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John Amidon
Legislative Coordinator American Motorcycle Association Westerville, Ohio

JAMA. 1975;234(4):380-381.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

Contrary to the impression cast by the articles in the April 7, 1975 issue of JAMA, "About the Cover...," "Minibike and Motorcycle Accidents in Adolescents: A New Epidemic," and "Defusing the Two-Wheeled Menace" (232:15, 55, 58, 1975), minibike riding has a high social value, and minibike use should be encouraged.

The American Illustrated Medical Dictionary (ed 22) defines "epidemic" as "attacking many people in any region at the same time; widely diffused and rapidly spreading." Given this definition, the authors fail to support their claims that minibike injuries are epidemic. Twenty-one cases taken from a one-state area is a totally unrepresentative sample to be used as a basis for extrapolation to the country as a whole. In real numbers, 21 cases over three years, more than one third of which involved minor injuries, constitute an outstanding safety record. The figures cited from the New Jersey Department of . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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