News

Recent ATV Accidents with Serious Injuries - Educate Yourself and be Safe!


Posted on Oct 05, 2011

Florida's weather lends itself to All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) riding, especially this time of year.   Here is a brief news summary on three recent ATV accidents. Educate yourself and learn from the mistakes of others.

On September 11, 2011, a nine year old Gainesville girl driving an ATV was seriously injured when she collided with a Chevy Malibu on County Road 18.

The young girl was driving the ATV four-wheeler by herself on the shoulder of County Road 18 in the evening hours.  According to the report prepared by the Florida Highway Patrol, she then drove the ATV off from the shoulder onto CR 18 heading east and into the path of the Malibu.  The driver unsuccessfully attempted to avoid colliding with the ATV. The nine-year-old was thrown from the ATV upon impact, while the ATV itself was dragged by the Malibu another 100 feet. It is not known whether the young girl was wearing a helmet while driving the ATV at the time the accident occurred. 
  
On September 17, 2011 a Sanibel woman was hospitalized in serious condition after she was pinned beneath the ATV she was driving in Dixie County.

According to reports from the Florida High Patrol, the woman was riding her ATV westbound on County Road 358 and had pulled over onto the north shoulder to allow westbound traffic to pass.  The ATV turned on its right side when the woman attempted to make a sharp left turn onto Southwest 820th Street.  When the ATV came to a stop on its roof, the woman was pinned underneath it.  The woman was cited for careless driving and operating an ATV on a paved roadway.

On July 4, 2011, a traumatic South Beach ATV accident sent two victims struck by the ATV to the hospital with serious injuries, including traumatic brain injury, perforated heart, swollen spleen, and numerous broken bones.
 
According to reports, after drinking, an on-duty police officer allowed a woman passenger on the back of his police issued ATV and sped down the beach with no lights on just before dawn.
The police officer has since been fired and is facing two counts of reckless driving resulting in bodily injury and two counts of driving under the influence. 

As a Gainesville accident attorney, I urge you to educate yourself - ATVs are inherently dangerous vehicles that can cause severe injury and death. Please see the following for information regarding ATV laws and safety:  

Do you know the 3 basic laws pertaining to ATVs?  Gainesville accident attorney explains.

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We at the Law Office of Jeffrey Meldon and Associates strongly believe that public education is the first step in the prevention of an accident or in the recovery from one.  

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