Summer in the Upper Peninsula can mean breaking out the UTVs or ATVs for some off-road adventures in the north woods.

The region is rich with ORV trails in counties on both sides of the Michigan-Wisconsin border. It offers hours of recreational riding through some of the best scenery to be found in the Midwest, perhaps in much of the U.S.

Yet as the numbers of trail users rise with the season, so do the numbers of serious injuries, according to Wausau, Wis.-based Aspirus Health, which has several facilities in the Upper Peninsula.

Already this month, an 18-year-old from downstate Wisconsin died June 7 after the UTV he was operating rolled on a dirt trail on private property in the Town of Niagara.

Across the upper Midwest, hospitals see hundreds of ATV- and UTV-related trauma cases each year, Aspirus states in a news release. It’s prompted health and public safety officials to urge that riders take safety seriously, with young riders being the most vulnerable.

Children and teens are hospitalized 30% more often than adults after ATV and UTV crashes, the American Academy of Pediatrics reports. Many of these involve rollovers falls or collisions.

“Most accidents with ATVs and UTVs occur on roads, whether paved or gravel roads,” said Dr. Danny Yarger, an emergency medicine physician with Aspirus Health. “These vehicles aren’t designed to go on roads; they are designed to be on trails. They are always more dangerous when used on a road.”

One common factor in serious ATV/UTV injuries is low-speed rollovers, according to Aspirus. These are often caused by carrying passengers or driving on uneven terrain. These crashes can be deadly, even at slower speeds, officials warn.

“Eighty percent of rollover injuries occur at 10 miles per hour or less,” Yarger noted. “The weight of the machine landing on you during a rollover is certainly something that is going to cause a severe injury.”

But speed can be dangerous as well. “If an ATV is going 30 mph and you’re thrown from the ATV and hit another object, the force that is generated is equal to falling out of a three-story building,” Aspirus states in the news release.

In addition to speed and terrain, equipment matters, Aspirus advised. Helmets, seat belts, and other protective gear reduce injury risk.

State laws across Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan have varying safety measures but most recommend or mandate training for kids and teens and discourage passengers on single-rider vehicles.

Riders age 12 to 16 in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota are required to complete a certified ATV safety course before operating alone.

Training courses are widely available online and in person throughout the region. Families are encouraged to check local regulations and ensure vehicles are age appropriate before hitting the trails.

For more information about safety requirements and training options in your area, go to these state DNR website:

— Michigan ORV Safety Education, https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/things-to-do/orv-riding/safety-certificate.

— Wisconsin DNR ATV/UTV Safety Education, https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/Education/OutdoorSkills/safetyEducation.