A Singaporean woman, 25, was seriously injured while riding an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) at ATV Park Johor, located in Johor Bahru, Malaysia on Mar. 23.

Riding ATVs, otherwise known as quads, is a popular outdoor recreational motorsport.

The vehicles are designed primarily to handle off-road terrains.

A reader, who is a friend of the injured woman, informed Mothership about the mishap.

What happened

According to the reader, her friend (whom we will refer to as Z) had gone on the ride operated by ATV Park Johor with two other friends.

The venue is described on the operator's Facebook page as "Johor's largest ATV riding park".

Staff from ATV Park Johor told Mothership that there were two guides who set off with the trio.

One was stationed in front while a second was stationed at the back of the ATV convoy.

Aside from ensuring safety, the guides made sure that the convoy moved at a suitable speed.

Travelling on the route, the convoy arrived at a narrow path that was flanked on both sides by pits a few metres deep.

The riders were guided through this section of the route, which led to a bend.

According to the tip-off, one of the guides told Z to accelerate to get around the bend.

Due to the Z's inexperience with ATVs, however, she apparently lost control of the vehicle and crashed into one of the pits.

The woman momentarily lost consciousness.

Z sustained a head injury that resulted in profuse bleeding.

In the aftermath of the incident, her face was bruised and swollen, with numerous scratches.

Z was evacuated to the nearby Sultan Ismail Hospital, before she was transferred to a hospital in Singapore for treatment 10 hours after the accident occurred.

Subsequent scans revealed a minor skull fracture, intracranial bleeding, and a hairline facial crack.

Her shin also suffered two deep puncture wounds, which required surgical intervention.

Not told beforehand route was different, risker

According to the tip-off, the group of three were told after the incident that the guides took them through an alternate route instead of the usual one due to public holiday arrangements.

Mar. 23 is the Sultan of Johor's birthday, and is celebrated as a state-wide public holiday.

The reader also claimed in her tip-off that this alternate route was "riskier", another fact that was allegedly communicated to the victim after the incident had occurred.

Absent safety protocols, poor incident management

The reader claimed that there was a "glaring absence of fundamental safety measures" at ATV Park Johor:

• There were no safety briefings or test drives prior to the ride.
• The helmets were ill-fitting, and that there were few safety equipment provisions.
• Her friend was carried in a "styrofoam box" to a rest area after the accident to await the ambulance.

The reader also flagged the tour operator's handling of the incident itself, claiming that:

• One of the operators "brazenly disclaimed responsibility", saying that he didn't see what happened and was therefore "not liable"
• The operators did not assist the trio after dropping them off at the hospital
• There had been no subsequent communication or follow-up action from the operators regarding the incident.

ATV Park Johor responds

In response to Mothership's queries, ATV Park Johor refuted some of the woman's claims.

A representative for the operators said there was no switch in route, and that the group had in fact booked the "B" ride on the "Ekoflora" trail.

As advertised on ATV Park Johor's Facebook page, the "B" ride is described as "intermediate" in difficulty, and features an "estate trail", "swamp trail", "river trail" and "water cross".

The representative also said ATV Park Johor conducts a safety briefing before rides, and that they provide helmets and rubber boots.

Woman propelled herself into pit: Park operator

Here's what happened at the site of the incident, according to the representative.

The riders had to pass through a gate called the "Ladang gate" one-by-one, and were guided as they did so.

Apparently, Z had already passed through the gate safely so the guide moved on to the next rider.

Then, Z allegedly "full press the gas throttle" and propelled herself into the pit.

Message sent to riders

ATV Park Johor said that riders are aware of the risks because they are told beforehand via a WhatsApp message that is apparently sent to all riders who make a booking.

The disseminated message, which was seen by Mothership include pointers like:

2. Rides is at OWN RISK.

[...]

5. ACCIDENTS can be avoided by maintaining moderate speed and applying brakes properly. Riders are liable if they caused damage to the vehicle when they caused an accident from overspeeding or failed stunts. No claim if there is no damage.

[...]

7. Safety briefing is compulsory before commencing ride.

The representative also produced a copy of the waiver and release of liability forms signed by the riders involved.

The signed forms state that the riders "understand that the activity involved" in the programme "carries a significant risk of injury", and that by signing the form, they "knowingly and freely assume all such risks".

Riders monitored for up to 10 minutes

Lastly, the representative said the operator monitors the riders during the first five to 10 minutes to gauge their comfort level with the ATV.

They make use of a flat open road and a downward slope at the start of the trail to assess if riders can ride straight, in a zig-zag fashion, and apply the brakes.

If riders display difficulty with the vehicles, they are advised to ride pillion instead.

It was here where the guides observed that Z "showed that she was able to manage the quad".

The representative emphasised that the trail is "not risky", noting that all recreational motorsports carry a certain amount of risk anyways.

He also said if the trail was really "dangerous and risky", the operators would have to "close shop already".

"Cautionary tale"

Z's friend said she understood that any legal action would be "challenging" because of the indemnity form.

She noted that the incident was "traumatic" for her and her friends, and hopes that it serves as a cautionary tale for Singaporeans contemplating similar activities overseas.

"It is my hope that sharing this story will raise awareness among those who are contemplating ATV adventures, or any other potentially hazardous activities, particularly when abroad."

Top photo from reader.