Missouri Department of Natural Resources: 29 ATV crashes in 2017 at off-road venues

Despite state-enforced regulations for off-road vehicles, such as ATVs, that mandate safety devices and riding procedures, accidents can still happen due to difficult terrain, proximity to obstacles and other factors, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The safety devices that ATV drivers are required to use are helmets and high-visibility flags. Drivers are also not allowed to have a passenger unless the ATV is designed to hold more than one person.

Not including the fatal ATV crash at Finger Lakes State Park on Saturday, there have been 29 ATV crashes so far in 2017, and 26 crashes in 2016 at the two parks that offer off-road venues.

St. Joe State Park in Park Hills is the other venue that offers ATV trails.

A few off-road drivers at Finger Lakes on Monday said the park staff strictly enforces the safety rules.

Taylor Kemp, an ATV driver, said crashing is a part of learning what you can and can’t handle. She also said crashing is how you learn to drive in certain situations, such as going up a steep hill or if the ATV is about to tip over.

“If it starts tipping, you just wanna get away from it, so that if it rolls down the hill or if it slips over it doesn’t come on top of you, ’cause I feel like that’s how a lot of accidents happen,” Kemp said.

The Finger Lakes State Park website warns drivers what kind of terrain they might experience on its trails. The website also warns drivers that they ride at their own risk.

ABC 17 News is working to find out more information about the fatal crash on Saturday.