On-line Marketing of Chinese Youth ATVs: Are Dealers Following Mandatory Federal Standards?

Jens Strand, High School Student
Charles Jennissen, MD

There are federally mandated Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA)/American National Standards institute (ANSI) standards that apply to all all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) including youth models. Youth models are presently categorized by maximum restricted and unrestricted speeds. The maximum speed for Y6+ models (for youth >=6 years) is 15 mph and for Y10+ and Y12+ models (for youth >=10 years and >=12 years) is 30 mph. Prior to 2009, youth models were based on engine displacement with models for youth >=6 years having engine sizes less than 70cc and those for youth >=12 years being 90cc or less. There are no models approved for children under 6 years. The youth ATV market in recent years has been dominated by less expensive Chinese models. The objective of this study was to examine how Chinese youth ATVs are marketed by on-line dealers and whether they comply with federal standards.

Internet searches were conducted from August 2024-March 2025 with various search terms regarding youth ATVs and Chinese models to identify dealers on-line. The websites were reviewed to determine the youth models available and how they were marketed including the ages for which the model was recommended, the engine displacement and maximum speed, as well as dimension specifications. Descriptive analyses were performed.

201 Chinese youth ATVs advertised by eighteen dealers on-line were identified. There were 23 youth models on two websites that were advertised for children <6 years (22 models for as young as 3 years). Most engine sizes for these vehicles ranged from 107-125cc, except one was 40cc; maximum speeds for the six models where stated were 10-45 mph, average 27 mph. Of the remaining 177 youth ATVs, 76 models at ten on-line sites had age recommendations and/or stated maximum speed such that one could determine whether they followed federal regulations. Fifty-two (68%) did not meet speed standards for age. For models not meeting the standard, speeds ranged from 25-37 mph for Y6+ (6 models), 32-45 mph for Y10+ (4 models), 32-45 mph for Y12+ (7 models), and 31-45 mph for those with no age specified (35 models). All 18 sites advertised youth models for which federal standards were not met or did not provide age recommendations or the maximum speed so that this could be determined. Of models recommended for children ?6 years, 173/177 provided the engine displacement. All of them exceeded previous engine size standards for youth models. Engines ranged from 107-135cc for Y6+ (8 models), 107-125c for Y10+ (25 models), 107-125c for Y12+ (22 models) and 107-250cc for ATVs with no specific age designation (122 models).

Dealers marketing Chinese manufactured youth ATVs are generally not following federally mandated standards and/or not providing the recommended age ranges for the youth ATVs they are selling on-line. This is potentially leading to more children riding ATVs that are not designed for them and potentially leading to increased crashes and injuries.

1. To state how youth ATV models are categorized now and how that differs from the past.
2. To discuss the present marketplace regarding the sale of youth ATVs in the U.S.
3. To identify at least three ways in which on-line dealers of Chinese youth ATVs are not following mandatory federal standards and luring customers to purchase ATVs for younger children.