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The Effect of Passengers on All-Terrain Vehicle Crash Mechanisms and Injuries
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

The Effect of Passengers on All-Terrain Vehicle Crash Mechanisms and Injuries

Charles A. Jennissen, Karisa K. Harland, Kristel M. Wetjen and Gerene M. Denning
Safety (Basel), Vol.2(1), p.1
03/01/2016
DOI: 10.3390/safety2010001
url
https://doi.org/10.3390/safety2010001View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Traditional all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are designed for single riders. Although carrying passengers is a known risk factor for injury, how passengers contribute to ATV crashes remains poorly understood. To address this question, we performed a retrospective chart review of ATV crash victims at a U.S. trauma center (2002-2013). Of 537 cases, 20% were passengers or drivers with passengers. The odds of backward rollovers, falls/ejections, crashes on sloped terrain, and collisions with motorized vehicles were all significantly greater when passengers were present. In contrast, the odds of self-ejection or falls/ejections over the handlebars were significantly lower than falls/ejections to the side or rear, in crashes with multiple riders. Among all ejections, self-ejections had the lowest head and highest extremity injury scores and being ejected over the handlebars or to the rear resulted in worse head injury scores than being ejected to the side. In summary, our study found that passengers increased the odds of specific crash and injury mechanisms and that head and extremity injury severity varied by ejection type. Safety interventions including seat design changes that prevent carrying passengers, and a strict, well-enforced no-rider rule are needed to effectively prevent passenger-related deaths and injuries.
Life Sciences & Biomedicine Public, Environmental & Occupational Health Science & Technology

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