PEDIATRICIANS CALL FOR REAL ACTION TO LIMIT RISK OF CHILD DEATH, INJURY ON ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES
Government proposal represents virtually no change in current practice

Washington, DC---The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), representing 60,000 pediatricians, is calling the Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) proposed regulatory and non-regulatory package another ineffective effort by the agency to reduce the risk of child injury and death associated with all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). The proposed changes essentially codify the existing voluntary standards that are currently in place.

"The CPSC ATV Safety Review represents a fundamental lack of leadership for keeping our nation's children safe," said AAP President Eileen M. Ouellette, MD, JD, FAAP. "Over the past 20 years, the CPSC has passed up multiple opportunities to address the rising rates of ATV injuries and deaths among children. As a result, we have an inconsistent regulation that will not protect children from the grave risks of ATV riding."

ATV crashes killed 130 children and sent 44,700 more to emergency departments in 2004. Because ATVs pose unique dangers to children who ride or operate them, the AAP has issued specific recommendations for policymakers regarding children and ATVs. The recommendations include the following:
-Children younger than 16 years should not operate ATVs.
-A driver's license should be required to operate an ATV.
-Alcohol use by operators of ATVs should be prohibited, with zero tolerance among 16- to 20-year-old operators.
-ATV use should be banned on paved roads.
-Appropriate protective gear should be required to operate an ATV.
-Carrying passengers on an ATV should be prohibited.
-ATVs should not be operated before sunrise or after sunset.
-Manufacturers should redesign ATVs to improve safety, including but not limited to installing safety belts and requiring that all vehicles also have a roll bar to prevent the driver from being crushed by the weight of the vehicle in the event of a rollover.

For the complete AAP ATV policy statement, visit http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;105/6/1352.

"The measures proposed by the CPSC fail to address any of the AAP's policy recommendations, and will have little, if any, meaningful impact on ATV injuries or deaths among children," Dr. Ouellette said. "Without stricter standards, we can expect more than 100 additional children to die and more than 40,000 to be treated in the emergency rooms again next year due to ATV-related incidents."

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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.