need to bear in mind safety precautions to avoid serious injury. ATV operators should first attend a hands-on training course and always wear protective gear. The following a just a few of the serious injuries suffered in the state.
A 6-year-old girl was seriously hurt when the ATV she was riding rolled down an embankment and landed on top of her. The girl was riding a three-wheeler on the fourth of July 2017 in Rosedale, Indiana. She was wearing a helmet but suffered serious chest wounds. The child was trapped under the vehicle until her mother lifted it off her. She was airlifted to Riley Hospital for Children.
In June of 2017, an 11-year-old driver and his 9-year-old passenger were ejected from their vehicle during a four-wheeler crash in in Daviess County. Road dust impaired the boy’s vision, and he clipped a van that was stopped at an intersection. This caused the vehicle to flip and throw the children. The 11-year-old was airlifted to St. Vincent Hospital in Evansville. The 9-year-old was not injured. Neither were wearing helmets.