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STATEMENT OF SHERWOOD B . MENKES , PROFESSOR AND CHAIRMAN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AT THE CITY COLLEGE OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK , BEFORE THE COMMERCE , CONSUMER , AND MONETARY AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE , HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS , CONCERNING THE SAFETY OF 3 WHEELED ALL TERRAIN VEHICLES , MAY 21 , 1985

LED LG GOVERNMER , AMMA

Mr . Chairman and Members of the Sub Committee :

Thank you for your invitation to testify , today , on the Safety of 3

Wheeled All Terrain Vehicles ( ATV ) , and on the adequacy of the efforts of the

Consumer Product Safety Commission to deal with the problems of increasing

deaths and injuries associated with these vehicles . I welcome this

opportunity to present my own views at this time , because I believe that the

problems are extremely serious and that the public is severely at risk .

BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE

Following my education at Columbia University , I have been engaged in the

practice of Mechanical Engineering since 1942 . Since 1949 I have been a

full - time member of the faculty of the department of Mechanical Engineering at

the City College of the City University of New York . Presently I serve as

Chairman of that department .

At the same time , I have had an extensive consulting practice since 1949

which has emphasized work in structural dynamics . Since 1972 this practise

has principally been in forensic engineering ; the emphasis has been on

problems arising as a consequence of the defective design of machines and

vehicles . During that time I have acted as an expert witness in more than 75

major cases .

If the Sub Committee desires , I can provide a Curriculum Vitae

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