39 YO killed in quad accident

[btownacres]

For all my tractor buddies that also enjoy the sport of getting out on their quads, like I do, PLEASE wear your helmets. I went to the wake yesterday of one of my hourly guys from the shop that was tragically killed late sunday in an ATV accident. He was NOT wearing a helmet! He leaves his wife and two little ones... he will be sadly missed.

 

[JimMorrissey]

Very sad for all that could have been. Beyond belief for the family and something that will haunt them daily for the rest of their lives.

 

[npaden]

That is very sad.

Do you know any of the details on the accident? My wife and I enjoy riding our ATV's and try to be safe, but sometimes you can learn something from others to be even safer.

 

[IH3444]

Had a coworker killed 10 years ago in a quad accident. He was wearing all gear, helmet, gloves. He over turned in a turn, and the quad was so heavy it slamed him into a tree, and just about decapitated him. The helmet didn't help. Adam was 29 years old, and a double E. That's electrical engineer. He was at his brother in laws in West Virginia. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[btownacres]

Npaden-
The major thing with this one is that he was not wearing his helmet. From what I'm told he was going down the trail at a good rate of speed and came over a rise to find the trail washed out. I guess the rider behind him just saw him and the quad tumbling all over the place. I won't get into the gory details of the aftermath.... I guess riding without a helmet was common with him. Even if it wouldn't have saved him, why take the chance? As for me, I wouldn't think of riding without my skull bucket, and hopefully anyone out there who does this, will seriously reconsider. I can't image ever being the same mentally if this happened to one my of riding buddies. In my life I have happened upon two acidents where a death was the result and can only say that it was very disturbing to see....for all of the paramedics, DR.'s, nurses, firemen, and police officers out there who deal with this on a regular basis.... God Bless You All!

 

[Code54]

Very sorry to hear about your friend. Living here in WV we see a LOT of quad accidents for several reason. No helmet, riding double and riding drunk. All are common here and we do havea LOT of quads, heck seems like everyone has at least one. Myself included. Another major factor in crashes here is we have a LOT of ATV trails and lots of people coming to ride here. This is a strage area to ride if you are not used to it, steep hills, lots of drop off's, off camber trails everywhere, and nore than enough trees to hit. WV is a awesome state to ride but requires a LOT of skill and common sense to do it safely. I hope we never see another serious accident and hope other learns from the tragic accidents that have occured in the past. Again, sorry to hear about your friend and my prayers go out to his family.

 

[rdbrumfield]

We just lost a young gal a week ago. She was riding at night with her boyfriend on a road that they were not familiar with. They came up over a hill and the road was washed out. A twenty foot drop. She hit a stump and to look at her there wasn't a mark. The impact severed her aorta right at her heart.
I picked up a quad a week before and went out to get the feel of it. I didn't have a half mile on the odometer and I felt the left tire go down and felt like it was going to roll. Mind you that I was in a field that was level, tall grass that was lying flat so it looked like a mat here and there. When it tipped I jumped off, I was just poking along, less than a mile or two an hour, I went in to my armpits in a ditch that was totally invisible. I could just reach up to turn the quad off. Luckily it didn't come over me or I would have drowned. I had a heck of a time getting back out by myself. Had it been a smaller person they would have been tangled in the grass and gone under. Had I been on my tractor, most likely it would still be upsidedown in the ditch. I guess you know this summer there are going to be some changes in that field.

 

[HammerFour]

One thing I remember from when I rode dirt bikes, always check the trail at slow speed before you blast down it all out...washouts, fallen trees, boulders, you name it can bring you down and cause a dangerous wreck.

I apply the same thing to my tractor work, I walk areas if I don't know them before I drive the tractor into tall grass or brush I can't see down thru.

 

[trlong]

Hoping it doesn't happen but fearing it may.... It was a nice weekend here. Neighbor out on his quad with 4-5 yr. old on his lap. Rough terrain. Boy were they having fun. No helmet on either. Same neighbor that mows the lawn (some areas pretty steep) with kid on lap. Same neighbor that looked at me like I was a jerk for politely declining their request to let the kids ride with me on the CUT while I mow, or blow snow, use the FEL... They don't get it and I just hope their luck holds.

Tom

 

[Trail_Time]

So sorry to hear about your friend. Hopefully the wife and kids will be taken care of.

This happens way too often.

No helmet + lack of common sense = trouble

Things like this give the anti ATV people more ammo to further reduce ride areas.