Two juveniles were seriously injured Tuesday afternoon when their dirt bikes collided head-on on private property off Slate Ledge Road in Littleton, New Hampshire, and neither was wearing a helmet, according to state officials. Fish and Game officers were notified shortly after 4 p.m., and the crash triggered a multi-agency emergency response that included a medical helicopter and two separate hospitals.
New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation Officer Nicholas Masucci confirmed the timing and location of the collision in an official statement, according to the NH Fish and Game Department. Littleton Fire Rescue initially reported that both riders were found unresponsive at the scene, but as NBC Boston reported, crews arriving on scene instead found two youths with serious injuries and began advanced life support care. Subsequent reporting from NH Fish and Game, relayed by Boston 25 News, clarified that the injuries, while serious, were non-life-threatening.
Ambulances and fire vehicles converged on the scene, and off-duty firefighters were called in to help, per the NBC Boston account. New Hampshire Fish and Game law enforcement was also requested at the property.
Dual Trauma Alerts and a Helicopter Flight to Lebanon
The deputy fire chief on scene requested two red trauma alerts at Littleton Regional Healthcare along with an air medical response from the Dartmouth Hitchcock Advanced Response Team, according to NBC Boston's reporting. Both victims first received stabilizing treatment at Littleton Regional Healthcare, the report noted, before being moved to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon for further care.
Boston 25 News reported that one juvenile was flown by DHART helicopter directly to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, while the second was taken by ground ambulance to Littleton Regional Healthcare. Littleton Regional Healthcare is the region's only Level III Adult Trauma Center, according to the hospital. Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, meanwhile, is New Hampshire's only ACS-verified Level I Trauma Center, and its DHART helicopters complete more than 1,500 emergency transport missions across northern New England each year, per Dartmouth Health.
Helmet Law Violated, Cause Still Unclear
Neither juvenile was wearing a protective helmet at the time of the collision, Boston 25 News reported, citing details from NH Fish and Game. Under New Hampshire law, anyone under 18 operating or riding an Off-Highway Recreational Vehicle must wear a helmet meeting federal Department of Transportation standards, according to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. State regulations also require OHRV operators age 12 and older to hold either a valid driver's license or an approved OHRV Safety Education Certificate to legally operate off their own property, per the New Hampshire Off Highway Vehicle Alliance.
By Wednesday, there was no update on the victims' conditions, NBC Boston reported. Littleton Fire Chief Chad Miller said his thoughts were with both patients and their families as they began recovery, and he thanked everyone who assisted with their care, according to the outlet. The cause of the crash remains unclear, and because it occurred on private property, questions remain about property ownership, operator permission, and whether conservation officers will pursue any citations or administrative action as the investigation continues.
Part of a Broader Pattern Across the State
The Littleton crash was not an isolated incident this month. State conservation officers also responded to OHRV-related injury crashes in Success, Atkinson, and Errol during mid-October, according to NH Fish and Game. Nationally, a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission report released in April 2026 addressed off-road-vehicle injuries.
Hoodline has previously covered a mini bike crash in Derry that raised similar concerns about youth helmet compliance and OHRV age restrictions in the state.
