Here We Go Again (excerpt) 

By Bob Jackson (Associate Publisher, MPN Magazine)

I realize that over the years I've sounded like a monumental bore with my constant hammering on the need for maintained vigilance over the return of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the other medical and insurance groups that forced the ATV Consent Decree on our industry in 1987.

Well guess what, ladies and gentlemen? The medical community is baaaaaaack - and it may be back with a vengeance. I say this because of a recent policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) that appears in the June 2000 issue of Pediatrics magazine. Along with the existing ban on the sale of new and used 3-wheel ATVs, this statement additionally recommends a recall and refund program for present owners of the outlawed vehicles and suggests that all riders under the age of 16 be prohibited from operating not only ATVs, but motorcycles as well. To most everyone's recollection, this marks the first time that an organization within the medical community has made such a recommendation regarding motorcycles...

...As part of its argument, the AAP blames ATVs for approximately 2,800 deaths since 1985 - claiming that 36%of all ATV-related injuries during that period involved children under the age of 16...

...In speaking to the age issue, the AAP proposes that parents be told that off-road vehicles are dangerous for children under 16 with immature judgment and motor skills. In fact, the policy statement clearly states that "Children, who are not licensed to drive a car should not be allowed to operate off-road vehicles."