There has been so much talk about what happened at Nationals. One of the local stations titled their article "ATV turns into a Deadly Weapon". Now, I put a comment on their page and called them out. I asked them if they would have said the same thing if it would have been a horse? Would the horse also be a deadly weapon?

Here is some info I found concerning atvs and motorcycles.

ATV Deaths Motorcycle Deaths
2005 666 4553
2004 745 4008
2003 654 3714
2002 548 3244
2001 517 3197
2000 517 2897
1999 398 2483
1998 251 2294
1997 241 2116

ATVs in Use

2005 7.8M
2004 7.0M
2003 6.3M
2002 5.6M
2001 4.9M
2000 4.2M
1999 3.6M
1998 3.1M
1997 2.7M

So, the likelihood of a fatal accident in 2005 was 1 in every 11,712 atvs in use for the entire year.

In my view, the NUMBERS do not tell the whole story, regarding ATV accident fatalaties.

I would wonder, how many ATV fatalities occur WHEN ALL THE SAFETY CRITERIA ON THE STICKERS ARE FOLLOWED????????????????

One house of the West Virginia legislature just passed a bill, outlawing ATV travel on all PAVED roads (WV went from, ride anywhere you want, to ride on any roads except those with a centerline, to the provisions of this bill).

I think the ATV fatalities in WV last year were 56; TWO THIRDS on paved roads.

Now, what do the stickers say? Words to the effect, "Don't ride on public streets or highways."

They also say, wear helmets and protective gear and clothing.

Don't ride drunk and/or stoned.

Don't ride double (or more), on 1-rider machines.

Don't let kids ride machines too big and powerful for their maturity and ability to control safely.

What percentage of ATV fatalities occurred, when ALL the safety criteria were followed?

Tree Farmer,
You have posed an unfair question. To answer that question would require one to gather information that puts personal accountabilty back on the atv operator. This is not going to happen. I am with the local media on this... sometimes the atvs just turn themselves into deadly weapons. Now, if we could only seperate the potentional deadly atvs from the more friendly, more docile atvs.

quote:

Between 2004 and 2006, failure to rescue claimed more than 188,000 lives, amounting to about 128 deaths for every 1,000 patients at risk of complications, according to the latest report from HealthGrades, a health care ratings organization.

I guess we better ban doctors..... While were at it, I'm sure that vehicles would be next and so on and so on. Even though most ATV accident investigations are pretty thorough, (esp. fatal accidents) the media only reports that an ATV was involved or the outright cause. Goes back to the guns kill people thought process.

Also keep in mind the stats quoted above are for only one criteria of medical deaths. Add in the rest and the per 1000 rate sky rockets.

BTW, what do they call the absolute lowest, barely squeaked by, hungover graduate of medical school?????



Answer: Doctor.... HHHHMMMMMM............

Good Data Gomer.... These liberals can bitch all they want...

Add in Doctors with bad handwriting killing 7,000 a year and medication mistakes harming 1.5 million Americans a year... Yep doctors have to go!!!!!

Tim magazine!

Hey now, don't be so hard on those Doctors

We have to remember they are only "Practicing Physicians" they can't be held responsible for what they do because they are just practicing their craft.

The data on deaths resulting from medical malpractice may be true, but--irrelevant to the issue of ATV deaths, in my opinion.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) does not regulate the medical profession; however, the CPSC's scope includes ATVs.

The CPSC, by means of a lawsuit and its settlement by Consent Decree, effectively banned the future manufactue and sale of 3-wheelers; the agency has the power to ban 4-wheelers.

(Note ye well--the three CPSC Commissioners are APPOINTED by the PRESIDENT; what leanings and attitudes do you expect in a CPSC appointed by Hillary Billary or by Obama?)

West Virginia perhaps has the most detailed and comprehensive data collection program for ATV accidents; perhaps because WV lead the nation in ATV deaths (I think--certainly by population). Since ATV regulation remains a matter of public perception and of politics, at any level, West Virginia would like to bring the number of ATV deaths down (regardless of how many innocents are killed by doctors).

Yet, there's a place in West Virginia, with perhaps the highest density of ATV rider miles ridden in the country, if not the world, with HARDLY ANY ATV deaths . . . the Hatfield-McCoy Trails. Why? Maybe, just maybe, because the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System enforces what your stickers say on your ATV, over its 600 miles or so of trails.

So, in closing, I'd pose a question: What public policy, if any, can reduce the number of ATV deaths?

(Please; no, "It's the PARENTS' responsibility!", or, "What about INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY?" responses--I asked, what PUBLIC POLICY initiatives can reduce ATV deaths?

I have the actual report that was conducted after a fatal ATV accident. The results of that report mirrors the eye witness account (operator error). Some pictures were taken of the ATV right after it was ridden down the mountain and never looked at again by anyone conducting the investigation. The report includes the coroner's report.