Guest Author - Paula Petrie

Speaking from the heart as someone that has known the extreme pain associated with tragedy, I urge you to take the following information seriously. Accidents happen swiftly and can not be undone.

CPSC, 4-H council CEO and President Donald Floyd, NASCAR racing legend Richard Petty, and ATV racing champion John Natalie, have joined forces to encourage riders to "Take Knowledge to the Extreme"

In 2003, an estimated 740 people died in the US, nationwide in ATV incidents. About 30 percent of all deaths and injuries involve children younger than 16. To reduce the number of deaths and injuries, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is leading a major campaign to educate riders young and old on the safe use of ATVs.

At a news conference, CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord stated,
"ATVs are not toys, especially adult ATVs, which can travel at 60 miles
per hour and weigh up to 800 pounds. Children should only ride youth
model ATVs - there have been too many children killed while driving or
riding as a passenger on adult ATVs."

The number of four-wheel ATVs in use in the United States has increased
from just over 2 million to more than 6.9 million over the past decade.
From 1982 through 2004, there were nearly 6,500 deaths involving ATVs.
In 2004 alone, an estimated 136,000 people were treated in hospital
emergency rooms for ATV related injuries - many life-altering.

The steps to create a safer ATV environment include

Creation of www.ATVSafety.gov, a new Web site for riders, parents, trainers, local and state officials, and the media

Use of CPSC's Neighborhood Safety Network

Partnering with organizations and officials dedicated to promoting ATV safety


CPSC is encouraging all riders to participate in a training courses and follow core rules for safe riding

1) never allow a child to operate or ride on an adult size ATV

2) always wear a helmet and protective gear

3) never ride tandem on a one-person ATV

4) never ride on paved roads

5) never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol

While CPSC believes that there would be a decline in deaths and injuries
if riders followed these safe riding practices, the agency has also
proposed new rules to make riding safer. These include

Banning 3-wheeled ATVs, which present three times the risk of injury
compared to 4-wheel ATVs and have re-emerged through the import market,
Internet and secondhand dealers

- Making the current voluntary standard mandatory, which would require
all ATVs to meet U.S. safety standards

- Calling for three models of youth ATVs instead of two and setting
speed limitations for each youth model

- Requiring retailers to offer free training to all ATV purchasers and
members of their immediate family

- Requiring retailers to provide a written form to purchasers warning
against the use of adult ATVs by children and giving death and injury
statistics related to children riding adult ATVs

ATV's are growing in popularity and the knowledge on their safe use must
grow as well. By "taking knowledge to the extreme," all ATV riders can go down a fun, yet safer path.