For Immediate Release
October 10, 2003 CPSC Media Contact: Ken Giles
Release # 04-008 (301) 504-7052


U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman to Hold ATV Meeting in
Albuquerque, New Mexico

WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman
Hal Stratton will conduct a regional public field meeting on All-Terrain

Vehicle (ATV) safety in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on November 6, 2003.

"We want to hear from New Mexicans and other stakeholders in
Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Colorado about how they use their
ATVs. We want to get their perspective on ATV safety issues," said
Stratton.

The Commission is aware of 40 ATV-related deaths in New Mexico;
106 deaths in Arizona; 59 deaths in Oklahoma; 206 deaths in Texas; 80
deaths in Utah; and 44 deaths in Colorado between 1982 and 2001.
Nationally, the Commission has reports of 4,541 people who died on ATV's

during that period. The death rate in recent years has climbed, with
Commission staff estimating 547 deaths associated with the use of ATVs
in 2000 alone.

ATV injuries requiring an emergency room visit have more than
doubled in recent years - from an estimated 54,700 in 1997 to 111,700 in

2001. In this same period, the estimated number of ATV drivers increased

36 percent, driving hours grew 50 percent and the number of ATVs
increased 40 percent, according to a recent Commission staff analysis.
About a third of the victims injured in 2001 were under 16 years old.

ATVs have widespread popularity among all age groups, and the use
of these vehicles includes industrial and agribusiness applications.
While popularity and sales of ATVs have increased in recent years, CPSC
staff's risk analysis finds that this increase in exposure to ATVs only
partially accounts for the increase in injuries.

"We are concerned about the disproportionate increase in the
numbers of deaths and injuries associated with ATV use in recent years,
and we hope this meeting will help us better understand why death and
injury rates are up," Stratton said.

The full Commission held a similar meeting in June at Morgantown,
W.V., where more than 30 people representing riders, dealers, training
organizations, the medical community, law enforcement officers, family
members of victims of ATV-related incidents and others presented their
viewpoints. Chairman Stratton held follow-up meetings in Anchorage,
Fairbanks, and other Alaska communities to hear from ATV users there.
The New Mexico meeting is another opportunity for people to present to
CPSC their views of ATV safety.

"We were extremely pleased with the response at the West Virginia
and Alaska meetings. As we had hoped, the presenters provided us a local

perspective on this issue that would have been nearly impossible to
achieve if we had limited our meetings to Washington D.C. Given the
unique uses and the importance of ATVs in some parts of the country, we
want to make sure that we get the Southwest perspective on ATV use. We'd

like to hear from as many residents of the Southwest states as possible
on this issue," Stratton said.

CPSC seeks comments on:

1. Information about current local and state ATV regulations
2. Current ATV use in recreation, industry, and agriculture
3. User perspectives on minimum riding and purchasing age requirements,
availability of training, effectiveness of labeling, and future
government action
4. Current industry safety efforts and training programs
5. ATV manufacturers' and dealers' perspectives on training, labeling,
and purchasing patterns
6. The influence of ATV engine size, rider age, or the "used" sales
market on injuries and deaths
7. Whether there should be changes in the performance standard for ATVs

The Consumer Federation of America and other groups petitioned the
Commission in September 2002 to ban adult-size, four-wheel ATVs sold for

the use of children under the age of 16. The Commission sought written
public comments on the petition from October 2002 through March 16,
2003. The New Mexico meeting will provide an additional opportunity for
the public to express its views about this petition, and about ATV use
and safety.

Requests to make oral presentations at the chairman's meeting may
be made to Lizzy Gary by phone at (301) 504-7884, by e-mail at
egary@cpsc.gov, or by fax at (301) 504-0768.

Requests to testify received before October 31, 2003 will be given
first priority. Presenters are asked to provide the text of their
presentation by November 3. Persons with PowerPoint presentations
should also provide an advance copy.

The meeting will be held on November 6, 2003, beginning at 9 am
(Mountain Time) at Smith Brasher Hall, located at 717 University Blvd,
SW (on the corner of University Boulevard and Coal Avenue), in
Albuquerque, New Mexico.

-----------------------

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting
the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more
than
15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction.
Deaths,
injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the
nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to
protecting
consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical,
chemical,
or mechanical hazard. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer
products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and
household
chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the
rate of
deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30
years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's
hotline
at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270 or visit
CPSC's
Web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. Consumers can obtain this release
and
recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

 

That is such BULL SHIIIIT. Cigarettes kill as many people as atv's have (since 1982) in a week, and do you see them going at smokers? Hell no.. f**kers

My god, they need to be slapped
-Nick

 

Hey guys... If you feel strongly about imposition of restrictions on ATV's, as I do, then why not take the time to write to the CPSC and let them know your views??

Please keep the letters clean and let them know why they should not impose additional restrictions on ATV's.

I know that there are several views out there that will shoot their investigation down, but they need to hear about it. They better not just listen to the people that are there in person at their meetings!!

You will be able to find the correct area that you live in by looking on the web page www.cpsc.gov.

Please keep in mind the recent popularity of quads and the number of people that have recently become involved in the sport. Another topic that could be touched on is motorcycles. Why just quads and not motorcycles???? My guess that is because fewer small kids are riding motorcycles as opposed to quads.

Let's rally my friends!! Let's keep these restrictions to a minimum and reasonable!!

 

Actually an ATV has never killed anyone. Only ignorance of the machine and stupidity has killed people.

 

ya know im sooo sick of this BS!! Theres nothing wrong with atv's!!!! There just as dangerous as a match if not used properly. Why just atv's and not dirtbikes and jetskis, and snowmobiles.

 

Sounds like some congressman's son went over to a freinds house and rode a atv and got hurt.

 

Nick- Actually if I remember right it seems I saw somewhere that cigarettes kill almost 9000 people a week if you average it out, that is almost twice the people who have died from 1982-2002 on ATVs. I am also curious to see the number of bicycle deaths for the same time span from 1982 to 2002. And last it seems like I heard somewhere that like 200 people die each year while out fishing, how come the CPSC has not stuck their nose into that. ATVs are an easy target, that is why they are going after us.

 

This is all BS.

The number of accidents is up because the number of riders is up. Simple percentages.

Here are some other statistics:
about 28,000 deaths per year from firearms - not that I think the laws should be changed.
Looks like it is more dangerous to see a Doctor than to ride a "motor-vehicle - non-traffic""

Having said this. . . I still see quite a few people ride without helmets. If you are one of them, please stop it! If not for yourself, think how you would feel if you had an accident and the other person was seriously injured or died because they weren't wearing a helmet! This is something that haunts you for the rest of your life.

Anyone that get's on this thread and doesn't wear a helmet is a hypocrite.

Enough soap-box. . . go put on your helmet and ride safe!

 

I agree this is all bs, and I also agree with wearing a helmet. And a step further would be parents dont let your kids ride unattended and untrained. Also dont let them ride more then one up on a quad. I heard about an atv wreck around here (it is hunting season) and there were 4 people on one quad trying to climb a hill.

I think the whole thing comes down to one sentence.

"no matter how hard the government tries they cannot legislate out stupidity."

Stupid people should not breed, if you are dumb please get fixed.

Off my soapbox, now go out and put on your condems you idiots. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]