198

- 11 BUT ODDLY , NOT A SINGLE MENTION BY THE INDUSTRY OF THEIR PROPOSED

STANDARD ADDRESSING THE CRUX OF THE PROBLEM : NAMELY , DYNAMIC STABILITY

AND HANDLING - - THAT IS , THE TENDENCY OF THE VEHICLE TO BE UNSTABLE WHEN MOVING OVER UNCERTAIN TERRAIN AT HIGH SPEEDS . NOT EVEN AN ALLUSION TO IT !

AND SO , MR . CHAIRMAN , I THINK YOU CAN UNDERSTAND MY SKEPTICISM CONCERNING THE INTENT AND RESOLVE OF THIS INDUSTRY TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM BEFORE US IN EARNEST .

WE ARE ONLY NOW GETTING WORD THAT , AS A RESULT OF THE COMMISSION ' S OWN INVESTIGATION OF THE HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VEHICLE , THE INDUSTRY IS BEGINNING TO REDRESS THE INSTABILITY OF ATVS AS PART OF ITS VOLUNTARY SAFETY STANDARD .

FOR THE LIFE OF ME , I CAN ' T UNDERSTAND STONEWALL ING FOR SO LONG WHEN SO MANY LIVES ARE AT STAKE . SAFETY STANDARDS FOR AN IMPROVED VEHICLE ARE LONG OVERDUE . SIMILARLY , IMPROVED AGE LABELING WARNING AGAINST USE BY THOSE UNDER 14 YEARS OF AGE , AND OTHER CAUTIONS , IS PAST DUE , CONSCIENTIOUS MANUFACTURERS SHOULD CONTACT EVERY EXISTING ATV OWNER , APPRISE THEM OF THE RISING INCIDENT PATE , SPELL OUT THE RISKS INVOLVED ( ESPECIALLY TO YOUNGSTERS ) , AND DETAIL EXPLICIT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS . RETAILERS SHOULD FOLLOW UP WITH EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THIS MATERIAL IS BOTH READ AND UNDERSTOOD .

BUT BEYOND THAT , WITH THE REAMS OF EVIDENCE ALREADY GATHERED , I CAN ' T UNDERSTAND WHY ANY CONSCIENTIOUS FIRM WOULDN ' T TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION NOW - - NOT MONTHS OR YEARS FROM NOW WHEN A SAFETY STANDARD MAY