UTVs not regulated by state (Wisconsin)
June 16, 2007
The Daily Register Staff
While the state regulates the use of all-terrain vehicles, it does not govern utility task vehicles, such as the one that crashed and killed a Lodi teen last week.
State statue defines what makes an ATV, including the vehicle's weight and tire width, and everything else falls into a gray area.
Trevor Nellen, 17, was killed when a UTV he was riding in tipped over last Thursday on a farm west of Lodi, authorities said.
The Department of Natural Resources runs safety courses on ATV use and keeps statistics on violations and injuries related to their operation, but does not do so for UTVs, which are not mentioned in state law.
"From the DNR standpoint, and it may sound silly, they don't exist," said DNR Safety Warden William Yearman. "In the law, they don't exist."
An ATV must weigh less than 900 pounds and have a width of 48 inches or less. It must have three or more low-pressure tires with a minimum width of 6 inches.
An ATV also must have a seat that is straddled by the rider. UTVs typically have a bench seat.
Although not defined by state statute, UTVs typically have seat belts and a steering wheel, where an ATV has a handlebar and no seat belts.
Some ATV groups have been pressuring the state to create a definition for UTVs, to separate them from ATVs and create a standard model, Yearman said.
"It is an issue that is being addressed," he added.
Authorities said Nellen was riding a Polaris UTV and did not have on a helmet. Additionally, the three occupants of the vehicle were not wearing seat belts, Columbia County Medical Examiner Marc Playman said.
Article Reference: WiscNews.com : Portage Daily Register Online
The Daily Register Staff
While the state regulates the use of all-terrain vehicles, it does not govern utility task vehicles, such as the one that crashed and killed a Lodi teen last week.
State statue defines what makes an ATV, including the vehicle's weight and tire width, and everything else falls into a gray area.
Trevor Nellen, 17, was killed when a UTV he was riding in tipped over last Thursday on a farm west of Lodi, authorities said.
The Department of Natural Resources runs safety courses on ATV use and keeps statistics on violations and injuries related to their operation, but does not do so for UTVs, which are not mentioned in state law.
"From the DNR standpoint, and it may sound silly, they don't exist," said DNR Safety Warden William Yearman. "In the law, they don't exist."
An ATV must weigh less than 900 pounds and have a width of 48 inches or less. It must have three or more low-pressure tires with a minimum width of 6 inches.
An ATV also must have a seat that is straddled by the rider. UTVs typically have a bench seat.
Although not defined by state statute, UTVs typically have seat belts and a steering wheel, where an ATV has a handlebar and no seat belts.
Some ATV groups have been pressuring the state to create a definition for UTVs, to separate them from ATVs and create a standard model, Yearman said.
"It is an issue that is being addressed," he added.
Authorities said Nellen was riding a Polaris UTV and did not have on a helmet. Additionally, the three occupants of the vehicle were not wearing seat belts, Columbia County Medical Examiner Marc Playman said.
Article Reference: WiscNews.com : Portage Daily Register Online
