SMART RIDE SAFE RIDE

What you need to knowto operate an ATV in Ontario

BLEED

TheAllTerrainVehicle,orATVasit’scommonlycalled,isaverypopularyear-roundutility andrecreationalvehicle,thatoffersmanyhoursofenjoymentforoutdoorenthusiasts. However,therearecertainrisksassociatedwithridinganATViflawsaren’trespected andsafetyprecautionsareignored.

ThisbookoutlinesthelegislativerequirementsforATVsandothertypesofoff-road vehiclesandpromotessafeandresponsibleridingpractices.Thebookisonlya guide.FormoredetailedinformationonlegalrequirementsforATVuse,pleasereferto theOff-RoadVehiclesAct(ORVA)andtheHighwayTrafficAct(HTA)ate-laws.gov.on.ca

AnATVisatypeofOff-RoadVehicle(ORV)thathasfourwheels,steeringhandle bars,aseatthatisstraddledbythedriverandisdesignedforadriveronlyandno passenger.

Ahighwaycanincludearoadway,streetoravenueandconsistsofallthelandwhich fallswithinthehighwayright-of-way,suchastheshoulderandditch.

Off-Road RidingVehicle Information

•AnATVmustberegisteredanddisplayarearlicenceplateexceptinexemptareassuchasfarnorthernOntario.Itmustalsobe insuredunderamotorvehicleliabilitypolicy.

Driver Information

• Thedrivermustbeatleast12yearsofageunlesstheyareunderthedirectsupervisionofanadult.

• ThedrivermustcarrytheATV’sregistrationpermitoratruecopy.

•Thedriverandpassengermustwearanapprovedmotorcyclehelmetthatissecurelyfastenedunderthechinwithachinstrap.

•Thedrivercandirectlycrossahighwaywherepermitted,iftheyareatleast16yearsoldandholdavaliddriver’slicence.

ForalistofhighwaysinOntariowhereORVsareprohibitedfromcrossing,pleasechecktheOff-RoadVehiclesAct,OntarioRegulation863,Schedule1.Youmaycheckonlineat:e-laws.gov.on.ca

On-Road Riding

Passengers are prohibited from riding on an ATV that is being driven on a road.

Vehicle Information

• Asdescribedinthe“Off-RoadRiding”section,anATVmustberegisteredandinsured.

•AnATVthatweighs450kilogramsorlessandhasanoverallwidthnotgreaterthat1.35m(excludingmirrors)maytravelalong someprovincialhighwaysandonmunicipalroads,onlyifthemunicipalityhasabylawpermittingtheiruse.

• AnATVisallowedtotravelonHighways500to899,7000serieshighwaysandhighwayswithlowtrafficvolumes,butisprohibited fromtravelingon400serieshighways,theQueenElizabethWay,andsectionsoftheTrans-CanadaHighway.

ForacompletelistofhighwayswhereATVsarepermittedorprohibited,pleaserefertoHighwayTrafficActRegulation316/03.Youmaycheckonlineat:e-laws.gov.on.ca

Driver Information

TheATVdrivermust:

• beatleast16yearsofageandholdavalidG2orM2licenceorgreater;

• wearanapprovedmotorcyclehelmetthatissecurelyfastenedunderthechinwithachinstrap;and

• travelatspeedsthatarelessthanthepostedspeedlimitasoutlinedbelow.

Speed and Rules of the Road

• 20km/histhemaximumspeedanATVcantravelonroadswithapostedspeedlimitof50km/horless.

• 50km/histhemaximumspeedanATVcantravelonroadswithapostedspeedlimitofmorethan50km/h.

• MunicipalitiesmaysetlowerspeedlimitsoradditionalrulesforATVs.

• AnATVmustbedriveninthesamedirectionastrafficandtravelontheshoulderoftheroad.Iftheshoulderisunsafeor impassable,theATVcanbedrivenonthetravelledportionoftheroad.

• AnATVtravellingalongaroadmusthaveitsheadlightsandtaillightson.

Two-Up ATVs

Vehicle Information

• Atwo-upATVisatypeofoff-roadvehiclethathasfourwheels,steeringhandlebars,a driver’sseatandapassengerseatdirectlybehindthedriver.Note: a single rider ATV that has been modified to carry a passenger by installing an after-market seat and foot pegs is not considered to be a two-up ATV.

• Atwo-upATVmustberegisteredanddisplayarearlicenceplate.Itmustalsobeinsured underamotorvehicleliabilitypolicy.

• Atwo-upATVisprohibitedfromprovincialhighwaysandmunicipalroads,evenif thedriverisnotcarryingapassenger.

• Atwo-upATVcanbedrivendirectlyacrossahighway(wherepermitted),ifthedriveris 16yearsofageandholdsavaliddriver’slicence.

ForalistofhighwaysinOntariothatoff-roadvehiclesareprohibitedfromcrossing,pleaserefertotheOff-RoadVehiclesAct,OntarioRegulation863,Schedule1.Youmaycheckonlineat:e-laws.gov.on.ca

Driver Information

• Thedrivermustbeatleast12yearsofageunlesstheyareunderthedirectsupervisionof anadult.

• Thedriverandpassengermustwearanapprovedmotorcyclehelmetthatissecurely fastenedunderthechinwithachinstrap.

• Thedrivermustcarrythetwo-upATV’sregistrationpermitoratruecopy.

Side-by-Side Off Road Vehicles

Vehicle Information

• Aside-by-sideoff-roadvehiclehasdriverandpassengerseatingbesideeachother, similartoacar.Itisusuallybuiltwithahood,asteeringwheelandfootpedals,insteadof amotorcycle-typehandlebarandthumbthrottle.

• Aside-by-sideoff-roadvehiclemustberegisteredanddisplayarearlicenceplate,except inexemptareassuchasfarnorthernOntario.Itmustbeinsuredunderamotorvehicle liabilitypolicy.

• Aside-by-sideoff-roadvehicleisprohibitedfromuseonprovincialhighwaysand municipalroads.

• Aside-by-sideoff-roadvehiclecantraveldirectlyacrossahighway(wherepermitted),if thedriverisatleast16yearsofageandholdsavaliddriver’slicence.

ForalistofhighwaysinOntariothatoff-roadvehiclesareprohibitedfromcrossing,pleasechecktheOff-RoadVehiclesAct,OntarioRegulation863,Schedule1.Youmayalsocheckonlineat:e-laws.gov.on.ca

Driver Information

• Thedrivermustbeatleast12yearsofageunlessunderthedirectsupervisionofanadult.

• Thedriverandpassengersmustwearanapprovedmotorcyclehelmetthatissecurely fastenedunderthechinwithachinstrap.

Alcohol and ATVsOn-Road

• WhenoperatinganATValongaroadway,driversmustobeyOntario’sdrinkinganddriving lawsundertheHighwayTrafficAct(HTA)aswellasthoseundertheCriminalCodeofCanada (CCC).

• Driverscaughtwithabloodalcoholconcentration(BAC)levelgreaterthan.08,orwhofailor refusetoprovideabreathorbloodsampletopolice,willbechargedundertheCCCand subjectedtothefollowingconsequencesundertheHTA:

• driver’slicencesuspensionatroadsidefor90days; • vehicleimpoundmentatroadsideforsevendays; • $150administrativemonetarypenalty; • furthersuspensionperioduponconviction(oneyearforfirstoffence);and • therequirementtocompletetheBackonTrackremedialmeasuresprogram,followedby theinstallationofanignitioninterlockdeviceinstalledinanyvehicletheydriveforaminimum ofoneyear.

• DriverswithaBAClevelinthe“warnrange”of.05to.08facethefollowingconsequences:

• escalatingroadsidelicencesuspensionsfrom3to30days; • a$150administrativemonetarypenalty; • remedialalcoholeducationortreatmentprograms(forasecondorsubsequentoccurrence);and • a6monthignitioninterlockconditionontheirdriver’slicence(forathirdorsubsequentoffence).

Alcohol and ATVsOff-Road

• DriversoperatinganATV,two-upATVorside-by-sideoff-roadvehicleonCrownland,private propertyoratrailsystemwhileimpairedand/orwithaBAClevelgreaterthan.08willface criminalchargesifstoppedbypolice.

• Alldriversaged21andyoungerarerequiredtohaveaBACofzeroatalltimeswhendriving. Iftheyarecaughtwithanyamountofalcoholintheirsystem,theyfaceanimmediate24-hour licencesuspension,anda30-daysuspensionandfineupto$500uponconviction.

Be Prepared• Wearanapprovedmotorcyclehelmetthatissecurelyfastenedunderthechin withachinstrap;propereyeprotection;protectiveclothingsuchasalongsleeved shirtorjacket,longpants,leathergloves,andappropriatefootwear.

• Alwaysbepreparedfortheunexpected.Carryatoolkit,firstaidsupplies,towrope, flashlight,tirerepairkit,high-energyfoodandcellphone.Alsocarryamap,compassor GPSunit,andknowhowtousethem.

Private Property

ATVs,two-upATVsandside-by-sideoff-roadvehiclesthataredrivenonthevehicleowner’slandareexemptfromtheserequirements:

• Insurance;• Thedriverhavingaminimumageof12years;and• Helmetuse,althoughitisstronglyrecommendedthatdriversandpassengersweara helmetatalltimes.

Municipal Bylaws

MunicipalitiesmaypassabylawthatallowstheuseofATVsalongitsroads.ATVsareprohibitedfromtravellingalongmunicipalroadsifabylawhasnotbeenpassed.

MunicipalitiesthatallowATVstotravelalongitsroadscandeterminewhichroads,whereontheroad,thetimeofdayandtheseasontheyareallowedaccess.TheymayalsoestablishadditionalrulesforATVs.

Beforeyouride,alwayscheckwiththemunicipalitytoconfirmthatATVsareallowedonitsroads,andifso,whetherthereareanyrestrictedareasorrulesyouneedtoknowabout.

Enforcement

WhenridinganATValongaroadway,onatrailsystem,oronCrownland,therequirementsoftheHighwayTrafficActand/ortheOff-RoadVehiclesActareenforcedbypoliceandconservationofficersacrosstheprovince.

IfyouarestoppedbyapoliceorconservationofficerwhenridinganATV,two-upATV,orside-by-sideoff-roadvehiclewhilenotonthevehicleowner’sland,youmustproducethefollowingdocumentswhenrequested:

• Registrationpermit;• Proofofinsurance;and• Driver’slicence,whenrequired.

Youmustalsostopwhensignalledtobyalandownerandprovideyournameandaddressifrequested.

Liabil i ty

Theownerofanoff-roadvehicleisliableforinjuryordamagethatmayoccurwhensomeoneelseisoperatingthevehicle.

Theownerofanoff-roadvehiclemayalsobechargedandconvictedofanoffenceundertheOff-RoadVehiclesAct,itsregulationsoramunicipalbylawifthedriverofthevehicleisnotcomplyingwiththelegislativerequirementsoftheOff-RoadVehiclesAct.

Be a Safe and Responsible Rider

• TakeanATVsafetycourseandlearnhowtoridefromanexpert.

• KnowyourATVandreadyouroperator’smanualbeforeriding.

• Doapre-rideinspectionandcheckoil,gasandotherfluidlevels,lights,brakesand tireairpressures.

• Stayincontrol.Neverridebeyondyourskilllevelorabilities.

• Alwaysrideaccordingtotrail,roadandweatherconditions.

• Useextremecautionwhenturning,crossing,climbinganddescendinghills,andalways crossobstaclesusingthepropertechnique.

• Drivesober-itisagainstthelawtodrivewhileimpairedbyalcoholordrugs.Itwill alsoaffectyourjudgementandslowyourreactiontime.

• Ridewithothersandalwaysletsomeoneknowwhereyouaregoingandwhenyou expecttoreturn.

• Beresponsible,courteous,andrespectothersonthetrail.Rideindesignatedareasonly. Preservetheenvironmentandkeepnoiselevelslow.

NeedmoreinformationonATVsafetyorlegalrequirements?Visit:

ontario.ca/atv

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