CPSC Asks the Nation's Governors for Help on ATVS

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today released a letter to the Governors of the 50 States, asking them and their colleagues in the various state legislatures to take appropriate or additional actions to help reduce the risk of injury or death to the riders of ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles) in their states.

The letter pointed out that as of November 1986, CPSC had documented reports of 644 ATV-related fatalities which had occurred since January 1982; during that period, CPSC statistics estimated 268,000 ATV-related injuries were treated in hospital emergency rooms nationwide.

The letter went on to say: "Furthermore, 47 percent of the victims were under 16 years of age and 21 percent were under 12."

The letter to the Governors signed by all the CPSC Commissioners said: "We are more than willing to provide you with the information gathered by the Commission staff during the course of the Commission's investigation of the safety hazards associated with ATVs. During the course of this two year effort, the Commission obtained an extensive amount of information concerning injuries and deaths; the unique handling characteristics of ATVs; minimum age recommendations; the need for wearing helmets and protective clothing; and the importance of not consuming alcohol, riding with a passenger or riding on paved roads."

Noting that the federal technical work will not near future, the Commission said that ". . . several attending ATV use are more appropriately the subject activity."

The Commission letter said: "We believe this information will be of interest to you in considering the need for appropriate action in your state. Your assistance and that of your colleagues in the state legislatures will be invaluable in helping reduce the risk of injury and death to the riders of ATVs. We would be glad to discuss this matter with you further." The letter helps further impliment the Commission's decision to address the ATV safety issues decided at the recent Commission's public decision meeting.

The Honorable Harold Guy Hunt
State Capitol
Montgomery, Alabama 36130
Dear Governor Hunt:

We are writing to inform you of a serious safety problem presented 'by All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), and to enlist your. State's assistance in taking measures that will help reduce the large number of injuries and deaths associated with these vehicles. ATVs are motorized off-road vehicles designed to travel on three or four low-pressure, balloon-like tires.

For the period January 1, 1982 through November 6, 1986, the Commission has been made aware of 644 ATV-related deaths nationwide, including 17 deaths involving ATVs in the State of Alabama. Furthermore, 47 percent of the victims were under 16 .years of age and 21 percent were under 12 years of age. During this Same period, the Commission staff has estimated that over 268,000 ATV-related injuries were treated in hospital emergency rooms nationwide. As with the fatalities, about half of the injuries occurred to children under 16 years of age.

On December 18, 1986, the Commission voted to pursue several courses of action designed to address this critical safety issue, including additional technical work addressing the performance characteristics of ATVs. However, this technical work will not be completed in the near future, and more importantly, several critical factors attending ATV use are more appropriately the subject of state or local activity. As a result, the Commission also voted to contact all Governors and appropriate Federal agencies to stress the importance of ATV safety.

We are more than willing to provide you with the information gathered by the Commission staff during the course of the Commission's investigation of the safety hazards associated with ATVs. During the course of this two-year effort, the Commission obtained an extensive amount of information concerning injuries and deaths; the unique handling characteristics of ATVs; minimum age recommendations; the need for wearing helmets and protective clothing; and the importance of not consuming alcohol, riding with a passenger or riding on paved roads. We have enclosed a copy of the Commission's December 18 decision, as well as a summary of our study of ATV safety issues and an update of injury and death statistics.

We believe that this information will be of interest to you in considering the need for appropriate or additional action in your State. More detailed information on this decision is available from the Commission's Headquarters and Regional Offices, and our staff can offer any further technical or administrative support which might be needed. Your assistance and that of your colleagues in the Alabama State legislature will be invaluable in helping reduce the risk of injury to the riders of ATVs in your State. The Commissioners and staff of the CPSC look forward to addressing this problem cooperatively with you and your staff. We would be pleased to discuss this matter with you further should you so desire.

ENCLOSURES

cc: Mr. James J. McVay
Alabama Congressional Delegation