CPSC Launches Major Campaign
To Drive Down Deaths and Serious Injuries
Associated With All-Terrain Vehicle
WASHINGTON,
D.C (9/29/06) – From the rugged trails
of West Virginia to the sand dunes in southern California,
the sound of all-terrain vehicles in action can be heard
across the country. However, in many communities, it
is news accounts of tragic incidents being heard. To
reduce the number of deaths and injuries, the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission is leading a major campaign
to educate riders young and old on the safe use of ATVs.
At a news conference today, CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord stated, "ATVs are
not toys, especially adult ATVs, which can travel at 60 miles per hour and weigh
up to 800 pounds. Children should only ride youth model ATVs - there have been
too many children killed while driving or riding as a passenger on adult ATVs."
Joining Acting Chairman Nord were National 4-H Council CEO and President
Donald Floyd, and NASCAR Racing Legend Richard Petty.
The number of four-wheel ATVs in use in the United States has increased from
just over 2 million to more than 6.9 million over the past decade. From 1982
through 2004, there were nearly 6,500 deaths involving ATVs. In 2004 alone, an
estimated 136,000 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for ATV
related injuries - many life-altering. In 2003, an estimated 740 people died
nationwide in ATV incidents. About 30 percent of all deaths and injuries involve
children younger than 16.
CPSC's campaign includes: new television and radio public service
announcements; the creation of
www.ATVSafety.gov, a new
Web site for riders, parents, trainers, local and state officials, and the
media; use of CPSC's Neighborhood Safety Network; and partnering with
organizations and officials dedicated to promoting ATV safety.
CPSC is encouraging all riders to "take knowledge to the extreme" by
participating in a training course and following our core rules for safe riding:
1) never allow a child to operate or ride on an adult size ATV,
2) always wear a helmet and protective gear,
3) never ride tandem on a one-person ATV,
4) never ride on paved roads, and
5) never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
While CPSC believes that there would be a decline in deaths and injuries if
riders followed these safe riding practices, the agency has also proposed new
rules to make riding safer. These include:
- Banning 3-wheeled ATVs, which present three times the risk of injury
compared to 4-wheel ATVs and have re-emerged through the import market,
Internet and secondhand dealers;
- Making the current voluntary standard mandatory, which would require all
ATVs to meet U.S. safety standards;
- Calling for three models of youth ATVs instead of two and setting speed
limitations for each youth model;
- Requiring retailers to offer free training to all ATV purchasers and
members of their immediate family;
- Requiring retailers to provide a written form to purchasers warning
against the use of adult ATVs by children and giving death and injury
statistics related to children riding adult ATVs.
The public has until October 24, 2006 to provide comments to the CPSC
concerning our proposed rules. Comments can be e-mailed to:
tstevenson@cpsc.gov
ATV's are growing in popularity and the knowledge on their safe use must grow
as well. The CPSC is committed to doing its part - consumers, parents,
manufacturers and retailers must do theirs as well. By taking knowledge to the
extreme, all ATV riders can go down a fun, yet safer path.
To view this press release online, please go to the CPSC web site at:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml06/06265.html
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P.O. Box 800
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