After years of urging by safety and consumer activists, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted to write new rules to regulate four-wheeled all-terrain vehicles, sometimes called ROVs, including the Yamaha Rhino. The vehicles, which resemble rugged golf cards, are blamed for more than 100 deaths since 2003. Sadly, the industry held off regulations during the Bush years.
The industry has resisted mandatory rules for years and was able to forestall new rules during the years the CPSC was controlled by GOP appointees. Further, today’s action is aimed specifically at four-wheeled ATVs and will not affect other ATVs. The ATV industry has proposed voluntary guidelines but safety advocates say the guidelines have been inadequate and they said today’s action puts the industry on notice.
Read more about this on the Consumer Affairs website.
Tags: ATV regulation, CPSC
