Safety Information for Owners of Yamaha Rhino Models 450, 660, and 700

By Marat Gaziev

Published on October 05, 2009

In an ongoing effort to prevent ATV-related deaths, which have already claimed thousands of lives in the United States alone, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Yamaha Motor Corporation have a repair program and safe riding practices in place for owners of Yamaha's Rhino 450, 660, and 700 models.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has received reports of 60 deaths involving the Yamaha Rhino 450, 660, and 700 models. Many of the accidents involved rollovers that occurred when riders were operating the vehicles on relatively flat terrain at low speeds.

As many as 145,000 Rhino ATV's are affected and need repairs before they are safe for use. All vehicles must be retrofitted with the necessary design modifications, including the addition of safety doors, rear-wheel spacer, and passenger handholds, as well as the removal of an anti-sway bar.

As a result of the serious injuries and deaths associated with Yamaha Rhino rollover accidents, dozens of plaintiffs have filed defective product lawsuits against Yamaha claiming that design flaws such as the high center of gravity and narrow wheelbase made the vehicles prone to rollover.

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