Rynek i konsumenci · 23/04/2003

Public Field Hearing Concerning All-Terrain Vehicles

The Consumer Product Safety Commission ("CPSC" or "Commission") will conduct a public field hearing in Morgantown, West Virginia on June 5, 2003 to obtain information and views from the public concerning all-terrain vehicles ("ATVs"). The Commission conducted several field hearings on ATVs in 1985. From 1997 to 2001 the estimated number of ATV-related injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms rose from 54,700 to 111,700 (a 104% increase). Deaths have also been increasing and the Commission staff has estimated that there were 547 deaths associated with the use of ATVs in 2000. From 1997 to 2001 the estimated number of ATV drivers rose from 12 million to 16.3 million (a 36% increase), the estimated total number of driving hours rose from 1575 million to 2364 million (a 50% increase), and the estimated number of ATVs rose from 4 million to 5.6 million (a 40% increase). None of the increases in these measures of exposure to the risk of operating ATVs accounts for the increases in the number of injuries during the same time period. The Commission requests members of the public to participate in this hearing. The Commission is particularly interested in participation from users of ATV