ATV Injuries Increase Dramatically

June 2003

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has begun hearings to find out why All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) accidents in the United States have doubled over the past five years.

Previous hearings held in the 1980's resulted in the production ban of three-wheelers that were easy to flip. Unlike the three-wheel design which could be pointed to as a cause of injury, one single cause for the increase in injuries from these popular four-wheel vehicles is not apparent.

ATVs are very popular.  In fact, ATVs saw a 40% increase from 1997 to 2001 from 4 million to 5.6 million across the nation. It is estimated by one organization that in Pennsylvania alone there are 400,000-500,000 ATVs.

Unfortunately, Pennsylvania also has the second highest death rate for ATV-related accidents at 264 between 1982-2001. For the same time period, the nation had 4,541 fatalities. Of those fatalities, California accounted for 278 fatalities; West Virginia accounted for 194; Ohio accounted for 124; and Maryland accounted for 25. For 1999, the last year for which death records are substantially complete, the CPSC has reports of 357 fatalities from ATV use. This is an increase from 251 fatalities in 1998 and from 241 in 1997.

ATV injuries requiring an emergency room visit have more than doubled in recent years - from an estimated 54,700 in 1997 to 111,700 in 2001. Sadly, in 2001, 33% of all ATV-related accidents are children under 16. Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh has seen admissions triple from 19 in 1998 to 65 in 2002. The ages of the injured children began at age 3 . Younger children are injured when riding on the back with their parents, or even younger siblings.

Perhaps since ATVs are considered by many to be "recreational" vehicles, and appear to be sturdy, adults may assume a false sense of security when it comes to the safety of their children. However, it is important to realize that ATVs are capable of reaching speeds of up to 60mph.

The Consumer Federation of America and other groups petitioned the CPSC in September 2002 to ban adult-size, four-wheel ATVs sold for the use of children under the age of 16. Further hearings on this issue are scheduled.

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