Natural Trails & Waters Coaliton and Consumer Federation of America
June 4 , 2003

Press Advisory

June 4, 2003

Contact:
Alix Rauschman, Natural Trails and Waters Coalition 202-429-2672
Jack Gillis, Consumer Federation of America 202-737-0766

In response to the rising tide of injuries and deaths related to all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will hold a field hearing to gather additional public input related to all-terrain vehicle (ATV) safety. The hearing follows a request from doctor's and consumer safety advocates that the Commission prohibit the sale of large ATVs for use by children under 16. The hearing, to be conducted by Chairman Hal Stratton and Commissioners May Seila Gall and Thomas Moore, will be held on June 5, 2003 at 10 am in Morgantown, West Virginia. This is the only hearing scheduled on this issue to date.

What: CPSC Field Hearing on ATV safety
For hearing details, view Commission's Federal Register notice: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/03-10046.htm

Where: West Virginia University, Health Sciences Campus, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, Medial Center Drive, Morgantown, WV. For directions, visit: http://www.hsc.wvu.edu/main/maps/index.htm

When: 10:00 AM

Participants: The following is a partial list of pediatricians, surgeons, professors, and other experts who will be making presentations to the Commission. If you would like to schedule an interview, please contact Alix Rauschman at 202-429-2672.

· Dr. Jeffrey Upperman MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
· Dr. Rebeccah Brown MD, Assistant Director of Trauma Services, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
· Dr. Jim Helmkamp PhD, Associate Director for Research, Center for Rural Emergency Medicine, West Virginia University
· Dr. Patricia Kelly MD, President, West Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
· Dr. Joan Phillips MD, Vice President, West Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
· Dr. Nimish Mehta MD, Charleston General Trauma Center
· Dr. Ed Pino MD, Capbell-Huntington Hospital
· Rachel Weintraub, Assistant General Counsel, Consumer Federation of America
· Scott Kovarovics, Director, Natural Trails and Waters Coalition

Background:
In August 2002, the Consumer Federation of America, Natural Trails and Waters Coalition, Bluewater Network and doctors from across the country released a report documenting the rising tide of injuries and fatalities to children involved in all-terrain vehicle (ATV) related incidents. The report, entitled "All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Safety Crisis: America's Children at Risk," found that the ATV industry's voluntary approach to safety, with minimal government oversight, fails to protect consumers - particularly children.

For additional background information, visit: e
http://www.naturaltrails.org/issues/ATVSafety/index.html and http://www.consumrfed.org

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