Off-road vehicles, ATVs not meant for street use
Off-road vehicles come in several varieties and go by different names, but they have one thing in common. None are designed to be driven on paved roads.
Two of three off-road vehicle accidents that occurred in the area over the Memorial Day weekend took place on paved roads.
The third accident, which occurred on a gravel road in Warren County on May 26, resulted in the death of the driver of an all-terrain vehicle and his passenger, who is from Slippery Rock.
The ATV driven by Frank Gariepy of Tidioute, with Scott Hart, 52, of Slippery Rock as his passenger, struck a deer on Campbell Hill Road, a gravel road in Triumph Township, causing the vehicle to roll over multiple times in a field, killing both men, state police said.
In Butler County, a side-by-side off-road vehicle operated by a 17-year-old flipped on Old State Road in Concord Township May 24 resulting in serious injuries to a male passenger, who was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital for treatment.
On May 25, another man was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital with injuries he suffered when an ATV he was driving rolled over multiple times following a crash at Branchton and Kohlmeyer roads in Washington Township.
“ATVs are not designed to be driven on roads. They're called off-road vehicle for a reason. They need to stay off roads,” said Patty Davis, a spokesman for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, an association of nonprofit consumer organizations that advances consumer interest through research, advocacy and education.
About 650 people are killed and 100,000 injured in ATV accidents every year, according to the commission.
Nearly a third of reported deaths, or at least 770 deaths between 2010 and 2013, were related to incidents involving ATVs being ridden on paved roads or parking lots, according to the commission.
The commission issued a public service announcement before the holiday weekend urging ATV riders not to drive on paved roads even if local laws allow it.
“We always recommend wearing protective gear, especially a helmet,” Davis said.
The commission also recommends against anyone riding on ATVs not designed to carry passengers, she said. Operators should seek safety training and children under 16 should not drive ATVs designed for adults, Davis said.
An ATV has a handle bar that includes the throttle control and front brake. The rear brake is activated by a foot pedal.
A side-by-side off-road vehicle is often referred to as a utility vehicle or utility task vehicle (UTV). The driver and passenger sit next to each other and there is often a bed or second row of seats behind the front seats. They have foot controls for accelerating and braking.
Ritenour Equipment Center in Butler Township sells UTVs designed for work and play.
Sales staff members tell customers the vehicles are not made for roads.
“When we sell an XTV or side by side, we make sure they know they are for off-road use only, not for use on roads,” said owner Troy Ritenour.
He said XTVs are designed as work vehicles, but they can reach speeds of 35 to 60 mph.
CFMOTTO vehicles, a brand of high performance side-by-side UTVs that Ritenour also sells, have a top speed of 70 mph, he said.
“We make sure people understand the dangers and we show them how dangerous they can be,” Ritenour said.
Customers are urged to wear helmets and use the seat belts and mesh side nets intended to keep them inside during a rollover, he said.
“We've been selling a good bit of them. We definitely see sales growing. Once people see their work capabilities, they really enjoy them,” Ritenour said.
