Vol . 34 / No . 15 MMWR

215 ATV - Associated Injuries – Continued 1983 - 1984 , fatal injuries resulting from transportation and recreational vehicle crashes ac counted for 353 ( 9 % ) of 3 , 881 deaths in Alaska , including : 285 ( 7 % ) automobile and truck collision fatalities , 86 ( 2 % ) aircraft crash fatalities , 20 ( 0 . 5 % ) ATV - associated fatalities , and 11 ( 0 . 3 % ) snowmachine - associated fatalities . In addition to the premature mortality associat ed with ATV use , related nonfatal injuries result in substantial costs for both individuals and society .

Interpretation of transportation and vehicle - related injury studies is often constrained by an absence of denominator data , particularly the number of persons at risk of injury . Informa tion concerning the number of vehicles in use and rider - usage patterns is often difficult , if not impossible , to obtain .

Potential risk factors for injuries associated with ATVs include alcohol use , ineffective hel met use , rider inexperience and inattention , and excessive speed . Of major importance is the finding that 12 ( 60 % ) of the 20 fatalities may have been prevented by wearing a helmet . These factors , as well as vehicle - use patterns and vehicle characteristics , must be evaluated as part of a rational approach to plan intervention strategies . Injury investigations , such as this study . can serve as a basis for developing and implementing comprehensive injury surveillance sys tems to monitor the public health impact of injuries . References 1 . American Hospital Association . Hospital statistics . Chicago : American Hospital Association ,

1984 : 45 . 2 . CDC . Changes in premature mortality - United States , 1982 - 1983 . MMWR 1985 : 34 : 17 - 8 .

Mr . CRAIG . Thank you very much , Mr . Chairman . You are ahead of me , as usual . I was just going to ask for permission that it be inserted into the record , because it has some relevance to the con cern you have . And I do not make lightly at all of your concern , because it is a concern of all of us . I think any time individuals in this society are sustaining injury or damage from a product that there is an area of concern that we should all become involved in .

And I will tell you , Dr . Greensher , if you have had anything to do at all with the safer bicycle that my 10 - year - old rides — because the handlebars and the crossbars from the seat to the handlebar fork are padded — thank you very much . Those kinds of product im provements by your efforts are greatly appreciated , I am sure , by parents across this Nation .

Mr . BARNARD . That must have been an all - terrain bicycle .

Mr . CRAIG . That was an all - terrain bike , and let me tell you , Mr . Chairman , and I think Dr . Greensher makes an interesting obser vation that has some validity to it . My son , after having gone to the show “ ET , ” four or five times , was absolutely convinced that he could fly over high hurdles and fly through the air as that young man carrying ET in the basket of his bicycle did .

And there is no question that when young people of this society see those kinds of adventure films or adventure advertisements , that it lends them to , if you will — what did you call it , the Evil Knievel syndrome ?

Dr . FINE . Yes . Mr . CRAIG . My son learned that he was not Evil Knievel after the first jump . But anyway , let me read only briefly from that study in Alaska , because I think it does reveal some things that ought to be said , must be said in this hearing