(Radio Iowa) – Seven people have died on A-T-Vs and U-T-Vs in Iowa so far this year, with dozens hurt, prompting a healthcare professional to offer some safety reminders about the powerful machines. Megan Anderson, a trauma injury prevention coordinator at Emplify Health by Gundersen, says the vehicles can be unstable on pavement or concrete, as they’re designed primarily for off-road use.

(As above) “We want people to stick to the trails or off-road when they can,” Anderson says. “Wearing a helmet and a seat belt helps a lot. Being sober when you’re operating, and then following appropriate speeds, and if you can, take a rider safety course that can help with that hands-on component. That might be really helpful.”

Iowa DNR photo

A University of Iowa study finds the state’s averaging more than 200 A-T-V and U-T-V crashes every year, with a total of 20 deaths in Iowa last year. Anderson says it’s especially tragic when children are killed.

(As above) “We really want to think about safety for them in terms of wearing the appropriate gear and then operating an ATV or UTV that’s the appropriate size for them, for their age and their development,” Anderson says. “And following those manufacturer recommendations, lots of them are printed right on the machine — the safe age for operation.”

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. Anderson says the machines can be a lot of fun, but they can also become dangerous if they’re overloaded.

(As above) “Many of them are made just for one operator,” she says, “and that increases the risk of injury when we have multiple passengers on those single rider machines.”

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 A-T-V 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.