Four Wheelers or All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) have many practical uses, such as riding around a large property or navigating woods while hunting. However, these vehicles are just as dangerous as cars and have a lot less regulations when it comes to their use in South Carolina. Let’s take a look at four-wheeler safety.
ATV Regulations
Anyone in South Carolina that is six years old or older can use an ATV as long as they are on private property and are supervised by an adult. Adults are not required to wear helmets while operating ATVS, though anyone under 16 years of age must wear a helmet when driving or when being a passenger on an ATV (South Carolina General Assembly).
If you are interested in hearing more about ATV legislation in South Carolina, please read our blog from April 13, 2020:
ATV Injuries and Deaths
Within the past two years, there have been several deaths in South Carolina that occurred due to the driver losing control of their ATV and crashing. While some of these deaths have occurred on private property, there have also been deaths at licensed ATV parks. Most recently, Jorge Bienavides from Charlotte, North Carolina died over the weekend of July 15th while using an ATV at Carolina Adventure World in Winnsboro, South Carolina. He had lost control of his ATV causing it to flip over and land on him; he died at the scene from the injuries caused by the accident (Charlotte Man Killed in Crash).
This is not the first death that has occurred at Carolina Adventure World. In February, two men, Robert Bell IV and John Breeden III, died when Bell lost control of their ATV, crashed through a gate and fell down a 30-foot embankment. According to the release, “the ATV rolled over numerous times, ejecting both Bell and Breeden, who died at the scene” (Two SC Men Killed in Crash).
In 2020, another young man was killed after his ATV flipped at the same ATV park. He was 23 years old. Finally, at another ATV park, the Broken Nut Off Road Park, a 30-year-old man named Carey Van Goodnough was pronounced dead on arrival after an accident. His ATV went into a pond, and he never came out (One Dead in Kershaw Co.).
ATV Riding on Private Property
In addition to those deaths at ATV parks, there have been other deaths where the drivers owned their own ATVs and had experience riding them. In July 2021, Lee Renwick of Lake Wateree died when he lost control of his ATV while driving down a road, crossed the centerline, and flipped. The accident occurred around 2:30 a.m., and he died at the scene. According to the officers who responded to the crash, he was not wearing a helmet, though with current ATV legislation, he was not required to (Man Killed in ATV Crash).
In June of this year, another man was charged with driving under the influence resulting in death in Colleton County, SC. Lee Rollin McClary was driving an ATV with a passenger at around 2:15 p.m. on private property when the ATV overturned and killed his passenger (Man Charged in Deadly ATV Accident).
ATV Safety
While these deaths were all accidents, they may have been prevented by updated regulations when it comes to the operation of ATVs. There has not been an update to ATV regulations in South Carolina since 2011, and preventable deaths continue to happen. If you choose to ride an ATV, please be aware of the risks and wear a helmet. Be safe out there!
For more information on four-wheeler safety, watch this video by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:
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