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Sarco

DC :

U . S . CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

WASHINGTON , O . C . 20207

( 202 ) 634 - 7710

TESTIMONY _ OF COMMISSIONER STUART M , STATLER ON RISKS FROM 3 - WHEELED ATVS

BEFORE THE COMMERCE , CONSUMER AND MONETARY AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE

COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS U . S . HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MAY 21 , 1985

MR . CHAIRMAN . THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME THIS MORNING TO EXPRESS MY VIEWS ON ALLEVIATING THE UNACCEPTABLY HIGH NUMBER OF DEATHS AND SERIOUS INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH 3 - WHEELED ALL TERRAIN VEHICLES ( ATVS ) . THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM OF IMMENSE PROPORTIONS NOW UNFOLDING IN THIS COUNTRY . IT IS A PROBLEM WHICH APPEARS TO INVOLVE THE VERY DESIGN AND UNSTABLE HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VEHICLE , AND YET THE MANUFACTURERS PERSIST IN THEIR REFUSAL TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO ADEQUATELY PROTECT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC .

THESE VEHICLES - - INTENDED FOR USE OVER FIELDS , HILLS , AND GULLIES AND THROUGH SAND , MUD , WATER AND SNOW - - HAVE SHOWN AN ASTONISHING RISE IN SALES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS . THEIR POPULARITY HAS BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY AN EVEN GREATER SURGE IN SEVERE INJURIES , INCREASING IN 1984 BY MORE THAN 13 TIMES THE FIGURE IN 1980 , AND ALMOST EIGHT - FOLD SINCE 1982 . SUCH HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM TREATED INJURIES ROSE FROM 4 , 929 ( ' 80 ) , TO 6 , 008 ( ' 81 ) , TO 8 , 585 ( ' 82 ) , TO 27 , 554 ( ' 83 ) , TO LAST YEAR ' S WHOPPING 66 , 956 ( ' 84 ) ,