Peace Industry Group Recalls Youth All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) Over Crash Risk

Product Recalls - August 9, 2024

Peace Industry Group Issues Recall For Youth All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) Over Federal ATV Safety Regulation Violations

Peace Industry Group Recalls Youth All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) Over Crash Risk

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (August 9, 2024) – Peace Industry Group has issued a recall for its Youth All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) due to a risk of serious injury or death and safety violations.

The recall date was issued on August 1, 2024. Around 1,000 units were sold.

According to the press release by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, “The youth ATVs fail to comply with the requirements of the federal mandatory ATV safety standard. The handlebars pose a laceration hazard if the child rider’s body or head impacts the handlebars at a high rate of speed.”

The parking brakes can also fail to hold, which could pose a crash or entrapment hazard for children. No injuries have been reported thus far.

The model number of the affected units is 518 CY125ATV-6.

Liability for ATV Accidents

All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and off-highway vehicles (OHVs) have become increasingly popular for both work and recreation. This has led to a sharp rise in the number of ATV and OHV accidents. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, “The dangers of riding off-highway vehicles (OHVs) are real and include overturning, collisions and occupant ejection. CPSC’s latest data show an annual average of more than 800 deaths and an estimated 100,000 emergency department-treated injuries involving OHVs.” Several factors could contribute to an ATV accident.

  • ATVs are naturally top heavy and thus more prone to rolling over.
  • ATVs may have tire issues that could lead to a blowout and cause a driver to lose control.
  • ATVs may have loose or damaged steering components that lead to difficulty maneuvering.
  • ATVs may continue to accelerate if the throttle becomes stuck.

Companies that create ATVs have a legal obligation to ensure that they are reasonably safe. They must abide by all safety regulations. They also have a legal obligation to warn consumers about the non-obvious dangers associated with their products. There are many such dangers for ATVs, including rollovers. What follows are some of the safety regulations related to ATVs.

  • All ATVs must be designed with a stable center of gravity.
  • All ATVs are required to have effective braking systems.
  • All ATVs must have throttles that provide smooth and predictable acceleration.

If a product is determined to be defective, courts will typically consider two tests in order to determine if a defendant is liable. Under the risk-utility test, the defendant is not liable if evidence shows that the product’s utility outweighs the inherent risks of harm. Under the consumer expectation test, courts will assess if a reasonable consumer would find the product defective when using it in a reasonable manner.

Getting Legal Help After ATV Accidents

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates were deeply concerned to hear about the issues with the Peace Industry Group youth all-terrain ATVs. These vehicles can be very dangerous in the best of circumstances. It is crucial for companies that manufacture ATVs to do everything in their power to make them reasonably safe.

Have you or someone that you care about been injured in an ATV accident? You may have legal recourse. Our team of personal injury attorneys is here to help in any way that we can. We are committed to helping accident victims get the support they need and holding manufacturers responsible for their actions. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.