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| Street Legal OHVs in Utah Oct 1 |
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Schwiiinggg! Utahs Governor has signed SB181 which allows street legal OHVs on the road beginning Oct 1 2008. Before you do the jig keep in mind there are some hoops and several restrictions.
If you are inclined the entire SB181 is here UTAH SB181 Link
There are two main issues to familiarize yourself with before hopping on the pavement.
1: What do I need to do to my rig to be street legal.
2: What are the restrictions, yes there are several.
Answer to #1:
Here is what SB181 says about being legal. This is only about WHAT equipment, license and fees you will need to own a street legal OHV. I encourage you to read the entire bill to understand WHERE you are legal. Since much of the WHERE part is left to local authority you need to check it out carefully before taking to the streets. That will become more clearly defined as we get closer to Oct 1.
Read carefully as to lights and horns etc. Note there is no mention of DOT approved tires so you will not need new tires. This mentions complying with safety inspection requirements under Title 53, Chapter 8, Part 2. You can read this if you like but it is simply the process of safety inspections and does not add to the requirements of what you will need to do to your OHV. Yes you will pay for the inspections. You will get them the same place you get any safety inspection under the same basic rules. When the safety inspectors manual is published we will update this article. Quote from SB181: 480 41-6a-1509. Street-legal all-terrain vehicle -- Operation on highways -- 481 Registration and licensing requirements -- Equipment requirements. 482 (1) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(b), an all-terrain type I or type II vehicle 483 that meets the requirements of this section may be operated as a street-legal ATV on a street or 484 highway that is a highway with one lane in each direction. 485 (b) Unless a street or highway is designated as open for street-legal ATV use by the 486 controlling highway authority in accordance with Section 41-22-10.5, a person may not operate 487 a street-legal ATV on a street or highway in accordance with Subsection (1)(a) if the highway is 488 under the jurisdiction of: 489 (i) a county of the first class; 490 (ii) a municipality that is within a county of the first class; or 491 (iii) a municipality with a population of 7,500 or more people. 492 (2) A street-legal ATV shall comply with the same requirements as: 493 (a) a motorcycle for: 494 (i) traffic rules under Title 41, Chapter 6a, Traffic Code; 495 (ii) driver licensing under Title 53, Chapter 3, Uniform Driver License Act; 496 (iii) registration, titling, odometer statement, vehicle identification, license plates, and 497 registration fees under Title 41, Chapter 1a, Motor Vehicle Act; 498 (iv) fees in lieu of property taxes or in lieu fees under Section 59-2-405.2; and 499 (v) the county motor vehicle emissions inspection and maintenance programs under 500 Section 41-6a-1642; 501 (b) a motor vehicle for: 502 (i) motor vehicle insurance under Title 41, Chapter 12a, Financial Responsibility of 503 Motor Vehicle Owners and Operators Act; and 504 (ii) safety inspection requirements under Title 53, Chapter 8, Part 2, Motor Vehicle 505 Safety Inspection Act, except that a street-legal ATV shall be subject to a safety inspection - 18 - Enrolled Copy S.B. 181 506 when registered for the first time; and 507 (c) an all-terrain type I or type II vehicle for off-highway vehicle provisions under Title 508 41, Chapter 22, Off-Highway Vehicles, and Title 41, Chapter 3, Motor Vehicle Business 509 Regulation Act, unless otherwise specified in this section. 510 (3) A street-legal ATV shall be equipped with: 511 (a) one or more headlamps that meet the requirements of Section 41-6a-1603; 512 (b) one or more tail lamps; 513 (c) a tail lamp or other lamp constructed and placed to illuminate the registration plate 514 with a white light; 515 (d) one or more red reflectors on the rear; 516 (e) one or more stop lamps on the rear; 517 (f) amber electric turn signals, one on each side of the front and rear; 518 (g) a braking system, other than a parking brake, that meets the requirements of Section 519 41-6a-1623; 520 (h) a horn or other warning device that meets the requirements of Section 41-6a-1625; 521 (i) a muffler and emission control system that meets the requirements of Section 522 41-6a-1626; 523 (j) rearview mirrors on the right and left side of the driver in accordance with Section 524 41-6a-1627; 525 (k) a windshield, unless the operator wears eye protection while operating the vehicle; 526 (l) a speedometer, illuminated for nighttime operation; 527 (m) for vehicles designed by the manufacturer for carrying one or more passengers, a 528 seat designed for passengers, including a footrest and handhold for each passenger; and 529 (n) for vehicles with side-by-side seating, seatbelts for each vehicle occupant. 530 (5) An operator of a street-legal all-terrain vehicle, when operating a street-legal 531 all-terrain vehicle on a highway in accordance with this section, may not exceed the lesser of: 532 (a) the posted speed limit; or 533 (b) 45 miles per hour. - 19 - S.B. 181 Enrolled Copy 534 (6) (a) A nonresident operator of an off-highway vehicle that is authorized to be 535 operated on the highways of another state has the same rights and privileges as a street-legal 536 ATV that is granted operating privileges on the highways of this state, subject to the restrictions 537 under this section and rules made by the Board of Parks and Recreation, if the other state offers 538 reciprocal operating privileges to Utah residents. Answer to #2:
How to know if you can ride on a road::
Quote from SB181:
482 (1) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(b), an all-terrain type I or type II vehicle
483 that meets the requirements of this section may be operated as a street-legal ATV on a street or 484 highway that is a highway with one lane in each direction. 485 (b) Unless a street or highway is designated as open for street-legal ATV use by the 486 controlling highway authority in accordance with Section 41-22-10.5, a person may not operate 487 a street-legal ATV on a street or highway in accordance with Subsection (1)(a) if the highway is 488 under the jurisdiction of: 489 (i) a county of the first class; 490 (ii) a municipality that is within a county of the first class; or 491 (iii) a municipality with a population of 7,500 or more people. So get your OHV registered and inspected and you can ride it on any road with one lane in each direction. So no freeways. No multi-lane highways.
Just because a road has a multi-lane section going up a hill does not make it a multi-lane road. The double negative speak in 1(b) at 485 says: The roads inside counties or cities in counties of "first class" status are CLOSED UNLESS the "Controlling Highway Authority" says its okay. Expect to see signs to this effect or you should assume its closed. Only Salt Lake County is a "first class" county. If you want OHV routes in Salt Lake County you'll need to work on it locally. Also any city of 7500 or more is automatically closed. -You CAN cross any road closed to OHVs at a right angle. -You CAN use any road closed to OHVs in an emergency. -You CAN load and unload your OHV on a closed road. -You CAN ride on a closed road if directed by the Police or other public authority. Local authorities in cities of less than 7500 CANNOT close roads to OHVs Local authorities CAN allow access to NON-street legal OHVs and restrict them to certain routes AND require that you keep and eye on younger riders. Quote:
41-22-10.5. Local ordinances -- Designating routes -- Supervision.
760 (1) A municipality or county may adopt ordinances designating certain streets and 761 highways under its respective jurisdiction: 762 (a) as open for street-legal all-terrain vehicle use; 763 (b) as open for general off-highway vehicle use; or 764 (c) as open for limited off-highway vehicle [routes] use to allow off-highway vehicle 765 operators to gain direct access to or from a private or public area open for off-highway vehicle 766 use. 767 (2) A municipality or a county may adopt an ordinance requiring an operator who is 768 under 16 years of age to be under the direct visual supervision of an adult who is at least 18 769 years of age while using a route designated under Subsection (1). Lastly there is the question of how all this effects our under 16 riders.
They cannot operate the OHV on the highways. If you need to have a street legal vehicle to go on a section of road then a person under 16 cannot ride on that road UNLESS it has been designated as open for non-street legal OHVs. So your kids can still ride in towns like Marysvale. Quote:
41-8-1. Operation of vehicle by persons under 16 prohibited -- Exceptions for 626 off-highway vehicles and off-highway implements of husbandry. 627 (1) A person under 16 years of age, whether resident or nonresident of this state, may 628 not operate a motor vehicle upon any highway of this state. 629 (2) This section does not apply to a person operating: 630 (a) a motor vehicle under a permit issued under Section 53-3-210, 53-3-210.5, or 631 53A-13-208; 632 (b) an off-highway vehicle registered under Section 41-22-3 either: 633 (i) on a highway designated as open for off-highway vehicle use; or 634 (ii) in the manner prescribed by [Section] Subsections 41-22-10.3(1) through (3); |
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