CPSC Report Shows Decline in ATV Injury Rate; Specialty Vehicle Institute of America Calls on Consumer Organizations to Join in Efforts to Promote ATV Safety.

Feature Editors/Business Editors/Automotive Writers

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 31, 2003

ATV Industry Supports State Legislation, Rider Training/Education,

and Parental Supervision as Keys to Improving ATV Safety

A report released this week by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows:

-- 5% decline in the all-terrain vehicle (ATV) injury rate from

2001 to 2002;

-- 31% decline in the all-terrain vehicle (ATV) injury rate from

1988 to 2002;

-- 14% decline in the fatality rate for the period of 1999 to

2001;

-- 15% decline since 1997 in the proportion of total ATV-related

injuries that involve children under 16.

The CPSC report states that its latest findings are based on "New risk estimates (for injuries and deaths) that make use of improved estimates of the numbers of ATVs in use." The CPSC prefaced its report with the observation that, "This year we made several changes to the report to bring it more in line with the current ATV market and to aid in its readability."

"The CPSC report speaks for itself. The decline in injury and fatality rates show that the industry's focus on ATV safety programs is working, but that more cooperation is needed to help pass appropriate state ATV safety legislation to further reduce ATV-related injuries," said Tim Buche, president of the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA).

More than 15 million Americans ride ATVs in a safe and appropriate manner every year. ATVs have become an essential tool for ranchers, law enforcement, the armed forces, and others.

In the United States, sales of new ATVs have increased steadily since 1991. Sales figures for 2002 were 5.6% over those of 2001. Even with this increasing popularity, the CPSC's data shows that the number of injuries is growing at a lesser rate in proportion to the ATV population itself -- in fact, the ATV injury rate actually declined 5% from 2001 to 2002, the same year the ATV industry saw over 5% growth in new unit sales.

Buche characterized recent statements by a coalition of environmentalists and consumer organizations on the CPSC report as incomplete and misleading.

"Raw numbers don't tell the whole story -- especially when key data is omitted because it doesn't fit a particular organization's agenda," he said. "The safety of our customers is of paramount importance to the ATV industry, and as far as we're concerned, even one injury is one injury too many. Rather than attempt to mislead the public with inflammatory and inaccurate claims, we urge consumer groups to focus on promoting rider safety through appropriate state ATV safety legislation, rider education programs, and parental supervision."

Since 1986, the ATV industry has promoted model state legislation that restricts the use of adult-size ATVs to person aged 16 and older. ATV warning labels clearly demonstrate these restrictions and new ATV purchasers are required to sign a statement indicating that they have read and understood these vehicle age restrictions.

The ATV industry is working with the CPSC, user groups, retail dealerships and other organizations involved in promoting ATV safety. SVIA will participate in a CPSC field hearing in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on November 6. SVIA representatives also participated in previous CPSC field hearings in West Virginia and Alaska, where an overwhelming majority of witnesses advocated education, state legislation with enforcement, and adult supervision as the keys to improving ATV safety.

SVIA utilizes these ATV Golden Rules in its public and media outreach programs.

ATV Golden Rules

-- Take an approved training course. Call toll-free 800-887-2887

-- Ride an ATV that's right for your age. The guidelines are:

-- Age 6 and older - under 70cc

-- Age 12 and older - 70cc to 90cc

-- Age 16 and older - Over 90cc

-- Supervise riders younger than 16 years of age.

-- Always wear the right safety gear, especially a helmet.

-- Never carry a passenger.

-- Always avoid paved surfaces. Never ride on public roads.

-- Ride only on designated trails and ride responsibly.

What is an ATV?

As defined in the American National Standards Institute, Inc. (ANSI) ATV standard, an all-terrain vehicle is "Any motorized off-highway vehicle designed to travel on four low pressure tires, having a seat designed to be straddled by the operator and handlebars for steering control, and intended for use by a single operator and no passenger."

About SVIA

The Specialty Vehicle Institute of America(R) (SVIA) is an information source about the all-terrain vehicle (ATV) industry. SVIA provides information on ATV standards as well as promoting model state legislation on ATV riding. It also serves as a liaison with state and federal agencies on ATV training and their influence upon the environment. Membership is open to all corporations regularly engaged in the business of manufacturing, importing or wholesale distribution of ATVs in the United States. SVIA was formed in 1983 as a national not-for-profit trade association and is based in Irvine, California. Its members include AlphaSports, Arctic Cat, Bombardier, John Deere, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha.