Post by Wyldcomfort on Mar 3, 2007 7:05:54 GMT -5
I'm just wondering where they got their data from.....
December 12, 2006
New data on ATVs: As dangerous as ever
The government has just released new data on ATV injuries and deaths — and based on these numbers, we’re beginning to think that the ATV acronym should no longer stand for All-Terrain Vehicles, but rather Awful, Terrible and Vexing.
For 2005, the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates there were 767 deaths and 136,7000 injuries involving ATVs -- and 30 percent of those injuries involved children younger than 16. While the injury rate for children represents a 10 percent drop from 2004 figures, the CPSC report said the decrease was not statistically significant. However, the 2005 estimate was significant when compared to 2001 figures because injuries have grown by 18 percent, the report said.
Historically children under 16 have accounted for about 36 percent of total estimated injuries, but the recent drop to 30 percent may reflect increased ATV use by other age groups. In fact, the CPSC report says the age group that experienced the largest increase in injuries was the 45-54 year-old group, with a 24 percent rise between 2004 and 2005.
The estimated risk of death per 10,000 4-wheel ATVs in use remains the same as in 2001: 1.1. Even so, the report notes, the injury estimates are high. That’s why consumer advocates, including Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, continue to press the CPSC to make ATVs safer. In September, the agency launched an educational campaign , including a new Web site , in the hopes that increased information will reduce risk-taking behavior. But these latest numbers only show that the government needs to do far more that education. As we’ve said in the past, the CPSC should ban all ATVs designed for children. The agency should also evaluate the dynamics of ATV crashes, develop comprehensive mandatory safety standards and require the vehicles to be redesigned to improve safety, especially to prevent rollovers.
And it’s not just the CPSC that should act. Consumers Union believes states should ban ATV use on paved roads, implement educational and training campaigns, create and enforce licensing requirements and require appropriate protective gear, including helmets, to operate ATVs. Of course, Congress needs to step in and give states the funds to do all this.
December 12, 2006
New data on ATVs: As dangerous as ever
The government has just released new data on ATV injuries and deaths — and based on these numbers, we’re beginning to think that the ATV acronym should no longer stand for All-Terrain Vehicles, but rather Awful, Terrible and Vexing.
For 2005, the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates there were 767 deaths and 136,7000 injuries involving ATVs -- and 30 percent of those injuries involved children younger than 16. While the injury rate for children represents a 10 percent drop from 2004 figures, the CPSC report said the decrease was not statistically significant. However, the 2005 estimate was significant when compared to 2001 figures because injuries have grown by 18 percent, the report said.
Historically children under 16 have accounted for about 36 percent of total estimated injuries, but the recent drop to 30 percent may reflect increased ATV use by other age groups. In fact, the CPSC report says the age group that experienced the largest increase in injuries was the 45-54 year-old group, with a 24 percent rise between 2004 and 2005.
The estimated risk of death per 10,000 4-wheel ATVs in use remains the same as in 2001: 1.1. Even so, the report notes, the injury estimates are high. That’s why consumer advocates, including Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, continue to press the CPSC to make ATVs safer. In September, the agency launched an educational campaign , including a new Web site , in the hopes that increased information will reduce risk-taking behavior. But these latest numbers only show that the government needs to do far more that education. As we’ve said in the past, the CPSC should ban all ATVs designed for children. The agency should also evaluate the dynamics of ATV crashes, develop comprehensive mandatory safety standards and require the vehicles to be redesigned to improve safety, especially to prevent rollovers.
And it’s not just the CPSC that should act. Consumers Union believes states should ban ATV use on paved roads, implement educational and training campaigns, create and enforce licensing requirements and require appropriate protective gear, including helmets, to operate ATVs. Of course, Congress needs to step in and give states the funds to do all this.