Cory -
Yes there are laws in PA regarding youthful ATV operations. Real laws. There is both good news and bad news. The bad news is simply that you can't beleive everything spewn forth here in these forums as gospal and the good news is that you may have a way out of you delima. What you need to do is research the oppertunity to obtain the Safety Certificate herebelow mentioned. You will note the PA does NOT have a CC to age limitation. Its simply a AGE limitation - with and without the safety certificate.

Many states are incorporating a get-out-of-jail-free card with incorporating traning and "proper fit" into their youthful ATV rules.

And yes - parents are ticketed in many states for allowing their children ACCESS to a non-youth ATVs and Yes, weekend fathers have been put on supervised visitation for letting their underage children ride adult ATV's when they get hurt and yes - Parents are frequently being forwarded to the county child welfare/protection offices after their kids get ambulanced off to the hospital. I have two dead youth in the last three years withing 5 miles of my house and numerious others more then minorly injured. In many cases the ATV is the first thing to go - often before the youth gets released from the hospital.

In MN when you are caught on a adult sized quad the officer will call your parents and tell them to bring a trailer and their checkbook because the impound and towing fees will run about $250 for the first day.

According to http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/councils...o-atvguide.pdf

Youth operation -
It is prohibited for a child under 16 * to:
• Operate anywhere other than land owned or leased by a parent or guardian unless the child has a valid safety certificate or is under the direct supervision of a certified instructor during a certified safety training course.
• Operate across highways or connecting streets or operate on State Park or State Forest roads designated for joint use (use by both motor vehicles and snowmobiles or ATVs) unless the child has a valid safety certificate and is under the direct supervision of a person 18 years of age or older.
• Drive on state or local highways, roads or streets designated for joint use.

*A child under 10 is not eligible for a safety certificate and is prohibited from operating anywhere except private property.

 

Motormouthroe,

Like I said it is NOT ILLEGAL in PA for you being a 13yo to own an atv over 90cc. I would not condone you or anyone riding in public areas. Thats where you can get in trouble. You can ride on private property including orv/atv parks and trails with adult supervision. I have not said anything that would say that I am wrong. Simply saying that it is not illegal for you to own a 250cc atv.

 

2manytoys... Although you may not have heard about it.. in many areas of the country, the law enforcement community is starting to refer cases and there are many cries for Tougher punishment for parents.

Also, although the guidelines are not law, they are being used as a starting point baseline that many states (Majority) use to enact local legislation. In this young man's state, it may be different... but you cannot make a blanket statement accross the board here.

What my beef is, is this young man's inability to accept his father's will. He can go ahead and do the research and present it to his dad in an attempt to sway him, however in the end, he needs to accept the fact that DAD is in charge, and he should just accept the smaller machine and demonstrate his ability to act responsible and make good decisions.

If he can't accept this point, as a parent, my first reaction is he won't accept the helmet rule, or the no riding without supervision rule, or the don't let your friends ride it rule.. or the no two up riding rule etc... In short, I sure wouldn't trust him... It just shows a lack of maturity and responsibility, and won't win any points with me... and I am sure not with his Dad either.

 

I'm from Pennsylvania. I have attended several ATV Safety courses. ( to collect my $75 ) Our safety instructor told us that in Pa. the age limitations are only a recomendation. He used the example that if you buy a board game, it says on the box " recomended for ages 4 and up". That's what he told us. Children 16 and under must have had ATV safety training to ride on state owned trails also.

There are two ATV safety training courses you can take in Pa. One is by the ATV Safety Institute and the other is through the DCNR

...........................ATTENTION DRAGGINBUTT....................................... .................................................. ......


The safety course put on by the Pennsylvania DCNR does not require children to follow the age recomendation of the CPSC. The DCNR ........WILL.......allow a 12 year old to take their test on a larger than 90cc quad. Yes they do!

As far as safety I can see your point but some kids are way to big for those guid lines. My son is 5'9" and 210 lbs. He's 15. Why should he be restricted to a 90cc quad for another year.

I can see all these high school football players riding around on their Suzuki 80's.


I believe the guidelines should be set according to a childs size not their age.

 

My nephew was 5'10 and 200 pounds when 12 years old. To big for 90? of course he was! Mature enough for a 50 mph machine? Not at all. At 16 he failed his drivers test - 7 times. I've worked with him on many occasions so that he will pass the ATV demonstrated riding ability test. I fear that it is hopeless.

The point is that neither age OR size is an appropriete measuing device on their own. And whereas parents sometimes make really really poor decisions and/or are not the ones providing the access to ATV's - the laws were established.

Even in Minnesota we allow 12-15 year olds to ride adult sized quads - IF 1) they Fit the machine 2) they pass the 3 part ATV safety training and 3) they are under direct supervision by an adult (who is held responsible for the youths proper operation).

Its an old arguement. What happens when they start begging for the car keys and everybody else is doing it.

 

Here is my point!

It is obvious that Motormouth's dad is concerned that he may get in trouble for allowing his son to ride an over 90cc quad.

We are just trying to inform motormouth that he won't. The Pa. DCNR Safety instructors will allow a 12 year old child to drive an over 90cc quad right under their nose while they take their safety course.
It doesn't seem to me that their are going to be police officers knocking on doors if they see a kid riding a quad in their yard if the DCNR allows it to happen in front of them.
This is what motormouth's dad needs to know.

I bought my daughter a Honda 90 when she was 8. She grew out of it quickly.

I can understand larger quads are not for all kids.

Dragginbutt seems to think this kid is being imature for trying to sway his dad into getting a bigger quad. He goes on to make assumptions, that he won't wear a helmet, will ride without supervision, etc...
This is wrong!

The kid realizes he is big for his age and is asking if it is against the law for him to have a bigger quad. His dad thinks he will get in trouble if he gets it.
Where Mr. Dragginbutt gets off, saying he won't listen to rules his dad lays down is unfounded. How did you come up with that? Reread the original post. How did you make all those assumptions from that?

Now I'm not saying to go out and get a new Raptor or quad like that, but maybe an Ozark or Recon would do.

 

I dont have any arguement with your points.

Dragginbutt and I are active in this youth ATV arguement so much that sometimes we bring baggage from previous battles.

Forums are only food for thought. I doubt that in my hundreds of posts regarding youth ATV operations I've done anything but caused a momentary flash of pondered thought in anyones head.

There are many who would agree that all the argueing here does little to change anything. And I can tell you who each of those S@oB%#(@ would be....

Bwaaaahahahaha

 

I disagree. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

I will disagree with that.

The youth quad/age/size thing is probably the most often voiced "discussion" on this forum. Most of us seem to be in agreement that the CPSC guidelines are not the best or safest way to pair a kid up with the correct ATV - even the few ATV safety instructors here seem to be in favor of teenage kids on larger quads
as long as they are properly trained.

I don't think that I've agreed with 100% that anyone has posted on these forums but the fact remains: I have three children who ride under my direction, some of my safety measures that I pass on to them (OK - enforce) have come about from information that I have learned on these pages. I tend to think that somewhere in those hundreds of posts there is at least a few out there who was convinced to stick a helmet on their kids head. Even one would be worth it.

Jaybee

 

AMEN! I hope so (and agree)! I honestly believe education is the key to enlightenment! Spread the word!



Dang, I been hanging around that phantom dude too much! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/img]