Off-road motorcycling and dirt biking are popular sports practiced by millions worldwide. The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (“MVA”) maintains specific licensing and registration provisions for dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles (“ATV”); however, serious accidents continue to occur. ATVs are used both commercially, typically in farming, and recreationally. In either case, operating dirt bikes and ATVs requires coordination, experience, and appropriate training.
Despite the popularity of these activities, little research has been done on the dangers of this activity and the prevalence of injuries and death. However, some research suggests that ATVs use is more dangerous than motocross or dirt biking, as ATV accidents have a higher mortality rate, especially for children. Both activities continue to have a significant rate of head, spinal, and extremity injury.
For instance, recently, a Maryland news report described two deadly accidents. The first accident occurred when a man riding a three-wheel motorcycle drove off a ramp and landed on the ground. The next accident involved an incident where a driver slammed into a 31-year-old man driving a dirt bike. Reports indicate that officers believe a Ford Fusion struck the dirt biker. The collision knocked the dirt biker off his vehicle, causing him to hit his head. Emergency medical services transported him to a hospital for head injuries; however, he succumbed to his injuries tragically.