I have not always had a lot of common sense in regards to seat belts. I have usually driven my UTV without one!

A few weeks back, my 17 year old and wife decided to go for a ride on our Kawasaki Teryx. Fortunately, my wife insisted that they both wear a seat belt. My son was driving and they went through a "puddle" on a dirt road. They were not driving that fast but soon after hitting that puddle, their tire (I think) hit a rut and rolled.

I have driven through MANY situations like this and never had an issue.

Anyway, the UTV is totaled. The frame is bent, the seat belt and roll cage probably saved their lives or prevented serious injury.

Although I am not excited about paying for a new UTV, we far prefer this to the alternative!

I will now wear a seat belt! Ifmy wife would not have been there, me or my son would probably not have had one buckled.

Please consider wearing one!!

Thank goodness they are ok!

Yes indeed, it could have been bad. I always strapped my kids in but rarely wore one myself + only really started after being ticketed. My thoughts have always been against laws passed to protect me from myself. Its just force of habit now.

I know more people than I care to count who’ve been killed or crippled in UTV accidents. Most meet their fate after being ejected and having the machine roll over them. O

I had a high school friend, who later became a college professor at SUU, killed by an ATV accident in Southern Utah last year. He tried to jump out of the Four Wheeler to save a grandchild. The grandchild was fine, but the ATV rolled over on him and killed him. Neither had been seat belted in. I know a number of others who have been injured and maimed by not being seat belted in.

I have since purchased a new UTV (2019 Kawasaki Teryx) and fortunately, you are forced to wear it as it will only travel a few miles per hour without being buckled.

My wife was actually filming with her phone when the accident occurred. We have a pretty good idea what would have happened without the seat belt. I have been back to the location since the accident and believe there were some ruts in the road (that were covered with water). They were not traveling fast and its amazing how something can go wrong.

We are more careful now and fortunately my wife lived to tell about it. We are certain that she would have been ejected with the UTV landing on her (I do not even want to think about that).

However, its a good lesson to be learned from.

That's why theyre called accidents. No one ever plans for one but thats where preventive forethought comes into play.

I’ve rolled my ATV twice, but have always managed to bail without I injuries.

Glad all are okay.

BH63

quote:

Originally posted by BuffHunter63:
I’ve rolled my ATV twice, but have always managed to bail without I injuries.

Glad all are okay.

BH63

Buff:

Thank you.

Unfortunately, a good friend was killed on his ATV one week back. Still not sure exactly what happened other
than he was chasing his cows out of a neighbors field and he was found a few hours later, underneath the ATV.

Terrible thing and very tough on his family and friends,

I know about the tough on family + friends part. Several years ago one of my son's friends' dad was under his truck working on something when it came off the blocks, breaking his neck + killing him. His little 3-year-old daughter came in the house + said, "Mama, daddy doesn't want to talk to me anymore." That still gets to me.

Wow, I’m glad your wife and kid are ok. That’s still crazy how it happened.

I rolled or flipped many a 4 wheeler when younger. I’ve had friends get seriously hurt in accidents. However, I still didn’t wear a belt in my Rhino. My brother even rolled it on my side doing donuts. It’s definitely something I will think about.

It’s crazy how fast these machines go. The first one I used quite a bit was my father’s Mule in the late 90s. It had a box and seat on the back, but still would not have been considered fast.

It’s amazing how many accidents happen in golf carts. There are many videos out there on YouTube. I’m sure most involve cold beer.

My BiL and nephew both have RZRs and I don’t go riding with them. It may be a control thing...

Speaking of golf carts, just two months ago, we had our new neighbor's only son (in his mid 30's and recently married) die in a golf cart accident in Phoenix. Seems that there is a district there of bars that people can rent golf carts to get from bar to bar. His flipped over and he hit his head. Died shortly after being taken off of life support. His distraught mother came to my door early one morning in September in an all out panic telling me that their son had been injured in a golf cart accident and that he was in critical condition in Phoenix, and asked me to watch their house for them. I did not know what happened until I returned from Alaska. And yes, drinking was definitely involved as you can only surmise.

That seems to be prevalent in way too many "accidents".

I have investigated hundred of crashes.

Being ejected or partly ejected has been a major cause of deaths.

Wear your seat belts it is one of the smartest things you can do.

I have owned and used four ATVs and UTVs since 1985.

I have never flipped or rolled one, I don't live in mountains but I have taken them there.

Most of the "accidents" I have seen or heard of involve careless operation ( no finger pointing ) most any tool can kill you if used carelessly or improperly.


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quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Speaking of golf carts, just two months ago, we had our new neighbor's only son (in his mid 30's and recently married) die in a golf cart accident in Phoenix. Seems that there is a district there of bars that people can rent golf carts to get from bar to bar. His flipped over and he hit his head. Died shortly after being taken off of life support. His distraught mother came to my door early one morning in September in an all out panic telling me that their son had been injured in a golf cart accident and that he was in critical condition in Phoenix, and asked me to watch their house for them. I did not know what happened until I returned from Alaska. And yes, drinking was definitely involved as you can only surmise.

Same thing in the Villages retirement city in Florida. The old folks are crashing into each other and/or otherwise killing themselves in their golf carts. It's a weekly event there.

Carts are cute until you start running in to things... then not so much.

A close friend/client, who owned several successful businesses including an ATV dealership, rolled his innocently enough and suffered a severe medical emergency. Flown by air to Columbia hospital and, when they failed to read the x-rays properly, overlooked a punctured lung that filled with fluid and he drown standing there while they were trying to discharge him. Sad situation.