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Regulating All Terrain Vehicles

Our Position: support
Bill Number: HB1004
Sponsor: Rep. Chuck Sims
Legislative Session: 2006

HB 1004 is an attempt to regulate ATVs by requiring them to have title of ownership, clarifying the fact that they are illegal on roads and road rights of way, and limiting the ability of operators under the age of 16 to use the machines without first taking a training course in safe operation. ATVs would also be required to have license plates that say "Off Road Only."

Status

While HB 1004 had passed unanimously out of a subcommittee of the House Motor Vehicles Committee, it was headed for defeat in the full committee at a meeting on Feb. 9, largely because of poor attendance at the meeting, and the effect of the presence of three committee members opposing the bill.  Objections to the provisions requiring a one time $20 fee and license plate reading “Off Road Only” were the main stated reasons for opposition, although two of the opponents, former Chair Bobby Parham and former subcommittee Chair Alan Powell, have opposed ATV regulation for years. This opposition occurred in spite of the appearance of local tax officials and a major ATV dealer in support of the bill at the Thursday Committee meeting.    

Action Needed

More information

Background

This measure, by long time safety advocate Rep. Chuck Sims, a funeral director who can tell sad stories of ATVs and children, should soon pass the full committee.  No serious opposition to HB 1004 has been noted, except for a tiny group of mountain county ATV enthusiasts, who have tried, unsuccessfully, to make the vehicles “legal” for on-road use for years.  ATV’s fail to meet the standards of the federal Motor Vehicle Safety Act and the Clean Air Act, and cannot be legally operated on roads.

ATV’s are a growing problem in many areas of the state, which has a reported 250,000 ATVs in use. They are destroying vital natural environment, and they are responsible for deaths and maiming injuries from crashes and over turnings.   Law enforcement attention to ATV’s has grown in recent years, but Georgia’s effective failure to regulate the machines has tied the hands of police and wildlife officials.  The two aspects of misuse of ATV’s that have been responsible for the new level of legislative engagement are the horrendous, and worsening, safety record, and the increasing number of instances of trespass.