Yamaha Rhino: Little Pre-market Testing Done

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Yamaha Rhino Little Pre Market Testing Defective Products

Yamaha, the manufacturer of the Rhino, an all terrain vehicle (ATV) that was marketed for rugged terrain, ranch and flatland use, did little pre-market safety testing before it began selling the ATV to consumers. This lack of safety testing has caused drivers and passengers of the Rhino to suffer serious injuries and death.

The importance of pre-market testing

Product manufacturers are required to test their products to ensure that they are safe for consumer use – before they begin selling them. That holds true for a five dollar toaster or a multi-million dollar yacht. While the type of testing differs depending on the product itself, the fact remains that the testing must be adequate to keep consumers safe. In other words, the product’s designer should make sure that any foreseeable hazards are addressed beforehand.

Since the Rhino isn’t considered an automobile, Yamaha wasn’t required to test the vehicle against the various federal standards that apply. However, that doesn’t mean that the product didn’t need to be tested at all – something legal experts say that Yamaha has actually admitted. It should have conducted what is called “dynamic” testing, which is the kind of testing done to see what happens in real life such as going too fast, making sharp turns, having too many people in the vehicle, etc.

The Rhino has a very narrow wheel base, a high center of gravity and didn’t come with safety features to keep occupants inside the vehicle. What happened was that owners found that the vehicle rolled over easily – even when they were driving it at low speeds and safe driving conditions. Without safety features to keep occupants inside the vehicle, serious injuries and deaths began occurring.

Experts say that these will continue until Yamaha addresses the problem and recalls the vehicle – which it did, but only for 2008 models because of problems with a brake caliper that causes brake fluid to leak. If you’ve had an accident while being an occupant in the Rhino, click here to contact a Yamaha Rhino attorney at AttorneyPages.com.