Advocacy groups press for national ATV safety standards
#1
08-21-2002, 09:08 PM
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Heres the story that was in the local paper today...
"Associated Press, WASHINGTON (AP) Advocacy groups say the government should ban children from riding all-terrain vehicles and force other riders to obey new safety standards, contending a surge in deaths and injuries show the ATV industry has failed to protect and educate riders. Representatives from consumer, children's and environmental groups cited statistics showing injuries to ATV riders under 16 have nearly doubled in the last eight years. ''Self-regulation by the ATV industry has led to larger and faster ATVs and more children being killed and injured,'' said Rachel Weintraub, assistant general counsel to the Consumer Federation of America. Children, she said, are being disproportionately hurt and killed by ATVs. According to government statistics, those under 16 represent about 14 percent of ATV riders but suffer 37 percent of ATV-related injuries and 38 percent of ATV-related deaths. Grown-ups, not the government, bear responsibility for keeping their kids safe and riding only on child-sized machines, say ATV proponents. ''Unfortunately, some people ride these things stupidly,'' said Bill Ford, owner of a West Virginia company that offers ATV tours. He recalls seeing a mother and two kids riding an ATV down a highway without helmets. ''There's a lot we should be doing with education.'' ATVs are motorized machines that can traverse off-road terrain. While popular for recreation, they are also used extensively by farmers, police and others who find them less expensive than trucks and tractors and easier to maneuver in regions with few roads. Rules for operating the vehicles vary widely by state. Some have no restrictions, while others require licenses for owners and operators and bar children under 16 from riding them. The ATV industry has opposed some efforts to restrict the vehicles' use, saying it will hurt those who depend on ATVs for their livelihood and unfairly penalize safe operators. In West Virginia for example, it's still legal to drive an ATV on a highway without a helmet. Critics have tried and failed for years to inspire the state legislature to pass new rules governing ATV use. The efforts have been blocked in part by farmers and coal industry workers, who say they need to use the vehicles to do their jobs. ''ATVs have been a way of life for certain parts of West Virginia for some time. And from a tourism perspective, it's doing wonders for the economy,'' said Ford, an attorney and owner of Charles Town-based Mountain Thunder. In response to a rising fatality rate, particularly among children, the government and the industry entered a court-approved consent decree in 1988 banning the manufacture of three-wheel ATVs. It also ordered ATV distributors to use their ''best efforts'' to assure that dealers do not sell adult-size ATVs to children under 16. The advocacy groups said rising death and injury rates indicate the voluntary guidelines are not working. Annual injuries for four-wheel ATVs have increased more than 200 percent from about 36,000 in 1993 to about 100,000 in 2001, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Annual injuries from all ATVs some three-wheel vehicles made before the ban took effect still are in use more than doubled during that period, from about 50,000 to about 111,700, the commission said. And ATV injuries to children under 16 increased from about 17,000 in 1993 to about 34,800 in 2001. The Consumer Federation of America, the Bluewater Network, the National Trails and Waters Coalition and various emergency medical professionals say they want Congress and federal agencies to bar children under 16 from riding ATVs. The coalition also wants every state to adopt legislation to license, train and require safety rules for ATV owners and operators. Separately Tuesday, Arctic Cat Inc. of Thief River Falls, Minn., recalled about 45,000 all-terrain vehicles because a mechanical problem can cause them to overturn, resulting in injuries."
What a crock....in Reno, NV the DMV doesn't even register ATV's and no license is needed. The local flyer we get here, last year had a statment from the sheriff in it that said he did not care if ATV's or Dirt Bikes were rode on city streets as long as you were riding it someplace to take it off road. He said he wanted people to obey speed and helmet laws and that was it. These type of people that push this crap will never stop until there is nothing left to do that is any fun or there will be so many fees that you just can't afford to play.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]
"Associated Press, WASHINGTON (AP) Advocacy groups say the government should ban children from riding all-terrain vehicles and force other riders to obey new safety standards, contending a surge in deaths and injuries show the ATV industry has failed to protect and educate riders. Representatives from consumer, children's and environmental groups cited statistics showing injuries to ATV riders under 16 have nearly doubled in the last eight years. ''Self-regulation by the ATV industry has led to larger and faster ATVs and more children being killed and injured,'' said Rachel Weintraub, assistant general counsel to the Consumer Federation of America. Children, she said, are being disproportionately hurt and killed by ATVs. According to government statistics, those under 16 represent about 14 percent of ATV riders but suffer 37 percent of ATV-related injuries and 38 percent of ATV-related deaths. Grown-ups, not the government, bear responsibility for keeping their kids safe and riding only on child-sized machines, say ATV proponents. ''Unfortunately, some people ride these things stupidly,'' said Bill Ford, owner of a West Virginia company that offers ATV tours. He recalls seeing a mother and two kids riding an ATV down a highway without helmets. ''There's a lot we should be doing with education.'' ATVs are motorized machines that can traverse off-road terrain. While popular for recreation, they are also used extensively by farmers, police and others who find them less expensive than trucks and tractors and easier to maneuver in regions with few roads. Rules for operating the vehicles vary widely by state. Some have no restrictions, while others require licenses for owners and operators and bar children under 16 from riding them. The ATV industry has opposed some efforts to restrict the vehicles' use, saying it will hurt those who depend on ATVs for their livelihood and unfairly penalize safe operators. In West Virginia for example, it's still legal to drive an ATV on a highway without a helmet. Critics have tried and failed for years to inspire the state legislature to pass new rules governing ATV use. The efforts have been blocked in part by farmers and coal industry workers, who say they need to use the vehicles to do their jobs. ''ATVs have been a way of life for certain parts of West Virginia for some time. And from a tourism perspective, it's doing wonders for the economy,'' said Ford, an attorney and owner of Charles Town-based Mountain Thunder. In response to a rising fatality rate, particularly among children, the government and the industry entered a court-approved consent decree in 1988 banning the manufacture of three-wheel ATVs. It also ordered ATV distributors to use their ''best efforts'' to assure that dealers do not sell adult-size ATVs to children under 16. The advocacy groups said rising death and injury rates indicate the voluntary guidelines are not working. Annual injuries for four-wheel ATVs have increased more than 200 percent from about 36,000 in 1993 to about 100,000 in 2001, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Annual injuries from all ATVs some three-wheel vehicles made before the ban took effect still are in use more than doubled during that period, from about 50,000 to about 111,700, the commission said. And ATV injuries to children under 16 increased from about 17,000 in 1993 to about 34,800 in 2001. The Consumer Federation of America, the Bluewater Network, the National Trails and Waters Coalition and various emergency medical professionals say they want Congress and federal agencies to bar children under 16 from riding ATVs. The coalition also wants every state to adopt legislation to license, train and require safety rules for ATV owners and operators. Separately Tuesday, Arctic Cat Inc. of Thief River Falls, Minn., recalled about 45,000 all-terrain vehicles because a mechanical problem can cause them to overturn, resulting in injuries."
What a crock....in Reno, NV the DMV doesn't even register ATV's and no license is needed. The local flyer we get here, last year had a statment from the sheriff in it that said he did not care if ATV's or Dirt Bikes were rode on city streets as long as you were riding it someplace to take it off road. He said he wanted people to obey speed and helmet laws and that was it. These type of people that push this crap will never stop until there is nothing left to do that is any fun or there will be so many fees that you just can't afford to play.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]
#2
08-21-2002, 11:12 PM
Well, let's stop and think this one through.
"Annual injuries for four-wheel ATVs have increased more than 200 percent from about 36,000 in 1993 to about 100,000 in 2001"
Okay, what did annual sales do in that same time frame? On a per-quad owned basis, are injuries rising? In the absence of level of ownership, that figure is meaningless.
"say they want Congress and federal agencies to bar children under 16 from riding ATVs"
And just how do you plan on enforcing this? Since ATV's aren't normally operated on public roads, where we have a police force, this one will be virtually unenforcable.
"In West Virginia for example, it's still legal to drive an ATV on a highway without a helmet."
In most states, it's legal to ride a motorcycle without a helmet. The wisdom of doing so is another matter entirely... let Darwin sort 'em out.
"It also ordered ATV distributors to use their ''best efforts'' to assure that dealers do not sell adult-size ATVs to children under 16. "
With prices ranging from $2500-$7000, I seriously doubt many kids under the age of 16 are buying quads. It's the parents that buy the quad, so banning sales to kids under 16 won't do anything. If a 14 year old can come up with the jack to buy a Sportsman, I want to hire them to manage my retirement fund.
"Separately Tuesday, Arctic Cat Inc. of Thief River Falls, Minn., recalled about 45,000 all-terrain vehicles because a mechanical problem can cause them to overturn, resulting in injuries."
Now that's a cheap shot. A few ball joints broke, and AC, acting most responsibly, I thought, took no chances and recalled all of them. Didn't Ford recall a huge number of Explorers, "because a mechanical problem can cause them to overturn, resulting in injuries"? Guess that means all cars are unsafe, too.
"those under 16 represent about 14 percent of ATV riders but suffer 37 percent of ATV-related injuries and 38 percent of ATV-related deaths."
Now here is a legitimate point, and actually adjusted for population. I've seen this locally, in the last year in my area (central KY), two pre-teens were killed when quads rolled over on them. I have two preteens, and while I love and respect them, I also don't feel that they have the long range judgment to be left alone on a quad. Physically, they could ride it. However, they just don't have the mental faculties to recognize unseen dangers. Kids feel indestructable, right up to the point when they get whacked. Put them on a bicycle, they get bruised. Put them on a quad, they get dead. Even the kid sized models can crack a child's skull open. I know a lot of people disagree with me on this, but I've seen too many pre-teen fatalities to put my children at that sort of risk. There is no greater tragedy than a young child's death, and no greater fuel for blazing headlines, either.
Aside from the tragedy of a young life snuffed out before it really had a chance, these needless deaths also cause problems for all of us adults. I use my quads (91 bear, '02 Cat 500i) extensively on my hardwood forest farm. Don't know how I got along without them, they go places a truck or tractor can't go, use less fuel, and don't tear the land up as bad. Unsafe? They're no less safe than, say, a tractor, and that is totally dependent upon the operator. As a sometimes farmer, I thank God that the general populace aren't buying tractors for fun, they'll bite you hard if you don't pay attention, and we'd hear the same unsafe howls about them. Ever seen what happens when you hold a pair of jeans up to a running PTO shaft? Not a pretty sight.
I'm seeing an increasing frequency in ATV safety stories. And because child deaths are involved, these stories can stretch facts and get away with it. While the rest of that story is essentially skewed BS, the increasing number of child deaths is not. There is where the industry and ATV owners should act. I would suggest to the industry that they take child sized quads off the market altogether, and follow this with a serious publicity effort to warn parents of the danger they face when leaving a child on a quad unsupervised. If the industry doesn't do this, Congress will, and those of us who operate quads in a safe fashion will pay for it. We'll get 'safety engineered' quads that don't perform well, and we'll pay higher prices for them, and then pay even more to get them back to where they should have been. Quad owners can help themselves by first recognizing that a quad is not a surrogate babysitter. It is more like a firearm, useful and safe if handled in a mature fashion, deadly if not. Would you send a 10 year old out to play with a loaded gun? What would you expect to happen?
This is not a matter of me preaching. It is fact - if child deaths continue to rise, Congress will act, and we will end up paying for it. Sorry to get all pompous like this, but this isn't a matter of right or wrong, it is a matter of what is and what isn't. And what is, is trouble on the horizon. Act now, or pay later.
--John
02 cat 500i
91 big bear
"Annual injuries for four-wheel ATVs have increased more than 200 percent from about 36,000 in 1993 to about 100,000 in 2001"
Okay, what did annual sales do in that same time frame? On a per-quad owned basis, are injuries rising? In the absence of level of ownership, that figure is meaningless.
"say they want Congress and federal agencies to bar children under 16 from riding ATVs"
And just how do you plan on enforcing this? Since ATV's aren't normally operated on public roads, where we have a police force, this one will be virtually unenforcable.
"In West Virginia for example, it's still legal to drive an ATV on a highway without a helmet."
In most states, it's legal to ride a motorcycle without a helmet. The wisdom of doing so is another matter entirely... let Darwin sort 'em out.
"It also ordered ATV distributors to use their ''best efforts'' to assure that dealers do not sell adult-size ATVs to children under 16. "
With prices ranging from $2500-$7000, I seriously doubt many kids under the age of 16 are buying quads. It's the parents that buy the quad, so banning sales to kids under 16 won't do anything. If a 14 year old can come up with the jack to buy a Sportsman, I want to hire them to manage my retirement fund.
"Separately Tuesday, Arctic Cat Inc. of Thief River Falls, Minn., recalled about 45,000 all-terrain vehicles because a mechanical problem can cause them to overturn, resulting in injuries."
Now that's a cheap shot. A few ball joints broke, and AC, acting most responsibly, I thought, took no chances and recalled all of them. Didn't Ford recall a huge number of Explorers, "because a mechanical problem can cause them to overturn, resulting in injuries"? Guess that means all cars are unsafe, too.
"those under 16 represent about 14 percent of ATV riders but suffer 37 percent of ATV-related injuries and 38 percent of ATV-related deaths."
Now here is a legitimate point, and actually adjusted for population. I've seen this locally, in the last year in my area (central KY), two pre-teens were killed when quads rolled over on them. I have two preteens, and while I love and respect them, I also don't feel that they have the long range judgment to be left alone on a quad. Physically, they could ride it. However, they just don't have the mental faculties to recognize unseen dangers. Kids feel indestructable, right up to the point when they get whacked. Put them on a bicycle, they get bruised. Put them on a quad, they get dead. Even the kid sized models can crack a child's skull open. I know a lot of people disagree with me on this, but I've seen too many pre-teen fatalities to put my children at that sort of risk. There is no greater tragedy than a young child's death, and no greater fuel for blazing headlines, either.
Aside from the tragedy of a young life snuffed out before it really had a chance, these needless deaths also cause problems for all of us adults. I use my quads (91 bear, '02 Cat 500i) extensively on my hardwood forest farm. Don't know how I got along without them, they go places a truck or tractor can't go, use less fuel, and don't tear the land up as bad. Unsafe? They're no less safe than, say, a tractor, and that is totally dependent upon the operator. As a sometimes farmer, I thank God that the general populace aren't buying tractors for fun, they'll bite you hard if you don't pay attention, and we'd hear the same unsafe howls about them. Ever seen what happens when you hold a pair of jeans up to a running PTO shaft? Not a pretty sight.
I'm seeing an increasing frequency in ATV safety stories. And because child deaths are involved, these stories can stretch facts and get away with it. While the rest of that story is essentially skewed BS, the increasing number of child deaths is not. There is where the industry and ATV owners should act. I would suggest to the industry that they take child sized quads off the market altogether, and follow this with a serious publicity effort to warn parents of the danger they face when leaving a child on a quad unsupervised. If the industry doesn't do this, Congress will, and those of us who operate quads in a safe fashion will pay for it. We'll get 'safety engineered' quads that don't perform well, and we'll pay higher prices for them, and then pay even more to get them back to where they should have been. Quad owners can help themselves by first recognizing that a quad is not a surrogate babysitter. It is more like a firearm, useful and safe if handled in a mature fashion, deadly if not. Would you send a 10 year old out to play with a loaded gun? What would you expect to happen?
This is not a matter of me preaching. It is fact - if child deaths continue to rise, Congress will act, and we will end up paying for it. Sorry to get all pompous like this, but this isn't a matter of right or wrong, it is a matter of what is and what isn't. And what is, is trouble on the horizon. Act now, or pay later.
--John
02 cat 500i
91 big bear
#3
08-22-2002, 09:03 AM
Here is the link to the original press release:
http://www.consumerfed.org/backpage/...V_Release.html
The reality of the this propaganda is the the source and the funding for the "report" The footnote at the bottom of the press release tells it all:
__________________________________________________ _____________
Consumer Federation of America is a non-profit association of 300 consumer groups, with a combined membership of more than 50 million people. CFA was founded in 1968 to advance the consumers’ interest through advocacy and education. www.consumerfed.org
The Natural Trails and Waters Coalition includes conservation, recreation, hunting and other groups working to protect and restore all public lands and waters from the severe damage caused by snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes, jet skis and all other off-road vehicles. www.naturaltrails.org
Bluewater Network is a national organization aggressively confronting the root causes of climate change and fighting environmental damage from the shipping, oil, and motorized recreation industries. www.bluewaternetwork.org
The report can be found at any of the web sites listed above.
__________________________________________________ ___________
http://www.consumerfed.org/backpage/...V_Release.html
The reality of the this propaganda is the the source and the funding for the "report" The footnote at the bottom of the press release tells it all:
__________________________________________________ _____________
Consumer Federation of America is a non-profit association of 300 consumer groups, with a combined membership of more than 50 million people. CFA was founded in 1968 to advance the consumers’ interest through advocacy and education. www.consumerfed.org
The Natural Trails and Waters Coalition includes conservation, recreation, hunting and other groups working to protect and restore all public lands and waters from the severe damage caused by snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes, jet skis and all other off-road vehicles. www.naturaltrails.org
Bluewater Network is a national organization aggressively confronting the root causes of climate change and fighting environmental damage from the shipping, oil, and motorized recreation industries. www.bluewaternetwork.org
The report can be found at any of the web sites listed above.
__________________________________________________ ___________
#5
08-22-2002, 04:20 PM
#6
08-22-2002, 05:08 PM
Once again I'll take the opportunity to say, ORGANIZE OR LOOSE YOUR RIGHT TO RIDE!!!! Just because it isn't hitting the front page where you live, doesn't mean you can't do anything about it. Join a club. Minnesota has ATVAM, ATV Assoc of Minnesota. Join, or start a local club. Don't wait til your trails....OR YOUR BACKYARD ARE CLOSED!!!
Ken
Ken
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