Vehicle Safety News

While riding as a passenger in a Yamaha Rhino on a relatively flat terrain, Bossier City resident Ryan Rogers was injured when the ATV rolled toward the passenger side. Alleging the ATV was unreasonably dangerous, Ryan and Janison Rogers filed suit against Yamaha USA, Yamaha Manufacturing and Yamaha Motor on May 27 in the Marshall division of the Eastern District of Texas.

The suit alleges the ATV was "in a defective condition, unreasonably dangerous" and "not fit for its intended use and reasonably foreseeable purposes." Causes of actions filed against the defendants include strict liability, negligence, and breach of warranty. Although the lawsuit does not detail the Rhino's alleged defects, recent lawsuits against Yamaha's Rhino allege that the ATV's center of gravity is too high, it is too top heavy and the tires too small. Further, the lawsuits state that the Rhino has a high rollover risk even while riding on flat surfaces while at low speeds.