ABC 'Safety Alert' Warns of ATV Danger, Pushes Regulation

May 9th, 2007 1:02 PM

"Good Morning America" clearly favors government parenting over the real thing.

On May 9, GMA targeted all-terrain-vehicles (ATVs) as unsafe and promoted regulation rather than parental responsibility.

The program used frightening video of an ATV rollover and undercover footage that made retailers look criminal, and interviewed a woman who lost two relatives in accidents, as well as a doctor who said ATVs are much harder to drive than cars.

"Eight states have no laws at all regulating these vehicles, 12 others have no minimum riding age," said consumer correspondent Elisabeth Leamy.

Leamy also interviewed Pam Saylor, a woman who lost her son and another relative in separate ATV accidents, but failed to point out that she is a regulation advocate.

"For two children in our family to have died on an ATV is not a freak accident," said Saylor who has been promoting ATV regulation since her son was killed.

There was no question about how federal legislation of age restrictions or mandatory training could be enforced, or how much it might cost consumers and businesses. Also, no one mentioned the responsibility of parents to decide if their children should ride an ATV.