Off Road Recreational Vehicles Probed

Our serious injury lawyers have investigated cases involving off-road recreational vehicles. Now, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, CPSC, is probing the design of these so-called recreational off- highway vehicles after reports of fatal accidents involving new products which are currently unregulated.
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The investigation involves several brands and more than 30 daeths. The Wall Street Journal has reported that the Yamaha Motor Rhino was a focus of the inquiry, with at least 30 deaths.
The investigation has brought attention to gaps in oversight of the vehicles, which have been produced for about five years. They are mainly used by off-road enthusiasts and hunters. They are larger than all-terrain vehicles and have two side-by-side seats, a steering wheel and protective roll cage.
Features such as the protective cage place the vehicles outside current rules for conventional ATVs.
Models similar to the Rhino include Polaris’s Razor, Honda Motor Co.’s Big Red, and Arctic Cat Inc.’s Prowler.
The Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association, an Irvine, California-based trade group backed by Yamaha, Honda, Polaris, Kawasaki and Arctic Cat, has announced it is developing proposed safety standards that could be ready by early 2009.