**OPP NEWS RELEASE**

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Kirkland Lake Detachment would like to remind All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) and Utility Terrain Vehicle (UVT) operators to have a safe and enjoyable riding season. With the snow melting there will be an increase in the number of ATV’s and UTV’s on the trails and roadways. The OPP’s focus for the Victoria Day Long Weekend will be on Off Road Vehicles to ensure that operators are following all laws and regulations.

The biggest change to ATV laws in Ontario came on July 1, 2015, with the inclusion of “Side by Sides” (SxS) and 2-up ATV’s. The provincial government has legalized all of the varieties of Off Road Vehicles (ORV).   

ATV’s that are capable of carrying a passenger are also legal, provided the passenger seat and foot pegs are in place from the manufacturer. A single-rider ATV that has been modified to carry a passenger by installing an after-market seat and foot rests is not considered a two-up ATV.  

The municipality of Kirkland Lake does have a by-law allowing ORV’s to use the some of its roadways. For full details on the by-laws you can visit the Town of Kirkland Lake’s website at www.kirklandlake.ca.   

Quick Facts:  

  •  Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) is a broad term that can include single-rider, two-up and side-by-side ATVs and utility terrain vehicles.
  • Drivers operating a permitted ORV along a road or highway must hold at least a G2 or M2 driver’s licence, and their vehicle must be registered and insured.    (For a complete list, refer to the Ontario Highway Traffic Act Regulation 316/03, Schedules A and B. www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/.)
  • Helmets, seat belts (where applicable) must be worn at all times.
  • Speed limits must be obeyed (20 km/h in a 50 km/h speed limit or less, and 50 km/h in posted areas over 50 km/h).
  • Insurance, plates, all the normal rules apply.
  • Children under the age of eight are not be allowed as a passenger on any ATV/ORV operating on-road.
  • No drinking and driving! Impaired operation on an ATV/UTV carries the same penalties as if you were driving a car.

 

 

Filed under: Local News