Since the beginning of May, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported three utility task vehicle crashes. All three happened in the first weekend of the month.

One crash killed a Westphalia man. Another crash seriously injured a 16-year-old girl from O'Fallon. The most recent incident occurred in Pettis County, resulting in a man and a woman being seriously injured. All three crash reports state that the vehicle was flipped or overturned, and the occupants were not wearing seatbelts.

According to the Consumer Federation of America , Missouri ranked first in the nation for the most UTV and ROV deaths in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Missouri ranked 12th in the nation for the most ATV deaths. The reports also found that, across the board, most incidents were single-vehicle rollover crashes on roads with people not wearing helmets. The most common age of death was under 15 years old.

The CFA also found that in 2022 and 2023, the month with the most crashes involving off-road vehicles was July; however, numbers started picking up in April.

For ATVs, Missouri State Highway Patrol helmets are required for drivers under 18 years old. Show-Me Farm Safety also recommends wearing proper safety gear like gloves, boots and thick layers.

ATVs also require a visible bicycle safety flag, a proper muffler to manage noise and a spark arrester to prevent fires.

A license or permit is required to drive an off-road vehicle on the highway.

When accessing off-road trails at a Missouri State Park , riders are required to buy a permit before driving on the dirt trails.