ATV safety begins with the operator

October 30, 2014 · 0 Comments

This past weekend, within the Central Region of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), one person lost their life while operating an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) on a trail after a collision with a tree and two other persons sustained serious and life threatening injuries in crashes that were investigated by officers from the Bracebridge and Huronia West OPP Detachments.

One unfortunate re-occurring causal factor is excessive speed and the other appears to be not utilizing safety equipment that is either available on the equipment being operated (seatbelts in Utility Recreational Vehicles with side-by-side seating configuration) or equipment that can be worn by the operator.

ATVs are prohibited from all roadways in Ontario unless the municipality has passed a bylaw to make an exception to this rule. ATV operators must remember that:

• Operator must drive the ATV on the far right hand side of the roadway.

• All riders must always wear an approved safety helmet.

• Drivers must hold a valid G2 or greater drivers licence (if operated on roadways where allowed)

• 20 km/h is the maximum speed an ATV can travel on roads with a posted speed limit of 50 km/h or less.

• Operator shall operate the ATV at a speed of one half of the posted limit up to a maximum speed of 50km/h.

• Impaired Operation – drinking and driving while operating an ATV is a criminal offence and carries the same penalties as operating a vehicle

ATV’s are prohibited from travelling along or across Highway 400 series highways.

• Ownership – vehicle must be registered and proof of same must be produced at the trailside.

• ATV owner must have liability insurance and surrender proof upon request.

• Licence Plate – the vehicle must have a properly displayed off-road licence plate

• Age – must be at least 12 years of age (when operating on trails unsupervised).

• An ATV travelling along a road must have its headlights and tail lights on.

• Ride with others – never alone

Remember to always operate your ATV with an approved helmet, eye protection, boots, gloves, long pants and long-sleeved shirt or jacket. Chief Superintendent John Tod, Regional Commander of the OPP Central Region says “ignorance of the law is no excuse; please follow these safety tips in order to maximize the enjoyment of your ATV”.

For more information on ATV’s please visit one of these websites: www.catv.ca or www.safety-council.org