Many lawsuits filed regarding the Rhinos specifically identify the design of the Rhinos as unreasonably dangerous. On June 22, , J. Crow was properly buckled into a Yamaha Rhino as a passenger. Crow died of his injuries. Crow was only nine years old at the time of this accident.
While Yamaha has taken some steps by sending warnings to consumers and offering safety add-ons for the Rhino, accidents due to low-speed rollovers are still occurring. As these accidents occur, litigation will follow. It remains to be seen whether Yahama will accept the allegations that Rhino is unreasonably dangerous. While too late for those who have been injured or killed in a Rhino accident, the goal of litigation is to promote significant improvements in the design and therefore the safety of this all-terrain vehicle.
The Didier Law Firm, P. Most people see the popular and sporty Yamaha Rhino, a UTV Utility Terrain Vehicle with its supped up bucket seats, a steering wheel instead of handlebars and sturdy roll cage, and instantly get visions of off-road family fun. But for hundreds of individuals and families across the country, the Rhino is a stark reminder of corporate negligence, allegedly responsible for catastrophic rollover crush injuries, amputations and tragic deaths…all preventable.
A cross between a golf cart and an ATV, the Rhino falls outside current regulations for an ATV because it has a steering wheel instead of handles, bucket seats for increased comfort and a narrow frame, which Yamaha insists is necessary for riders to navigate trails and obstacles, such as tree limbs, rocks and other hazards that present problems for the average, wider ATV. Over two-thirds of the accidents investigated by the CPSC have involved rollovers, many at low speeds on level terrain.
Last month, parents of fatally injured children and adults who lost limbs and suffered severe fractures, head trauma and crush injuries, joined the Trauma Foundation and the Center for Auto Safety in the release of an in-depth report focusing on the Rhino, calling on lawmakers and the CPSC to recall all product for safety retrofits and impose strict guidelines for all future products within the UTV class.
The report further points to other manufactures of UTVs that have voluntarily gone the extra design mile for added protection without detracting from fun or functionality. The report outlines how simple, cost effective retrofits and design changes can drastically reduce injuries and prevent needless deaths. With a rating of only 0. In a rollover in the All Terrain Vehicle ATV , victims are suffering devastating and debilitating injuries such as the loss of the lower limbs and serious head injuries.
From to , 8, ATV-related deaths occurred. More than one-third of those who died are under the age of Compare that to 29 deaths in The Yamaha Rhino rollover problems are caused by decisions made during the development of the side by side four wheeler.
The vehicle is very top heavy and contains small tires on a narrow frame. This makes the Rhino more likely to tip or rollover, even if it is being operated in a safe manner at slow speeds on a flat surface. Rollovers of Yamaha Rhinos have been observed at speeds as low as 13 miles per hour.
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