Blog Post

Yamaha Rhino Injury Rate Charges Ahead


April 07, 2008
Topic: Motorcycle Accidents

The Yamaha Rhino All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) has many enthusiasts. In the event of a rollover or accident, it is also responsible for some of the most crippling injuries.

Introduced in 2003, the Rhino has been riddled with problems, as evidenced from the high rate of injuries caused when the vehicle rolls over. A rollover is eminently more possible in a Rhino because of its faulty design - it has a narrow wheelbase and a high center of gravity. This causes the ATV to turn over when making a sharp turn. You don't have to be driving at a high speed to tip the Rhino over as you make a turn - it's been known to rollover even at low speeds. Once the vehicle rolls over, the lack of foot or lower leg protection makes injuries not only possible, but also even likely. People have been known to have their legs crushed under the weight of the frame. These injuries are equally severe whether you're seated at the passenger side or in the driver's seat.

Since its introduction, the Rhino has been responsible for dozens of injuries leading to disfigurements and maimed bodies. Lives have been lost. Only in February 2008 two persons were killed at the Sand Dune Recreation Area in one. In both cases, the persons were ejected from their seats after making a turn, and ended up with the massive weight of the ATV on their bodies.

The increased reports of Rhino related injuries forced the company to come out with a feeble safety warning for all Rhino drivers. The warning cautioned drivers that their vehicle could have a risk of tipping over when a sharp turn was made. The letter also advised drivers not to put their leg out of the ATV vehicle when it began tipping over to steady the vehicle. The problem with this warning is that the force of gravity as the vehicle begins to tip over makes putting the leg out of the ATV a reflex action that can't be controlled easily. The root of the problem lies not in the person's actions as the ATV tips over or even the size and weight of the ATV which can't be changed, but the risk of tipping over which needs to be controlled by Rhino's manufacturers. Yamaha has, however, been silent about this, taking little action to make their ATVs safe for customers.

Yamaha also issued advisory stickers to warn people of the dangers of tipping over. Stickers. How effective is a sticker going to be? Does Yamaha assume that a sticker will absolve it of all blame in the event of a rollover causing injuries? Or, is this the company's way of pushing all blame off of itself and showing that they're doing the right thing by their customers?

The number of people - adults and kids alike - being killed by these ATVs are no laughing matter. Yamaha needs to be held accountable for the injuries that are caused by its poorly designed vehicles.

If you have been injured in an ATV or motorcycle crash, you need the help of an experienced California personal injury lawyer. Contact an attorney at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.


The California personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group represent victims of accidents, injuries and wrongful death throughout California from our offices in Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Ventura County, Fresno County, Kern County, Sacramento County, San Fernando Valley, Long Beach, Antelope Valley, Torrance, Glendale, Bakersfield, Santa Ana, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Ontario, and Victorville.