A Florida man broke his ankle when test-driving the Yamaha Rhino off-road vehicle -- described in a CBS News report as "a muscle car for the back country." However that man's injuries were not the worst suffered by Rhino drivers and riders since the vehicle hit the market in 2003.
Manufacturer Yamaha faces multiples lawsuits in several states for personal injury and death resulting from accidents in the Rhino vehicle. A CBS News investigation last year linked the Rhino -- which looks like a cross between a dune buggy and a golf car on steroids -- to 59 deaths and hundreds of injuries and lawsuits. CBS reports the 1,100 pound Yamaha Rhino is prone to tipping and offers little protection for occupants in a side-rollover accident. The Rhino -- which is a side-by-side recreational off-highway vehicle (ROV) -- has a steering wheel, where an ATV or all-terrain vehicle has handlebars.
Fort Lauderdale accident injury lawyers are familiar with safety laws and regulations related to ROV and ATV manufacturer liability.
CBS reported that people injured and killed in Rhino vehicle accidents were not necessarily traveling at high speeds or on extreme terrain. Injuries cited in their investigation included broken bones, crushed legs and arms, and head injuries suffered in Yamaha Rhino vehicle accidents "often on level ground at relatively low speeds."
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has chronicled complaints against Yamaha and the Rhino. The CPSC issued a safety advisory for consumers in 2009 (see link below), urging consumers to bring their Rhino vehicles to Yamaha for safety modifications and a free helmet.
Yamaha Rhino Victims (video)
CBSNews.com Aug. 4, 2009
Off-Roading With Safety: CPSC Reminder To Yamaha Rhino Riders To Stay Safe This Summer
CPSC News Release Aug. 5, 2009
Yamaha faces hundreds of lawsuits over off-road Rhino injuries, deaths
OregonLive.com Sept. 27, 2010
Yamaha Rumbles Into Rough Terrain, Battling Lawsuits Over Its Rhino Off-Road Vehicle
FairWarning.org Sept. 17, 2010
Related Web Resource
Recreational Off-Road Vehicle Association
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