How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 604 severe cases involving off-road passenger vehicles over the past decade. Fractures are the most common injury, representing 57% of all incidents, which often require extensive surgery and long-term rehabilitation.
These accidents frequently cause trauma to the brain, leading to significant time away from work. The severity of these injuries often stems from the lack of traditional safety features found in standard road vehicles, leaving you vulnerable during rollovers or ejections.
How these injuries happen
Most injuries occur during nonroadway noncollision incidents, which account for 52% of all cases. These events often involve your vehicle tipping over on uneven terrain, striking hidden obstacles like washouts, or losing control during routine patrols. When a vehicle rolls or stops abruptly, you are frequently thrown from the cab, leading to high-impact collisions with the ground.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nonroadway noncollision incident | 309 |
| 2 | Nonroadway collision with object other than vehicle | 117 |
| 3 | Nonroadway collision with other vehicle(s) | 45 |
| 4 | Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area | 34 |
| 5 | Struck by rolling powered vehicle or machinery | 23 |
| 6 | Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicle— unspecified | 13 |
| 7 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 12 |
| 8 | Other fall to lower level | 8 |
Where injuries happen most
Arts and entertainment venues lead all sectors with 14% of reported incidents, followed by construction at 12% and public administration at 12%. These industries rely heavily on utility vehicles for navigating large sites, often over rough or unmaintained ground. High injury rates in these fields suggest that frequent use in challenging environments requires you to have rigorous operator training and strict vehicle maintenance protocols.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports include vehicles striking hidden hazards, rollovers on uneven ground, and you being ejected during sudden maneuvers. These incidents often occur during routine work tasks like patrolling lines or transporting materials across job sites. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident to determine if employer negligence contributed to your injury.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | NM | Public Administration | "On 7/31/2025, an employee was training to ride an ATV when it went into a draw and she went over the front of the ATV, landing on the ground. The employee sustained a fractured arm." | |
| 2025 | TX | Utilities | "An employee was utilizing a utility task vehicle (UTV) to patrol a 138 kV transmission line in a right-of-way. The UTV drove into a washout hole that was approximately 6 feet deep and obstructed by vegetation. The employee sustained a dislocated shoulder, a fractured left humerus, back pain, and a strained ankle. He was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | FL | Agriculture | "An employee was riding in a utility task vehicle (UTV) with several children (patrons). One of the children pressed the gas pedal of the UTV and the vehicle struck a fence post. The employee was thrown from the UTV and sustained five broken ribs, a partial pneumothorax to the right lung, an abrasion to the right arm, and contusions to the body. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | MA | Professional Services | "The employee was working in the back of a micro truck and maneuvering around the materials in the back of the truck. The employee's foot caught on the edge of the truck, causing him to lose balance and fall from the back of the truck to the ground approximately 3.5 to 4 feet below. The employee landed on his feet on the loading dock but rolled his ankle. The employee was hospitalized with a compound fracture of the ankle." | |
| 2025 | OR | Other Services | "An employee was driving an all-terrain vehicle when it rolled over. The employee was ejected and hit the ground, suffering a fracture to their C6 vertebra." | |
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "On July 3, 2025, at approximately 9:45 PM, an employee was operating a utility task vehicle (UTV) on a project road when the UTV struck the rear of a reversing bulldozer. The employee struck their head and face on the UTV dashboard and collapsed onto a UTV passenger. The employee was hospitalized with a forehead laceration, a nasal fracture, and central cord syndrome. The other employee on the UTV sustained a bruised left forearm and was not hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | PA | Manufacturing | "An employee was driving a utility cart into a garage area. The vehicle struck the bottom of the garage door as it was opening and the employee sustained fractured ribs." | |
| 2025 | FL | Agriculture | "An employee was preparing to go to another ranch location to work cattle. This would include getting the cow dogs from the dog pen which are located behind a mobile home adjacent to the barn. The employee was driving his utility task vehicle (UTV) through the mobile home yard to the dog pens when the UTV hit a hole in the yard while it was turning. This caused the UTV to overturn and land on the employee's left leg, resulting in a fracture to his left fibula that required surgery." | |
| 2025 | TX | Retail Trade | "An employee was standing on the back of a golf cart holding trash cans. When the cart turned, he fell off the back and his head struck the pavement. The employee sustained contusions to the head and face and a broken right forearm." | |
| 2025 | ME | Agriculture | "An employee was driving a side-by-side all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on a gravel road when a wheel caught the edge of the road. The ATV rolled over onto its side, resulting in a compound fracture to their forearm, a fracture to their wrist, and a fractured heel." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Fractures are the most frequent injury reported in these incidents, occurring in 57% of all cases. These injuries often involve your legs, ankles, or pelvic region due to the force of impact during a rollover or ejection. An attorney can help you document the full extent of your bone injuries to ensure your claim reflects the severity of your condition.
Employers are responsible for ensuring that all equipment, including UTVs and ATVs, is safe for operation and properly maintained. If a mechanical failure or lack of safety equipment contributed to your accident, you may have grounds for a more comprehensive claim. An attorney can help you investigate maintenance records to determine if your employer met their safety obligations.
Workers' Compensation generally covers injuries you sustain while performing job-related duties, including those involving company-provided off-road vehicles. This coverage is intended to provide medical benefits and wage replacement regardless of who was at fault for the accident. An attorney can help you ensure your claim is filed correctly and that you are receiving the full benefits you are entitled to.
OSHA requires employers to provide a safe workplace, which includes proper training for you if you operate heavy machinery or specialized vehicles. If an employer fails to provide adequate training or ignores known hazards like washouts or unstable terrain, they may be in violation of safety standards. An attorney can help you understand how these regulations apply to your specific accident.