Two-wheeled, Powered, Off-road Vehicles
Twenty years of CPSC NEISS emergency-room records for this consumer product category, combined with demographic breakdowns, multi-year injury trends, and matching recall notices.
Swimming, Water & Beach Equipment · CPSC Code 5036
Up 23% over 5 years
The verdict
Two-wheeled, Powered, Off-road Vehicles carry a danger score of 48/100 (moderate risk), driven by roughly 62,589 ER-treated injuries a year that are rising by about 23% over the last five years.
- 48/100
- danger score (moderate risk)
- 62,589
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 11.2%
- end in hospital admission
- 15-24
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 5036 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 48/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for two-wheeled, powered, off-road vehicles - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume62,589 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)11.2%
- Fatality rate0.04%
- 5-year trend+23%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Two-wheeled, Powered, Off-road Vehicles (CPSC product code 5036, in the Swimming, Water & Beach Equipment category) generate an estimated 62,589 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 1.3M ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 48/100 for this category (moderate risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are rising by about 23% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2006 (80,309 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2019 (49,708 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for two-wheeled, powered, off-road vehicles is fracture to the shoulder, accounting for approximately 74,979 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by internal injury to the head (63,408 cases). The 15-24 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 477,882 cases over the NEISS window, and males appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 11.2% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer, and a small fraction (0.04%) result in fatality.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 33 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how two-wheeled, powered, off-road vehicles fail in real households. Every figure on this page comes from CPSC-published data: NEISS projects national estimates from a probability sample of about 100 U.S. hospital emergency departments, while SaferProducts.gov collects voluntary reports from consumers, manufacturers, and clinicians. The danger score, trend indicators, and demographic breakdowns update automatically when CPSC releases a new yearly NEISS file, which is why this page is dated 2024-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2024)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 7,662 | 2,107 | |
| 5-14 | 245,987 | 29,388 | |
| 15-24 | 436,540 | 41,342 | |
| 25-34 | 231,217 | 25,800 | |
| 35-44 | 120,295 | 14,851 | |
| 45-54 | 60,820 | 6,109 | |
| 55-64 | 20,199 | 2,693 | |
| 65-74 | 4,678 | 899 | |
| 75+ | 884 | 0 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulder | Fracture | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Lower Leg | Fracture | |
| Wrist | Fracture | |
| Ankle | Strain, Sprain | |
| Head | Concussion | |
| Upper Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Knee | Strain, Sprain | |
| Shoulder | Strain, Sprain | |
| Knee | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Lower Leg | Laceration | |
| Lower Arm | Fracture | |
| Upper Trunk | Fracture | |
| Ankle | Fracture | |
| Lower Trunk | Contusions, Abr. |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
21YOM PRESENTS WITH LEFT FOOT PAIN AND LEFT GREAT TOE PAIN AFTER FALLING OFF OF A DIRT BIKE, HAS LEFT GREAT TOE HAS BRUISING DX: CLOSED FRACTURE OF LEFT TOE AND PAIN IN LEFT FOOT
14YOM INVOLVED IN DIRT BIKE WRECK, RIDING HIS NEW DIRT BIKE. TRIED TO DO A TRICK, HAD A WRECK, HURT HIS NECK.DX: ACUTE CERVICAL STRAIN.
32YOM WAS DRIVER OF DIRT BIKE WHEN HE SKIDDED WHILE COMING TO A STOP FLIPPED OFF LANDING ON PAVEMENT DX:CLOSED HEAD INJURY, HEMATOMA FOREHEAD
14YOM WAS RIDING MOTOCROSS WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OF THE DIRT BIKE ON A JUMP AND FLIPPED OVER THE HANDLEBARS DX: FRACTURED RIGHT CLAVICLE, FRACTURED RIGHT RADIUS
26YOM, RIDING DIRT BIKE, HIT LOOSE GRAVEL THROWING HIM OFF, HIT GROUND GRAVEL W/ +LOC, HEADACHE, WEARING BUCKET HELMET DX: HEAD INJURY
35YOM WAS RIDING A DIRT BIKE AND FLIPPED OFF DX:FRACTURED LOWER BACK
21YOM PATIENT WAS IN AN UNHELMETED DIRT BIKE CRASH, HE FELL OFF AND HIT HIS HEAD ON THE GROUND. DX: PULMONARY CONTUSION, FACIAL PAIN, MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT, ABDOMINAL PAIN, WEAKNESS
11YOM WAS DOING MOTOCROSS ON A DIRT BIKE WHEN HE HIT A JUMP AND COMING OFF A JUMP FELT A POP IN HIS LEFT ANKLE DX: STRAINED ANKLE
17YOM WAS RIDER OF A DIRT BIKE WHEN HE WAS HIT BY A CAR DX: DENTAL INJURY, FACIAL LACERATION, CONTUSION CHEST
19YOM WAS RIDER OF A DIRT BIKE AND THROWN OFF DX: RIGHT HAND PAIN CLOSED HEAD INJURY
17YOM WAS RIDING A DIRT BIKE WHEN HE FLIPPED OFF AND STRUCK LEFT FOOT DX: LEFT FOOT PAIN
14YOM, HELMETED DIRTBIKE DRIVER, SKIDDED AND FELL OFF ONTO ELBOW, FELT A POP, DX: CLOSED NONDISPALCED FRACTURE OF LATERAL EPICONDYLE OF RIGHT HUMERUS
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
We had a Razor MX350 electric kids dirt bike catch on fire while charging. Catch it in time before it caught the porch on fire..
(7/24/2012) The consumer stated that he purchased a dirt bike for his son. When he got the bike home, his son test drove it. The bike was driven around his block 1 time. After getting off the bike they noticed that there was a fuel leak. The consumer did not want to leave it in his garage overnight (fear of fire), so he placed it outside on his back porch. (7/25/2012) The next morning, the consumer took the bike for another ride, once around the block again and saw that the fuel was still leaking. (7/26/2012) The consumer took the bike back to the retailer. He spoke with [REDACTED] in regards to returning the bike. He was informed by the manager that they do not accept returns on that type of purchase. The consumer was advised to contact the manufacturer. (7/30/2012) The manufacturer was contacted and a report was filed (report number unavailable). The mfr's rep. advised the consumer that they were aware of the fuel leak issue and they would also contact the store on his behalf and call him back. The consumer has not yet received a response.
I am writing to inform you of a serious incident involving the Honda CFR110 VIN # [REDACTED] that I purchased on February 10, 2023 On August 20,2023, my 11-year-old son was involved in a severe accident while riding the bike. The handlebar grip slipped off, causing him to lose control and fall. As a result of this accident, my son sustained multiple injuries, including: Three broken fingers on his right hand A broken right arm and elbow Bruises all over his body A concussion, which required specialist care A broken left collarbone Due to these injuries, my son missed three months of school and had to attend numerous doctor and follow-up appointments. He also had to wear a cast on his right side from his fingers to past his elbow for two months. Given the severity of his injuries and the emotional distress caused by this incident, I intend to file a lawsuit against your company for the physical and emotional damages my son has suffered. I urge you to take immediate action to address this issue and prevent further harm to other users. Please contact me at your earliest convenience to discuss this matter further. Sincerely, [REDACTED] Feel free to adjust the details as needed. If you need any further assistance or have any questions, please let me know.
Electric bike motor kit purchased new June 1, 2018. Items Ordered Price 1 of: Electric Bike Kit - Clean Republic 350 Watt 36 Volt Hill Topper Horizon, Lithium Battery Included (20" Wheel + 15-40 Mile Range Battery) Sold by: [REDACTED] (seller profile) Condition: New Hub motor successfully mounted/installed in July 2018 on my gary fisher zebrano hybrid (700c). Ran it twice on 20 mile treks. Battery recharged after each trek. Tuesday, July 24th, 2018 - on a short ride, going uphill, the battery beeped and I lost all throttle power (with the battery reading that it's fully charged to near-fully charged). Checked all threaded connections - all were good, but when simply wiggling the connection closest to the battery (metal threaded connection), the motor "kicked" into gear without any throttle input.
Early to mid-March 2020: The consumer went off a jump on the bike and the engine locked up, which caused him to crash. The consumer blew out his knee, but did not go to the doctor. His knee has since healed. The consumer was searching the Internet for an engine to replace his. He came across CPSC Recall# 15-713. The consumer took the [REDACTED], (Authorized mfrs dealer), along with a copy of the recall notice. 10th VIN# F matches Recall. One of the service technicians looked up the recall in their system and indicated that the bike was not included in the recall. He also said that the updated balancers had certain markings to indicate that they should not present the problem in the recall notice or that they had been repaired. However, the consumers bike did not have that indication. The consumer also said that he was never notified about the recall. The rep. said that also the consumers VIN matched the recall, but some other numbers from his bike did not match. The dealer's rep. said the bike was not included in CPSC Recall# 15-713. 10th VIN# F matches Recall. (date unknown) The consumer also contacted the dealer that he purchased it from, but he did not remember the conversation in terms of what transpired. The consumer called the phone number listed in the recall notice: 800-962-7926, but the rep. said that one of the numbers associated with his bike, cause it not to be included in the recall. Nothing else transpired The consumer said that it would cost $2500 - $4000 to get a replacement motor. The bike doesnt have an odometer or hours of use, but he indicated that he has only replaced the back tire once, since he has owned it, which indicates very little use. He believes that the recall may need to be expanded to include more bikes with similar problems.
I brought my son a Razor dirt bike and he was riding the bike and fell and busted his knee and the gear on the bike was going faster then it was suppose to go
On 2 August 2016 I purchased an EVS Sports T5 Vector Motocross Helmet size large from Rocky Mountain ATV/MC.com. I received the helmet on 5 August 2016 and tried the helmet on. Right away I felt something was not right about the helmet there was something pushing on my neck at the spot where my spine and my skull connect. I took the helmet off to investigate and found there was a pad made out of two ½ inch stiff foam pads attached to the Styrofoam inside of the helmet under the lining. These pads started at the base of the helmet and were about 2 inches high. They were attached at the jaw and went around the back of the helmet and ended at the same spot on the other side. This caused an area about 1 inch deep above the pad where there was noting causing a pivot point right where my neck attaches to my spine which in case or a impact to the head could cause the spine to snap at that point. I put the helmet back on and tightened the chin strap down as if I were to go racing with the helmet on. I took the front of the helmet at the chin vent and pushed upward with my hand. Sure enough my head pivoted upward and back while the pad caused my neck to move forward suddenly a sharp pain shot down my neck and back and I let go of the helmet and it stopped. If I had hit something with my head and the head had been driven backwards such as a branch hanging across a trail it could have had enough impact force to go beyond the pain point to the point of snapping my neck resulting in death or serious injury! At this point I tried to call EVS Sports and was unable to get a hold of any one so I emailed them about this issue and I contacted rocky Mountain ATV/MC by phone. Rocky Mountain had one of their techs go and get one the helmets and he found the same issue with the pad that it hit him in the back of the neck. That had me return the helmet and exchange it for a different manufacture. I am sorry to say EVS Sports has refused to answer my replay as of now and Rocky Mou
This decedent was involved in a dirt bike crash during a professional race. He was helmeted (unknown brand/make of helmet)
Showing 8 of 33 reports.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to two-wheeled, powered, off-road vehicles on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are two-wheeled, powered, off-road vehicles?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, two-wheeled, powered, off-road vehicles have a danger score of 48/100 (moderate risk). An estimated 62,589 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from two-wheeled, powered, off-road vehicles?
The most common injury is fracture to the shoulder, accounting for approximately 74,979 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from two-wheeled, powered, off-road vehicles increasing or decreasing?
Up 23% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for two-wheeled, powered, off-road vehicles injuries?
The 15-24 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 477,882 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by two-wheeled, powered, off-road vehicles?
Of all ER visits involving two-wheeled, powered, off-road vehicles, approximately 11.2% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (88.8%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with two-wheeled, powered, off-road vehicles?
You can file a consumer incident report at SaferProducts.gov, the official CPSC reporting portal. Reports help the CPSC identify emerging hazards and trigger investigations or recalls. You can also call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
Related Products in Swimming, Water & Beach Equipment
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 48/100 score as relative risk between products, not your personal odds of injury.
- See where this category ranks against every other tracked product. Full rankings
- Injuries cluster in the 15-24 age group, take extra care if that describes your household.
- Check for active recalls on this product before you assume it is safe. CPSC recalls
NEISS estimates ER-treated injuries from a national probability sample of hospitals; they do not capture injuries treated elsewhere or not treated at all.
Data: CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments. This page is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the CPSC.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, scored, and verified.