Vehicles recalled after 46 deaths

Half-doors will be added to the vehicles to make them safer

Yamaha Motor US is recalling about 120,000 off-road vehicles to be repaired after two models were involved in 46 deaths.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) advised owners of the 450 and 660 Rhino vehicles not to use them until the repairs had been made.

It said it had investigated more than 50 accidents, which were mainly due to the vehicles rolling over.

Yamaha has also suspended sales of the two models.

"Of the rollover-related deaths and hundreds of reported injuries, some of which were serious, many appear to involve turns at relatively low speeds and on level terrain," the safety agency said.

The reported deaths occurred between late 2003, when the vehicles were first distributed, and this year.

The free repair offered by Yamaha includes installing a spacer on the rear wheels and removing a rear anti-sway bar to help reduce the chance of rollover and improve vehicle handling.

Half-doors and extra passenger handholds to keep riders' arms and legs inside the vehicle during a rollover will also be installed.