All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)

ATVs and utility or recreational off-highway vehicles should be evaluated according to the configuration of the particular vehicle involved. ATVs are characterized by a straddle seat and handlebars, while many side-by-side vehicles use a steering wheel, bench or bucket seating, and different occupant-restraint arrangements. An expert may examine handling, stability, controls, mechanical condition, warnings, maintenance, and intended use within the scope of the expert's qualifications, without assuming that all off-highway vehicles perform or operate the same way.

Slope, surface conditions, obstacles, traction, and changes in elevation can affect how an ATV handles. An expert can consider those conditions alongside tire characteristics, vehicle configuration, loading, and available physical evidence to determine how the terrain relates to the technical questions in the case.

Depending on the expert's qualifications, an ATV expert can focus on the vehicle's design characteristics, condition, controls, stability, and performance. Accident reconstruction generally addresses the motion and sequence of an incident, including speeds, paths of travel, impacts, and other physical dynamics. Some cases may require both areas of expertise, and some experts may be qualified in both.