‘Out of control’ ATV leads to Channelview ATV fatality
When you pay $10,000 or more for a recreational vehicle, you’d expect it to be safe to drive. Sadly, that’s often not the case with an ATV, or all terrain vehicle.
Again, an ATV accident has claimed a life, this time in the Houston area. Howard Lewis Bear, 33, of Crosby died Friday night in a Channelview ATV accident.
Harris County sheriff’s deputies said Bear’s son and daughter were in the vehicle with him, and none were wearing safety helmets when the crash occurred, ejecting all three from the ATV. The children were not seriously injured.
The cause of the crash? All we know is that Bear lost control of the ATV. At that point, the absence of safety helmets became a factor. Also, ATVs are essentially one-person vehicles which should not carry passengers. But the bottom line is that this accident happened because the driver lost control of his vehicle, and that driver, Bear, is now dead.
Sadly, losing control of an ATV is all too common, and often that is due to the design of the vehicle.
Many ATVs, particularly the Yamaha Rhino, can be dangerous even when driven slowly and on a flat service. That’s because ATVs such as the Yamaha Rhino have a narrow wheelbase and a top-heavy design, with both factors contributing to the ATV tipping or rolling over.
ATV rollover accidents can inflict serious injuries and even death. An ATV can weigh up to 800 pounds, and riders can be crushed beneath the vehicle as it rolls over, or crushed between the ATV and another object.
ATV accidents and ATV fatalities are becoming increasingly common as more and more of the vehicles are sold. Americans have now purchased seven million ATVs.
With 386 ATV accident deaths in a 25-year period ending in 2006, Texas has an average of more than one ATV death per month. ATV Safety.gov reports that America as a whole can have up to 745 ATV accident fatalities in a single year, with that number tallied in 2004.
Bear reportedly was operating a Suzuki ATV, but other brands, such as the Yamaha Rhino, also can be dangerous. These dangers can be due to manufacturer negligence in designing the vehicle.
If you or a loved one has suffered in a Yamaha Rhino ATV accident due to manufacturer negligence, contact Jim S. Adler & Associates for a free case review. A Yamaha Rhino accident attorney will hold responsible the manufacturers who marketed and sold such vehicles despite their serious design flaws. Contact a Yamaha Rhino accident lawyer today and begin the process of your financial recovery.
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