Deadly Inaction on ATV Safety
Friday, January 19, 2007; Page A18
The Jan. 9 Metro article "Child, 2, Is Killed Riding on ATV" was a tragic reminder of the consequences of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's lax standards regarding all-terrain vehicles.
Over the past 20 years, the commission has passed up multiple opportunities to address the rising rates of ATV injuries and deaths among children. As a result, we have inconsistent regulations that do not protect children from the grave risks posed by ATVs.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, representing 60,000 pediatricians, has repeatedly urged the commission to adopt strict formal standards for ATVs because children under age 16 are not physically or mentally capable of handling a motor vehicle.
National standards must be adopted that ban children under 16 from operating ATVs. Those 16 and older should be required to have a driver's license and to wear appropriate protective gear such as a helmet. Manufacturers should redesign ATVs to make them safer, including installing safety belts and requiring that vehicles have a roll bar to prevent the driver from being crushed in a rollover.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission itself projects that more than 125 children will die this year in ATV accidents. In our opinion, this is in large part due to the agency's inaction.
GARY A. SMITH
Chairman, Committee on Injury,
Violence and Poison Prevention
American Academy of Pediatrics
Washington
