The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has said that it will propose mandatory rules for ROVs – recreational off-highway vehicles – due to the numerous injuries and deaths which have been reported by consumers.

ROV safety rules

The CPSC had the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA), an organization that represents major manufacturers and distributors of recreational off-highway vehicles, develop equipment standards, configuration and performance requirements for ROVs. Unfortunately, the CPSC found their proposed standards inadequate and the Commission will now propose its own rules.

Consumer advocate groups and Yamaha Rhino accident lawyers say that those rules are absolutely necessary as hundreds of ROV related injuries and deaths have been reported over the past few years – many of those involving children. In fact, the CPSC says that it was aware of 116 ROV related fatalities and 152 serious ROV related injuries from 2003 to August 2009.

Rules come on the heels of Yamaha Rhino recall

The CPSC's ROV rules come on the heels of the Yamaha Rhino recall which itself stemmed from an CPSC investigation. The Commission found that over 45 deaths were linked to incidents involving Yamaha's controversial Rhino 450, 660 and 700. Hundreds of product liability lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturer alleging that alleging that the Rhino was rushed to market without adequate safety testing, that its wheel base is too narrow and its center of gravity is too high and that it lacked important safety features. Those Rhino lawsuits have been consolidated in an MDL.

ROVs, ATVs & UTVs: How they differ

If you're wondering what the differences are between ROVs, ATVs and UTVs, you're not alone. Although the terms are often used interchangeably, they are actually quite distinct. Here's a quick overview:

• ROVs. ROVs (recreational off-highway vehicles) are motorized vehicles having four or more low pressure tires designed for off-road use and intended by the manufacturer primarily for recreational use by one or more persons. They have a steering wheel, foot controls, bench or bucket seats, rollover protective structures, restraint systems and have the ability to go faster than 30 mph. Types of ROVs include the Yamaha Rhino, the Polaris Ranger, the Arctic Cat Prowler and many others. As discussed above, the CPSC is in the process of proposing mandatory safety rules.
• ATVs. ATVs (All terrain vehicles) generally have handlebars instead of steering wheels, straddle seating, levers for brakes and no restraint systems or rollover protections. Types of ATVs include the Polaris Sportsman, the Yamaha YFZ 450R, the Suzuki King Quad and many others. Voluntary safety standards for ATVs became mandatory this year.
• UVs. UVs (Utility vehicles), also known as UTVs (Utility terrain vehicles), are similar to ROVs, except that their maximum speed is generally under 30 mph. There are numerous types of UVs used for industrial and specialty purposes.