Business Notes PRODUCT SAFETY

+ More than seven months have passed since the Consumer Product Safety Commission declared that all-terrain vehicles -- off-road buggies with three big wheels -- "pose an imminent and unreasonable risk of death or severe personal injury." The commission asked the Justice Department to require extensive warnings and free training for ATV owners and a refund program for those wishing to return their vehicles, but the department has yet to file its case. Last week a House committee called the department's delay "baffling and unconscionable."

Meanwhile, the toll rises. ATVs, which critics contend can flip over on rugged terrain, account for an estimated 20 deaths a month. Manufacturers, which include Honda and Yamaha, maintain that ATVs are safe if ridden properly.