City Streets Pose Dangers For ATVs
All terrain vehicles (ATVs) are a popular form of recreation in South Carolina, but they carry considerable risks. Some ATVs have three wheels, making them the tricycle equivalent of a motorcycle, while others have four wheels; thus, they resemble an amusement park go-kart, except with handlebars instead of a steering wheel. As with motorcycles, South Carolina’s rules about wearing a helmet while operating an ATV are lenient. Even though ATVs are not as fast as motorcycles, they bring an additional danger in that you do not have to be a licensed driver to operate an ATV; children as young as six can operate ATVs with parental supervision. Unlike golf carts, ATVs are not allowed on public roads open to vehicular traffic, regardless of the speed limit, but they are a common sight there. Approximately 100 people die in ATV accidents in South Carolina each year, both in ATV parks and in vehicular traffic. If you have been injured in an ATV accident on a South Carolina road, contact a Columbia car accident lawyer.
Two Minors Killed After Truck Collides With ATV
For her entire life, Ania Chalk counted Jada Fludd as one of her closest friends, even though Jada was twice Ania’s age. Once Jada learned to drive, one of her hobbies was taking her friends on ATV rides. On the day before her 17th birthday in September 2024, Jada and Ania were riding in Jada’s four-wheel ATV on Scenic Drive in Orangeburg County, when a tractor trailer struck their ATV. Jada, 16, and Ania, 8, both died of injuries resulting from the accident. The driver of the tractor trailer was not injured.
Jada was a student at Orangeburg High School for Health Professionals. The girls’ families held a memorial service and balloon release in honor of Ania and Jada.
Two Adults Killed After ATV Collides With Tree
Also in September 2024, two adults were riding on a Kawasaki ATV in the eastbound lanes of Garden Road in Williamsburg County. The driver lost control of the ATV and caused it to drive off the road and collide with some trees. Emergency personnel pronounced the passenger dead at the scene of the accident. The driver was transported to the hospital and died later that day. News reports did not release the names or ages of the victims or report any information about the causes of the accident.
Legal Responsibility for ATV Accidents in Vehicular Traffic
Drivers on public roads have a responsibility to avoid striking other motor vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. Even though ATVs do not belong on roads open to vehicular traffic, ATV occupants who get hit by cars may still be able to recover some of their accident-related losses, under South Carolina’s comparative negligence laws.
Let Us Help You Today
The personal injury lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you if you got injured in a collision between a car and an ATV. Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.
Source:
live5news.com/2024/09/13/2-dead-williamsburg-co-atv-crash/ https://www.wistv.com/2024/09/10/they-died-together-families-remember-calhoun-county-teen-child-killed-atv-crash/
