UTV vs Tractor trailer. 3 teenagers dead.

[RandyT]

From what I just looked at, there were absolutely NO obstructions at this intersection.

Only obstruction of view that I can think of would be growing corn.

 

[kozal01]

Man what an awful thing for that truck driver to have to live with even though it wasn't his fault. What the hell was a 13 year old doing driving on a public road anyway? Really poor judgment from the parents of those teens. Sad.

 

[RandyT]

Man what an awful thing for that truck driver to have to live with even though it wasn't his fault. What the hell was a 13 year old doing driving on a public road anyway? Really poor judgment from the parents of those teens. Sad.

In farm country you would be surprised what pre-teen and teenagers are driving on public roads. 250-400 hp tractors tractors with 40+ foot folded implement are common.

 

[tacticalturnip]

In farm country you would be surprised what pre-teen and teenagers are driving on public roads. 250-400 hp tractors tractors with 40+ foot folded implement are common.

One of those is work, the other is play, and the teenager, alone, behind the wheel of a tractor is probably behaving in a much more responsible manner.

A 13 year old girl with her two friends is going to act a fool.

 

[kozal01]

In farm country you would be surprised what pre-teen and teenagers are driving on public roads. 250-400 hp tractors tractors with 40+ foot folded implement are common.

I live in farm country and I can tell you a 13 year old driving 2 other teens around on public roadways in a SXS is not normal or encouraged. Its also very illegal.

 

[BruceSH]

UTV's in general don't appear to meet any federal safety standards. Our UTV has a cage strong enough to support the plastic roof and dome light. Not much in side collision protection either.

A 4 lug nut vehicle vs a 10 lug nut vehicle says it all. And condolences to the families.

 

[BlueKnife]

UTV's in general don't appear to meet any federal safety standards. Our UTV has a cage strong enough to support the plastic roof and dome light. Not much in side collision protection either.

That's why they're not legal to drive on interstate highways, in any state. Those standards don't mean anything on state or county roads, unless that state or county chooses to adopt those standards.

 

[Torvy]

Sad for the 4 families involved. Truck may have had a dash cam, which the police would use for the details. I disagree with the laws allowing these UTV's to be driven on our roads. I see a bunch of them out here, in rural Iowa. With the lack of safety items they have (shoulder belts - if even used), any UTV accident will have bad results.

I feel the same way about these as with bikes. If the vehicle cannot consistently run at least close to the speed limit of a road, they have no business on it.

Kids shouldn't be on a UTV on a road regardless. More about training, than age. In SD a 14 yo can get a license, but you need to have driver training. In IL, I think minimum is 16 (maybe 15 learners?)

 

[Jstpssng]

More about training, than age

I would have to say it's both. I know how I was at that age.

 

[plowhog]

We have a father in our neighborhood that drives a 3-wheeler with his child on his lap. Twisty dirt road with vehicle traffic. Everyone in the neighborhood is holding their breath. One person commented to him about it, and he got in their face with heated comments.

 

[kenhar]

Teenagers are bullet proof, just ask one. Definitely not the only kids in the world out "having fun". Sounds like only two witnesses, one says the truck didn't stop and the other probably said it did. Either way, a tragic loss.

 

[RandyT]

What makes this even worse is less than 2 weeks after this happened a 14 year old boy died after turning a atv over on top of himself while riding on his own properly about 8 miles from this very accident.

 

[JeepHead]

My Nephew was riding in a UTV with his buddy a couple years ago and they rolled it over a bunch of saplings, one of which broke of and went in his side and out his stomach, and another broke off and ran through his thigh. He nearly died from it.

 

[yanmars]

Today about 1130 AM I heard ATVs in my woods/land just roaring around at high RPMs. I was able to get around them on my back lane. They came out, two guys in their late 20s or early 30s. No headgear, no permission. Tearing my ground up.
Gave me some story about a neighbor said it was OK to ride there. The house they pointed out I do not know. I did not ask for their names or follow where they went as I figured it would not be valid.
Now the real issue I had, the one guy had two little girls on the ATV with him. May have been twins, I would guess 2 years old, certainly not three. Whether they enjoyed the high speed ride or were terrified I do not know. The area they were in has steep, deep ravines, drop offs, high grass hiding things and the edges of the creek etc.
I told them they were not welcome there, will they comply. Who knows?
This is a bit related to these postings, not kids driving but acting pretty juvenile especially with those little girls and the rough terrain.