Forgive me if this has already been posted, but these are the new regulations/penalities that the Minnesota DNR lists in their regulations booklet for 2005-2006. Boldface has been used to emphasize "big" changes.



Use of ATV and other off-road vehicles by licensed deer hunters, without firearms, is allowed on their own property for occupational purposes. This use also applies to employees and family members who have a valid deer license.

ATVs with add-on snorkel devices are not allowed except at Gilbert OHV State Recreation Area.

The Legislature directed the Commissioner of Natural Resources to review the classification of state forests and determined the status of existing roads and trails by December 31, 2008. For those state forest lands south of U.S. Hwy. 2, the Commissioner must classify the lands as either "limited" or "closed." The state forest lands north of U.S. Hwy. 2 are classified as "managed" unless the Commissioner reclassifies them as "limited" or "closed" under DNR rules.

Hunting and trapping exceptions for ATV and ORV use in state forests have been clarified.

The use of off-highway vehicles (OHV) has been banned in certain types of wetlands. The new law does not differentiate between public and private wetlands in restricting OHV operation, and attempts to rely less on a recreational rider’s knowledge of various wetland types and to make the rider generally more cautious of traveling on any wetland that is not part of an approved trail system.

Adult ATV operators may now lawfully carry one passenger, with certain restrictions.

ATV safety training is required for ATV operators <u>born after July 1, 1987</u> AND who are 16 years of age or older, effective January 1, 2006.

Ten and 11 year olds may operate an ATV up to 90cc on public lands or frozen waters when accompanied by a parent or guardian.

A new off-road vehicle (ORV) safety training program is being developed for ORV/4x4 operators. This new CD ROM training program should be available beginning the summer of 2006.

<u>Penalties</u>

OHV Penalties: Civil citation penalties can include restitution. Fines for second or subsequent violations in wetlands (including snorkel devices), or for careless/reckless operation, can be more than doubled.

OHM, ATV, and ORV operators who receive a ticket and are convicted of violating any law related to OHV operation will be required to complete the DNR independent study format safety training program before continuing to operate the vehicle.



The biggest change I see here is that most 17 and 18 year olds will need to take an ATV-certified safety training course if they have not already done so before riding next year. Comments?

--- Brian

 

This blog hasn't been activated in a while but i'm 17 right now and i was born in 88 does that mean i have to take a stupid riders test. Ive been riding for 5 years without a certificate do you know what the worst trouble i could get in or how exactly do these rules affect me from riding on state land and so.

Thanks
Kevin

 

If you were born in 1988, you would have to take the ATV safety course by law in order to ride on any public land (any state trails or riding areas, or ditches). You would only be able to ride on your parents' property or other private property with permission, if you have not taken the course.

Can I ask what area of the state you are from? There is probably a course coming up shortly that you could take in your area. The safety course really isn't too bad. Back a number of years ago, I had to take the Snowmobile safety class, even though I was in my 20s. It's just a hoop you'll have to jump through, but think of the benefits that you'll get from it.

If you decide not to take the course, and you get caught, it's your parents that are going to have to pay the fines. Certainly you can appreciate what may happen to your riding privileges if your parents have to pay a big fine for a law you broke.

A friend of mine that is 17 now that races motocross had to take the safety course too. It may seem foolish to you at your age to take a training course, but many people don't have the luxury of 5 years experience like you do. You are in the most vulnerable age group for injury. Face it, your friends will coax you on to do something you may not be ready for ... you'll try stuff, and you may crash. Heheh, I have even done stupid things in my 20s. The safety training is designed to cut down injuries and deaths because of ATV crashes. A smaller side effect of this is to make four-wheeling a safer sport, so it won't constantly be under fire from the "people that hate ATVs/it's killing our kids" group.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask...

 

Yeah thanks for the helpful info. I live in the Anoka area so i think i will begin to look for classes considering i'm buying a brand new 4 wheeler in a few weeks. If you know of any good programs send em my way cause i'll probably get my buddies i ride with to take too.

 

Congratulations on the new quad purchase!

You can check out all the latest ATV Safety Course offerings at http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ve...atv/index.html

I am also the Vice President of a club out of Southern Minnesota, and our emphasis lately has been occasional safety trainings. We don't have any planned for this year yet, but I'll keep you posted if we have one soon...

 

Hello Bry,

if he has a valid MN drivers license, all he has to do is take the cd-rom portion of the course. We will be getting some courses scheduled eventually. But I still need to get a new computer to update my presentation.

 

I'm 16, born 1989. So this sucks. I don't have a license so now I have to go through all of this. Dang...

 

Nice post.

Brain did you see anything about noise levels????

I had heard MN was going to reduse the DB lvl that you wheeler could put out...

& ya know us with those fancy pipes[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

They have lowered the noise level to 96 decibels. I don't think that my FMF TI-4 pipe will make that threshold. I wish I new where I could get the noise level tested on my ATV. I would like to know what my noise level output is.

 

Me too. That way I won't get stopped and fail the test. I'd rather know now then before I get a ticket.

How loud would 96 decibals compare to?