(Radio Iowa) – All-terrain and utility terrain vehicles can be a lot of fun and very useful for a variety of jobs, but they can also be dangerous. A state report shows many more Iowans are buying the machines, while a University of Iowa study finds the state’s averaging more than 200 A-T-V and U-T-V crashes every year, with 20 deaths in Iowa last year. Registered Nurse Kelly Hilsabeck is a trauma injury prevention coordinator at Emplify Health by Gundersen. “The number-one most important thing we should know is that we should always wear a helmet, whether we are on an ATV or a UTV,” Hilsabeck says, “and if you are riding on a UTV, you need to also be wearing your seat belt every single time. This should be the norm. These can be life saving actions.”

Excessive speed is often a major contributing factor to most deaths involving these vehicles, she says, and they can be even more dangerous based on -where- you’re riding them. “We should really use extra caution if we’re operating our ATVs on paved surfaces,” Hilsabeck says. “They’re just really made for off-road use. They’re made to grip those dirt trails, that uneven terrain, so they’re easier to lose control of on a paved surface, especially when you factor in that you may be traveling at a higher speed.” Utility terrain vehicles are rapidly gaining in popularity in Iowa. The D-N-R says there were about 39-thousand U-T-Vs registered in the state in 2022, while last year, that number rocketed above 57-thousand, an increase of almost 50-percent.

Hilsabeck says it’s vital, especially for younger riders, to abide by the rules and understand the powerful machines. “So in regards to ATVs and UTVs,” she says, “you should really know your local laws and regulations and know where it’s legal to operate them.” The Iowa D-N-R offers what it calls the Off-highway Vehicle Reference Guide, available free online, along with an online safety course. Riders between 12 and 17 are required to complete an ATV safety course and carry their certificate with them while riding on public land.

Emplify Health by Gundersen has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.