Journal article
Enforcement of Off-Road Vehicle Laws in Iowa
Safety (Basel), Vol.5(2), p.22
06/01/2019
DOI: 10.3390/safety5020022
Abstract
Safety laws are among the most successful means of reducing injuries, but their effectiveness is strongly influenced by the level of enforcement. To characterize enforcement of off-road vehicle (ORV) laws statewide, analyses of citations were performed using Iowa Court Information System data. From 2005-2015, 5173 individuals were charged with 5643 citations issued. Citations averaged <5/county/year, decreased dramatically over time, and varied by county when normalized to registered all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). Over 90% of operators cited were male and Caucasian. One-fifth were <18 years old. The top five violations were: operation on a highway/snowmobile trail (51%), registration/identification number not documented/displayed (19%), prohibited use in a park/preserve (5.5%), and operation with more persons than the vehicle is designed to carry (4.4%). The Department of Natural Resources issued the highest percentage of citations, followed in decreasing order by Sheriff, Police, State Patrol, and Conservation officers. Significant differences were identified when citations were compared by sex, age, race, enforcement agency, disposition (guilty vs. not guilty), and when comparing counties with or without an ORV park. These characteristics suggest limited and variable enforcement of laws statewide that may reduce their potential to prevent deaths and injuries, and that improved strategies to support ORV law enforcement are needed.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Enforcement of Off-Road Vehicle Laws in Iowa
- Creators
- Evelyn S. Qin - Roy J & Lucille A Carver Coll Med, Dept Emergency Med, 200 Hawkins Dr, Iowa City, IA 52242 USAGerene M. Denning - Roy J & Lucille A Carver Coll Med, Dept Emergency Med, 200 Hawkins Dr, Iowa City, IA 52242 USACharles A. Jennissen - Roy J & Lucille A Carver Coll Med, Dept Emergency Med, 200 Hawkins Dr, Iowa City, IA 52242 USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Safety (Basel), Vol.5(2), p.22
- DOI
- 10.3390/safety5020022
- ISSN
- 2313-576X
- eISSN
- 2313-576X
- Publisher
- Mdpi
- Number of pages
- 13
- Grant note
- Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Iowa
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/01/2019
- Academic Unit
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Emergency Medicine; Injury Prevention Research Center
- Record Identifier
- 9984297146602771
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