Deadly Rhino: Yamaha Facing Over 200 Lawsuits Over Safety of Off-Road Vehicle

The Yamaha Rhino is the target of perhaps the largest array of lawsuits against a vehicle in decades. Over 200 lawsuits have been filed in a trend reminiscent of the lawsuits that led to the removal of the Suzuki Samurai in the 1980s. There have been a reported some 30 deaths involving the Rhino, including those of two young girls last month.

Lawyers have been tracking the accidents on Rhino accident websites.

The dangers of the Rhino may be related to its open design, a two-seat vehicle resembling a golf cart on steroids.
The company insists that the deaths and injuries were due to improper operations and alterations like the removal of the protective roll cage or failure to wear a helmet. It could raise some interesting questions of foreseeable misuse — which is a valid basis for showing a design defect.

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