The dark side of nighttime all-terrain vehicle use

Driving at night is considered a risk factor for all-terrain vehicle (ATV) crashes and injuries but few studies have addressed this issue. Our objective was to compare daytime and nighttime ATV crashes to better understand the potential risk factors associated with riding at night. A retrospective study was conducted on Iowa ATV-related crashes and injuries from January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2019 using four statewide datasets: the Iowa Department of Transportation (2002-2019), the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (2002-2019), the Iowa State Trauma Registry (2002-2018) and Iowa newspaper clippings (2009-2019). A standardized coding system was developed, and matching records were identified using Link Plus®. Descriptive (frequencies) and bivariate (chi-square, Fisher's exact test) analyses were performed using VassarStats (Statistical Computation Website). Among crash victims where light conditions were documented (2125/3752, 57%), about one-quarter (485/2125, 23%) were injured at night. Nighttime crash victims were less likely youth (14% vs. 30%, p