| The US Consumer Products Safety Commission | | | | neither the physical strength nor the life experience |
| regulates over 15,000 products. All terrain vehicles, | | | | and judgement to handle an ATV safely in all |
| ATV's, top the Commission's list as the deadliest | | | | circumstances. They recommend that children under |
| product in their portfolio. Each year more than 900 | | | | the age of 16 should be prohibited from driving them. |
| people, many of them children, die from these | | | | In a 2005 press release, the Academy called ATV's |
| off-road vehicles. Now an even more dangerous type | | | | "the perfect recipe for tragedy."Each year more than |
| of ATV has appeared. Looking for a way to break | | | | 100 children die on ATV's, and another 40,000 are |
| into the lucrative US market, Chinese manufacturers | | | | treated in emergency rooms. |
| have produced smaller, cheaper ATV's and marketed | | | | Concerned Families for ATV Safety is an organization |
| these as vehicles for children. Where youth models | | | | of parents who have lost children in accidents. They |
| of established ATV brands like Yamaha and Honda | | | | point out that there is no evidence that children are |
| can cost upwards of $2000, prices for Chinese ATV's | | | | safer on "child-sized" vehicles. |
| for children and youth average $500. | | | | An additional concern about ATV's marketed for |
| ATV's are a $5 billion market, and the Consumer | | | | children is the large number of vehicle components |
| Products Safety Commission is concerned about the | | | | made of lead, or containing lead. Legislation passed |
| influx of these small, cheap, vehicles from China. The | | | | last year directs the Consumer Products Safety |
| Commission has recently adopted a set of | | | | Commission to limit the lead content of any product |
| mandatory safety standards for all ATV's sold in the | | | | primarily used by children under 12. This requirement |
| US. | | | | will not be enforced until 2011, but it will force |
| One model that came to the Commision's attention, | | | | manufacturers of child-size ATV's to rethink their |
| was priced at $250. It was sporty-looking and | | | | designs. |
| colorful; it also lacked front brakes. Its handlebar | | | | If you or your child have been seriously injured, a |
| assembly had sharp edges, and no protective | | | | loved one has died in an ATV accident, and you |
| padding, so that a young rider flung against it could | | | | believe that defects in the vehicle's design |
| be injured. The Commission voiced their very strong | | | | contributed to the accident, you may want to |
| concerns to Fushin, the manufacturer, and in May | | | | discuss your case with a personal injury lawyer |
| 2009, Fushin recalled the vehicle. | | | | experienced in product design and ATV litigation. An |
| The small Chinese models are particularly dangerous | | | | experienced ATV attorney can help you determine |
| because they are target for use by children, some as | | | | whether you have a case, and what your options |
| young as 6 years. Unlike cars and motorcycles, there | | | | may be. |
| are no federal or state licensure requirements, nor | | | | California product liability law holds all members of a |
| standards for evaluating who is capable of handling | | | | distribution chain responsible for a dangerous or |
| one. The American Academy of Pediatrics' policy on | | | | defective product---the designer, the manufacturer, |
| ATV's states that the safe use of an All Terrain | | | | suppliers of component parts, the wholesaler, and the |
| Vehicle requires as much skill and judgement as | | | | retail store that sold the product. |
| driving a car or truck, and that young children have | | | | |