The ATVs For Christmas This Year Are Safer - Is Your Kid Safer?

Many of you around the country have all kinds oflives due to ATV accidents.
relatives that have received an ATV as a gift overThe problems with this rather high number of deaths
the Christmas season. A tremendous amount ofand injuries attributed to ATVs is now the industry
these were given to seven, to thirteen or fourteenand the safety commission recently agreed on a
year old kids who are riding for the first time, orseries of action plans designed to improve safety.
learning to ride.Some of the things that are now required of
Caution should be considered especially for safetycompanies that sell ATVs are the labeling and safe
issues. The younger ones really need closemarketing of them. In addition, the CPSC has been
supervision. The older ones should be permitted togiven more say as to what ages may ride certain
take the state certification on safety if your statetypes.
has this available. Better to be safe than sorry. ThereThe problem, however, is that a large number of
will be enough sorry incidents. Rest assured this willcompanies that manufacture and distribute ATVs are
be the rule.based in Asia and Italy. And not subject to the US
Since their introduction to the public about fortylaws. Focus has now shifted to state control over
years ago, The ATVs have become more and morethe age of riders. Many states have recently enacted
popular. They appeal to all age riders because of thelegislation that specifically governs the usage of
danger that is felt while riding. This danger cannot beATVs on state-run land.
and should not be taken lightly. ATVs carry withSome of the factors that states deal with are the
them a number of safety issues which every riderages of riders and the type of engines they use.
ought to be concerned about. Despite the ongoingSeveral states mandate that the use of machines
effort of ATV companies to make these vehiclesgreater than 90cc by riders under the age of 16 be
safer, accidents are still happening on anstrictly prohibited.
all-too-regular basis.Many of the ones who criticize the riders age limits
These things came out as 3-wheelers in the beginningbelieve the rules do not properly address the real
models like the Honda Big Red etc. The accidentissues of the matter. A good example to consider,
rates were so high they were almost banned As itmany of the early teenage males are larger and
did not take long for the industry and the public toconsiderably stronger than a lot of females in their
realize the risk of the 3-wheeler. With no true centertwenties. Because of this most states are outlawing
of gravity, the 3-wheeler was an accident waiting toriders under the age of 16. The advocates of the
happen and it happened very often.ATVs believe that early age riders will over time help
It was widely assumed that once ATV companiessafety due to their receiving the early on experience.
permanently removed the 3-wheeler from theIt was not until 1988 that the All-terrain Vehicle
market, accidents would sharply decrease, not so.Safety Institute (ASI) was formed and thus
While there has been a decrease in the number ofaddresses safety and encourages training for all
deaths and injuries due to 4-wheelers. Enough stillriders. These attempts hopefully will increase the
happens that the vehicle safety is still a legitimatesafety of the ATV industry.
concern within the industry.The sport continues to grow by leaps and bounds as
For example, the U.S. Consumer Product Safetywell as does the accidents. In order to avoid these
Commission (CPSC) revealed that in 2004 alone,accidents and sometimes tragedies only good things
there were an estimated 136,000 serious injuries incan happen if you insist that your kids get proper
the United States that were directly related to ATVs.state certified training before being turned loose on
The preceding year, saw 700 plus people lose theirtheir new ATV.