U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission chairman to hold ATV meeting in Anchorage, Alaska

ATV injuries requiring an emergency room visit have more than doubled in recent years – from an estimated 54,700 in 1997 to 111,700 in 2001. In this same period, the estimated number of ATV drivers increased 36 percent, driving hours grew 50 percent and the number of ATVs increased 40 percent, according to a recent commission staff analysis. About a third of the victims injured in 2001 were under 16 years old. We are concerned about the disproportionate increase in the numbers of deaths and injuries associated with ATV use in recent years, and we hope this meeting will help us better understand why death and injury rates are up, Stratton said (CPSC Chairman).