CHILDREN UNDER 16 SHOULD NOT OPERATE ATVS
Restrictions called for on federal land

Washington, DC---The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) today called on two U.S. House subcommittees to support restrictions on children riding or operating all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and other off-road vehicles on public lands. In 2003, 111 children died in ATV crashes and 38,600 children were injured. Injuries sustained by children riding an adult-sized ATV are often very serious, including severe brain, spinal, abdominal, and complicated orthopedic injuries.

"Children lack the strength, coordination, and judgment needed to operate ATVs and other off-road vehicles," testified Mary Dowd, MD, MPH, FAAP, a member of the AAP Committee on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention and a pediatric emergency medicine physician. "This creates the perfect recipe for tragedy."

Despite the alarming increases in ATV deaths and injuries, government regulation continues to be all but absent. In 2003, the AAP petitioned the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to ban the use of adult-sized ATVs by children younger than 16. While CPSC hasn't yet voted upon the petition, agency staff has formally recommended denying it. Today's joint hearing of the House Subcommittee on National Parks and Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health could yield some congressional action.

"Your committees have the power to reduce ATV-related deaths and injuries among children," Dr. Dowd said. "If the federal government adopted limitations on ATV use by children on public lands, this would serve as both a powerful message and a model for states and localities."

The AAP offered specific recommendations for policymakers, including:

• Children under 16 should not operate off-road motorized vehicles (i.e. ATV, personal watercraft, snowmobile or minibike).
  
• A driver's license should be required to operate an off-road motorized vehicle (ORV) on public lands.
  
• Manufacturers should redesign ORVs to improve safety. This includes seat belts and roll bars on ATVs.
  
• Carrying passengers on an ATV should be prohibited.

"The present state of affairs has been entirely ineffective in keeping children safe," said Dr. Dowd. "The Academy urges the subcommittees to support the common sense measures we have recommended."

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.