The number one cause of teenage death is death by motor vehicles. A similar cause of teenage death that ranks sixth on the list is off-road vehicle-related deaths. Around 13% of the off-road vehicle-related deaths from 2010 to 2014 occured to teens and children under the age of 16. The vast majority of crashes occurred on paved or unpaved roadways, which is a testament to the fact that most of these vehicles were never designed to be brought on the road. Crashes on paved roadways were more likely to involve young men in their early twenties or late teens, lack of safety equipment (such as helmets), and alcohol use.

Off-road vehicle deaths usually occur on paved or unpaved roadways. The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) classifies most off-road vehicles as OHVs, or off-highway vehicles. These are vehicles such as ATVs (all terrain vehicles), ROVs (recreational off-highway vehicles), and UTVs (utility task vehicles). These vehicles are not designed for use on the road, and because of this, they are more unsafe on the road than not. The CFA provides a list of various risk factors and advice on how to prevent them.
The single largest risk factor is driving OHVs on roads (both regular roads and highways). This is where the majority of OHV deaths occur, so driving OHVs where they’re meant to be driven (off of the road) is always a good idea. Another risk factor related to OHV deaths is when young children and teens under 16 drive vehicles that are too big or too powerful for them. OHVs are usually only meant to carry a small amount of people, possibly even a single person. So, when people pile up on ATVs or other off-road vehicles, it can be very dangerous. This is yet another risk factor known as “doubling.”
The CFA also provides various preventative measures that can be used to stop injury or death. One preventative measure is to wear safety gear, such as helmets, when operating OHVs. However, even a good helmet will not prevent injury if one is behaving unsafe, so the CFA also recommends to never drive under the influence. Taking a safety course also vastly improves OHV operating skill, which can reduce the risk of injury and death.