Off-road vehicle accidents: a new spectrum of trauma.

A survey of off-road vehicle accident injuries indicates a significant incidence of trauma: means of 931 serious injuries and 15 fatalities/year were reported for a three-county region of Southern California. A representative 78-bed community hospital in the desert region saw 542 patients with injuries related to off-road vehicle accidents over 3 years. Characteristic injuries often could be related to the type of accident and vehicle involved. A survey of off-road vehicle enthusiasts showed that 21% had had an accident resulting in injury. Driver immaturity, poor judgment and alcohol were identified as causative factors. Future planning must include attention to the sports enthusiast and medical services planning as well as an appreciation of the characteristic injuries resulting from this sport.