The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has released a report stating that serious injuries and deaths caused by all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) have increased for the eighth straight year. Children under age 16 continue to suffer a significant portion of these injuries. The complete 2007 Annual Report of ATV-Related Deaths and Injuries may be viewed here.

This new report does not come as a surprise. With the increased use of ATVs, especially by teenagers and young children, the number of injuries and fatalities among ATV users has been consistently increasing over the last 10 years. These numbers show that CPSC’s efforts to stem the tide have been completely ineffective. To make matters worse, the ATV industry itself has done nothing to make these dangerous vehicles any safer for consumers. There have been several recalls of dangerous and defective ATVs over the last two years. These vehicles have posed significant risk of severe injury and death to consumers.

Some of the most significant findings of CPSC’s Annual 2007 report include the following:

• Serious ATV accident-related injuries that required emergency room treatment increased from 146,000 in 2006 to 150,900 in 2007. Since 2001, there has been a 37 percent increase in serious injuries as a result of ATV accidents.
• There were 542 reports of ATV-related fatalities in 2007 – a number that is expected to increase as additional data is gathered.
• In 2007, at least 107 children younger than 16 were killed while riding ATVs. This age group accounts for 20 percent of the year’s fatalities.
• Children under 16 suffered 40,000 serious injuries in 2007. That constitutes 27 percent of all injuries. Also since 2001, there has been a 17 percent increase in the number of children under 16, who have been seriously injured on ATVs.

ATVs are clearly unsafe for children and young adults. An ATV is not a toy but a powerful vehicle, which sometimes, can reach speeds of more than 100 mph. If your son or daughter cannot drive or control a car, he or she should not be riding an ATV. If they must ride, please make sure that there is more than adequate adult supervision, your children have received the necessary training and they are wearing the necessary safety gear. For more information about ATV safety, please visit this CPSC Web site.