The severe injuries and consequences from ATV accidents have been detailed here in the past, and West Virginia has recently joined the growing list of states seriously addressing ATV safety concerns. Three ATV bills have been introduced in the West Virginia House of Delegates to bolster safety regulations and try to curb West Virginia ATV accidents.

According to a story in the Charleston Daily Mail, there were 54 West Virginia ATV deaths last year. The West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles says that nearly half of those fatalities involved ATV accidents on paved roads. Two of the three bills would ban ATV use on paved roads, require all riders to wear helmets, and ban any additional passengers unless allowed by the specific vehicle manufacturer.

• West Virginia delegate Corey Palumbo has introduced a bill which would essentially eliminate ATV use on open roads with the exception of riders on trails, who could drive an ATV vehicle on the berm of the road for up to one mile. Current West Virginia law allows ATV riders on trails to do so for ten miles. Palumbo said that the number of West Virginia ATV accidents and deaths on open, paved roads is an extremely important issue because their tires are not designed for pavement. Palumbo admitted that he does not think his bill will get passed but hoped that it would spark more discussion.

• Delegate Kenneth Tucker has introduced a similar ATV bill which would require state agencies to develop an incident form describing all known West Virginia ATV accidents. The West Virginia Division of Highway would then have to include these forms in its annual traffic accident analysis. This bill would exempt the restrictions on riders legally operating their vehicles in areas managed by the Hatfield McCoy Regional Recreation Authority, according to the story. Both Tucker’s and Palumbo’s bills would also take into account recommendations from ATV manufacturers and West Virginia State Police.

In addition to these ATV bills, delegate Sam Argento has introduced a bill that would require ATV owners and operators to get off-road driving permit cards and display this identification on the vehicle. According to Argento, only 150,000 of the near half-million ATV vehicles in West Virginia are registered! All three bills are pending in committees, according to the Charleston Daily Mail story.