The Challenge
With accident and injury trends for UTVs noticeably on the rise, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission launched an investigation into their design and safety.
Exponent's MULTIDISCIPLINARY Solution
The manufacturer of a popular two-seat off-road vehicle was facing legal, regulatory, and product testing challenges, and engaged Exponent to provide objective analysis on the safety of their UTV.
Exponent's Impact
Our experts determined through rigorous testing that when used correctly, an occupant protection system like that found in our client's UTV protects properly belted occupants during riding and would likely protect a properly restrained occupant in the event of a 90-degree tip-over.
Correct use of the seatbelt is a critical part of the UTV-occupant protection system performance. Exponent objectively ruled out engineering flaws and provided evidence on accurate causes for the overall increase in UTV injuries, including behaviors like aggressive driving behaviors, seat belt use avoidance, and failure to wear a helmet.