As with passenger cars, you may be injured by the negligence of someone operating an ATV or other recreational motorized vehicle. Because these are operated off-road, with minimal safety regulation, some people don’t take their risks seriously. That means drivers may operate carelessly, break the rules or even operate under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If you were the victim of this kind of negligence, you can hold the irresponsible operator liable with a Minnesota recreational vehicle injury lawsuit.

However, operators themselves can be put at risk by defective and substandard vehicles and equipment. For example, ATVs became notorious in the early 2000s for having an unreasonably high risk of rollover accidents. This is especially disturbing because ATVs are expressly intended for off-road use, meaning they will be operated on the kind of uneven terrain that is known to cause rollover crashes. Other vehicle defects could include faulty brakes, electrical wiring that can lead to a fire, placing a fuel tank in a rupture-prone area and more. On personal watercraft, dirt bikes and other motorcycle-like vehicles, throttles can get stuck, creating dangerous out-of-control speeding. Any manufacturer may fail to adequately warn about safety risks.

Finally, some accidents with recreational motor vehicles involve liability from someone in an overseeing role. This could include someone who knowingly opened an unsafe area for recreation; an adult responsible for supervising children; and other third parties.