The Dangers That Roll With Off Road Vehicles

LOWNDES and WINSTON COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – There have been two fatal ATV accidents in our viewing area since Sunday.

One took place in Winston County and the other in Calhoun County.

As the warmer weather approaches, we tend to spend more time outdoors.

The hotter temperatures mean it’s time to start rolling out four-wheelers and other off road machines, but before you start cranking them up, there are some important safety tips and laws to remember.

“It’s spring time. In rural areas, folks are out on their four-wheelers, they’re riding them everywhere this time of year,” says Winston County Sheriff Jason Pugh.

Four-wheelers, side-by-sides, you name it, whatever wheels you turn, safety is key.

Village Cycle Center Operations Manager, Paula Ivey, says ATVs are made for one rider and no passengers.

“It’s a machine that you need to be able to move up and back on, on that long seat to be able to go up hills and down hills and around corners. The second thing, is they are for off road use only, not to be on the streets, not to be on the side of the street.”

Ivey stresses drivers to watch their speed on these off road vehicles.

She says going 10 to 15 miles per hour across dirt and through fields is fast and can be dangerous.

“Speed and riding pastures, because it changes the weight distribution on it and the speed does and you go over a little ant hill or something, it will put you on three wheels, instead of four and they can flip over.”

Pugh says ATVs aren’t meant to be on the highways, night or day.

“Most of them have headlights on the front and some sort of light on the rear, but that’s not designed for highway use. That’s designed for riding it across a pasture, you know, and riding it slowly, and as the bikes are getting bigger and faster and more expensive, the danger increases, also.”

Pugh also stresses riders to wear helmets.

He says in most ATV accidents, head trauma is involved.

“Most of my experiences are going to be carelessness on the driver of the vehicle’s part. A lot of times, your vehicles and your motor vehicles on the highway, your other vehicles don’t see them, your other cars don’t see them, especially with your lower ATVs, the ones the children ride, go-karts, and that sort of thing.”

Village Cycle Center only sells ATVs for people 16 years and older because of safety and federal regulations.