She Reached Out During a Rollover... and Instantly Regretted It

Ever notice how roller coasters have that constant reminder to “keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times”? Turns out that’s solid advice for off-roading too, and these videos show exactly why.

When the going gets tough on the trail, our natural instinct kicks in hard - you know, that urge to stick your arm out to catch yourself during a rollover. It’s pure reflex, but in the off-road world, it’s a reflex that can cost you dearly.

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Rollover

Take this incident on Hell’s Revenge Trail in Moab. A woman tackling the infamous “Escalator” obstacle in a built buggy gets a harsh lesson when she chooses a line that’s too far on the passenger side. As the buggy starts to roll, she instinctively puts her arm out to catch herself. The result? Her arm gets pinned between the buggy and the slickrock.

It took bystanders lifting the rig and eventually a helicopter evacuation to get her proper medical attention.

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Rollover

Want to be horrified?

Hell’s Gate on the same trail claimed another near-miss when a UTV driver took the climb at too much of an angle. As the rig started tipping, the driver panicked, hit the gas, and stuck his arm out against the rock wall. The UTV’s roof nearly came down on his outstretched arm - a split second from disaster.

This might be the nearest of misses:

The cutout in the roof spares the driver from having his arm chopped off as the rig rolls over.

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Rollover

Another wheeling session on Hell’s Revenge shows a built Toyota with an exocage trying to escape one of the “hot tubs.” After some throttle modulation the rig flips backward onto its roof.

The passenger initially does the right thing, holding both hands together on her chest inside the rig, but as it rolls, she reaches out to grab a bar on the cage! Thankfully, she wasn’t injured, but it was a close call that could’ve ended much worse.

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Leg pops out

A combo of bad habits can multiply the danger. This driver in a 1st-gen Toyota with an exocage and tube doors skipped buckling up before attempting a ledge climb. When the rig went over, we actually see his legs fly out through the tube doors during the roll. By some miracle, the Toyota only rolled once before hitting a tree, and the driver walked away unscathed.

But the footage shows how quickly things can go sideways when you’re not strapped in. That tree also could have pinned his legs between it and the Yota! Not good.

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Rollover

Desert wheeling isn’t immune either. A UTV attempting multiple ledge climbs rolled when the driver smashes the skinny pedal. He initially starts to react by putting his arm outside the cage as he goes over. You can hear bystanders shouting to keep arms inside - advice that maybe they needed to shout a little sooner!

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Tire drops off Rollover

Even seemingly tame obstacles can turn dangerous. One UTV crossing a wooden bridge over a pond learned this when the rig’s modified suspension proved too wide for the crossing. When the driver’s side tires slipped off and caused a rollover, the driver’s hand actually touched the ground outside the vehicle. Again, bystanders yelled the familiar warning.

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Hospital

And it’s not just the experienced wheelers at risk. Some kids joyriding a UTV in an unfinished housing development ended their fun with a hospital visit and a broken arm in a cast.

The pattern is clear - when things go sideways (literally), our instinct to brace ourselves by sticking limbs outside the vehicle is nearly universal. But in the off-road world, that instinct can be deadly.

So next time you’re strapping into your rig, remember these simple rules:

• Always wear your seatbelt
• Keep grab handles inside the vehicle
• Train yourself to cross your arms and grab your harness during a rollover
• Remind your passengers of these rules before hitting the trail

The most experienced wheelers know that rollovers happen - it’s part of pushing the limits. But keeping all limbs inside your cage is what separates a good trail story from a life-changing injury.