Motorcycles, ATVs and UTVs are motor vehicles, but vary in significant ways from automobiles. Wolf’s reconstructionists understand the implications of these differences. We have extensive experience reconstructing all types of these accidents, including solo, multi-vehicle, street and off-road.
A motorcycle is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle generally operated by a rider positioned on a seat or saddle. While equipped with similar safety features of an automobile (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, brake lights, ABS, etc.) motorcycles are vastly different from automobiles in numerous ways. The dynamics of a motorcycle are more dependent on rider inputs than automobiles are. Rider techniques for body positioning, steering, acceleration, and braking directly affect the stability and dynamics of a motorcycle.
Conspicuity (or the lack there of) is the greatest threat to motorcycles on the road. Led by California, some states require that the headlight of a motorcycle be turned on at all times during operation. While there is no federal regulation regarding motorcycle headlights, all of the major motorcycle manufacturers have implemented automatic low-beam headlight activation at motorcycle ignition. Except for a failure or modification to the system post-production, generally, headlights of motorcycles cannot be turned off while the motorcycle is being operated. After-market modulation (strobing) systems can also be added to motorcycle headlights in an attempt to make the motorcycle and its rider more conspicuous.
Motorcycle laws differ from state to state. Laws concerning motorcycle classifications based on size, rider safety, and motorcycle safety equipment can vary from state to state. Motorcycle helmet laws can often cause the most confusion for riders traveling across state lines. Currently Iowa, Illinois, and New Hampshire are the only the states with no helmet laws.
All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), sometimes referred to as OHVs (Off-Highway Vehicle), OHMVs (Off-Highway Motor Vehicle), or ‘four-wheelers,’ are essentially the four-wheeled version of a motorcycle. The rider control systems and inputs of an ATV are very similar to that of motorcycles. The dynamics of riding an ATV are unique. Having four wheels makes some aspects of an ATV similar to automobiles, however, a suspension system similar to that of motorcycles combined with low air pressure off-road tires and the ability of the rider to shift their weight adds complexity to operating an ATV safely.
Some states do allow ATVs (and UTVs) to be operated on public roadways, however the majority of ATVs are produced for off-road use only. The types of ATVs produced range from small, low-horsepower ATVs for children, high performance sport ATVs, and large four-wheel drive ATVs for work and play. The production of three-wheeled ATVs ended in the 1980’s due to safety concerns. State requirements and laws regulating the use of ATVs vary greatly from state to state.
Utility Task Vehicles (UTVs), often referred to as ‘Side by Sides,’ are four- to six-wheel off-road vehicles. UTVs differ from ATVs primarily by the seating configurations and driver controls. As opposed to the straddled seat and handle bars of an ATV, UTVs are generally equipped similar to that of automobiles, with a steering wheel and foot controls. The term ‘Side by Side’ originated from early UTVs with a bench-seating arrangement where a passenger could sit next to the operator. Many UTVs are also equipped with seat belts and a roll-over protection system (ROPS). As the name suggests, UTVs were initially intended for work applications, such as on farms or construction sites. However, in recent years the market for UTVs has also expanded into larger, higher horsepower vehicles with more seating capacity for weekend recreation. As with ATVs, the dynamics of safe UTV operation are unique due to the automobile-like configuration crossed with an off-road suspension and tires.