More than 500 Off-Highway Vehicle Deaths in 2015
In a grim milestone, the number of fatalities from Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV) surpassed 500 at the end of 2015, according to information compiled by CFA and the Off-Highway Vehicle Safety Coalition. The coalition, which is composed of ATV safety advocates, academics, and medical professionals, compiles the data from news reports and other sources and posts it on its webpage. Already considered an under-estimate, the 504 OHV fatalities recorded so far is expected to grow as more information becomes available.
As in 2014, the majority of OHV deaths took place on roads in 2015. There was also an increase in the percentage of victims under age 16 (from 18% in 2014 to 21% in 2015) and under age 12 (from 9% to 11%).
The percentage of fatalities from ATVs and ROVs (82% and 15% respectively) remained the same. “The data illustrates that OHVs should never be ridden on roads and that children are at risk when exposed to these powerful machines,” said CFA Senior Policy Advocate Michael Best.
In light of the data on OHV fatalities, particularly the high percentage of young victims, CFA has called on numerous counties and state legislatures that are considering expanding ATV access to reconsider or oppose such an expansion.
They have, for example, urged legislators in Wisconsin to vote down bills that would relax current restrictions on the engine size of ATVs that children under 12 can ride from 90 to 130 cubic centimeters and allow children 12 to 16 to drive utility vehicles with engines up to 200 cubic centimeters. In a letter to Wisconsin legislators, CFA Legislative Director Rachel Weintraub and CFA Senior Policy Advocate Michael Best urged the Legislature to be wary of allowing younger children to operate more powerful vehicles without evidence that it is safe and without evidence that these changes will not lead to more deaths and injuries.
Advocates Applaud Final Passage of E-Cigarette Safety Bill
The House of Representatives passed legislation this month to protect children from accidental poisoning by requiring child-resistant packaging on liquid nicotine containers used for e-cigarettes and other vaping devices. The bill (S. 142, the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act) is heading to President Obama’s desk.
In a joint statement, Consumers Union, Kids in Danger, and CFA praised those who helped move the bill through Congress. “This legislation will go far to protect young children from the dangers of liquid nicotine. Just one teaspoon can be fatal to a child. And this safety threat only continues to grow as e-cigarettes and other vaping devices grow in popularity,” the groups wrote. “We applaud Congresswoman Brooks and Congresswoman Esty for sponsoring the bill, Congresswoman Schakowsky for her leadership, and all the bill’s proponents for their support. As reports of poisoning continue, we urge President Obama to sign this bill quickly to prevent more incidents and keep children safe.”
FCC Urged to Promote Internet Privacy
Nearly 60 organizations, including CFA, sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler this week urging him to immediately propose new rules to protect the privacy of broadband Internet users.
“When the FCC reclassified broadband as a telecommunications service last year, it assumed the obligation to ensure that broadband customers have control of their personal information, that it not be used or shared in ways that could have a chilling effect on speech and increase the potential for discriminatory practices, and that it is adequately secure from theft and abuse,” said CFA Consumer Protection Director Susan Grant. “By implementing commonsense privacy rules, the FCC would enable consumers to use broadband services with more confidence, knowing that the data that their service providers can collect won’t be used or shared for purposes that they didn’t agree to.”
“Broadband service providers, which have a unique view of customers’ online activities, will also benefit from clear rules about how that information can be used and their responsibility for safeguarding it,” Grant added. “The broad spectrum of organizations that signed the letter to Chairman Wheeler demonstrates the strong public support for the FCC to move forward on privacy rules for broadband Internet services.”
ID Theft Risks in IRS Proposed Rule Seeking SSNs
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued proposed a rule last September that would require nonprofit organizations to ask people who donate $250 or more for their Social Security numbers (SSNs). CFA submitted comments to the agency earlier this month raising concerns about the proposal.
Requests for one’s Social Security number when it is not necessary is a red flag of fraud, CFA noted. “Indeed, the IRS provides that advice itself,” stated CFA’s Director of Consumer Protection and Privacy Susan Grant. “This proposal would make it harder for consumers to distinguish legitimate charitable requests from those that are not, while at the same time exposing this most sensitive type of personal information to theft and abuse from inside or outside of the organization.”
Some taxpayers whose charitable deductions have been questioned, however, argued that it would be easier if the organizations to which they donated reported that information directly to the IRS, stated Grant, and in order to do so, the organizations would need the donors’ SSNs. “Maybe this would make the process of claiming such deductions easier, but the drawbacks for both donors and charitable organizations would far outweigh the benefits,” she said. “Since many nonprofits aren’t equipped to adequately safeguard this type of sensitive information, donors’ SSNs could be exposed to theft and abuse from inside or outside of the organizations. And donors would understandably be wary of providing their SSNs because of concerns about identity theft. That could have a negative impact on organizations’ ability to raise money.”
Apparently, the IRS agreed with CFA and the thousands of other commenters that opposed the proposed rule. On January 8, 2016, the agency withdrew the proposal.