All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) offer adventure and utility, but they also come with significant risks. The headlines tell the story—recently, a 13-year-old girl was killed in an ATV rollover accident in North Frontenac. It’s a tragic reminder of how dangerous these vehicles can be. ATV accidents happen fast. A rider loses control, collides with a stationary object, or hits an unexpected dip in the terrain—suddenly, they’re facing serious injuries. Some never fully recover. Others require lifelong care. Legally, these cases can be complex. Unlike car accidents, where liability and insurance rules are relatively straightforward, injury claims stemming from ATV collisions or crashes [...]

According to Ontario’s Road Safety Annual Report from 2021, dozens of people are killed, and hundreds more injured, in off-road vehicle collisions every year. Rising off-road vehicle ownership suggests that the number of accidents and fatalities will only increase in the future. In 2017, there were 485,596 off-road vehicles registered in Ontario, which increased steadily every year to reach 592,789 in 2021.  The uncertainty that follows all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents where someone was injured or killed naturally brings about a number of questions: Is an ATV accident considered a motor vehicle accident? Can I claim accident benefits if I was injured [...]

ATV drivers getting into accidents on private property is not a new issue in Ontario. Take, for example, the famous case of Taylor Yach, who was nearly killed a decade ago in an ATV accident on private property when she was only 16 years old. Driving along an unmarked trail, she was clotheslined when she ran into an unmarked, hard-to-see steel cable, which was described by the president of the local ATV club as a “loaded gun.” Yach was lucky to survive this incident.  Stories like Taylor’s highlight a critical issue: ATV accidents on private property often come with unique legal [...]