ATV and UTV Crashes Raise Safety Concerns During Peak Riding Season
Officials stress youth risk, low-speed rollovers, and mandatory safety training across the region
6/23/2025
Dr. Danny Yarger, Aspirus Emergency Medicine Physician
ATV and UTV
activities are shifting into high gear with warmer days becoming longer across
the Upper Midwest. Riders are taking advantage of expanding trail systems and
local road routes to explore the outdoors. The number of serious injuries from
these powerful off-road vehicles grows with more use.
Across these states,
hospitals see hundreds of ATV and UTV related trauma cases each year. Health
and public safety officials are urging riders to take safety seriously, with
young riders being the most vulnerable. The
American Academy of Pediatrics reports that children and teens are
hospitalized 30 percent more often than adults following ATV and UTV crashes.
Many of these involve rollovers, falls, or collisions.
“Most accidents with
ATVs and UTVs occur on roads, whether paved or gravel roads,” Danny
Yarger, MD, an Emergency Medicine doctor with Aspirus Health emphasizes.
“These vehicles aren’t designed to go on roads; they are designed to be on
trails. They are always more dangerous when used on a road.”
One common factor in
serious ATV/UTV injuries is low-speed rollovers. These are often caused by
carrying passengers or driving on uneven terrain. These crashes can be deadly,
even at slower speeds.
“80 percent of
rollover injuries occur at 10 miles per hour or less,” explains Dr. Yarger.
“The weight of the machine landing on you during a rollover is certainly
something that is going to cause a severe injury.”
In addition to speed
and terrain, equipment matters. Helmets, seat belts, and other protective gear
reduce injury risk. State laws across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan
require varying safety measures, but most recommend or mandate training for
kids and teens and discourage passengers on single rider vehicles. Riders 12 to
16 years of age in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota are required to complete
a certified ATV safety course before operating alone.
“There is a common
misconception that individuals, when they turn 16, believe they are covered
with a driver’s license,” says Lt. Jacob Holsclaw, Administrator Warden with
the Wisconsin DNR. “That is not the case. They must have a DNR or another
state’s ATV certification. They are required to keep that on their person; it
is essentially a driver’s license.”
Training courses are
widely available online and in person throughout the region. Families are
encouraged to check local regulations and ensure vehicles are age appropriate
before hitting the trails. For more information about safety requirements and
training options in your area, visit your state DNR website:
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