Off-road vehicles will now be off-limits to Montgomery County youngsters without the proper safety equipment.
A new county law goes into effect today that adds even more guidelines for registering and riding ATVs and mini-bikes — already considered illegal on Maryland public streets.
County Council officials say the idea is to protect juveniles who are increasingly cruising Montgomery County neighborhoods in their off-road rigs.
Montgomery County Police Officer Chris Johnson, who trained county police on ATV enforcement, said the new provision forces those 16 and under who want to ride on private property to wear a helmet and eye protection, and get permission from the property owner and a parent.
The law also requires businesses that sell off-road vehicles to provide information in some form — whether it be via signs, fliers or handbills — about who can use motorized bikes and where.
Johnson said the police department does not have any hard data on how many youngsters are utilizing ATVs and other off-road vehicles, but the number has soared in just the last four years.
The problem is that parents have naively let their children drive around on the potentially dangerous equipment freely, unaware of the legal requirements, he said. County Council members, in passing the extra guidelines in June, wanted to make a strong statement about safety.
According to council legislative analyst Sonya Healy, the hope is additionally to provide a mechanism for identifying owners and operators who destroy personal property. A violation of the law would be a Class C violation, subject to a $50 fine for the first offense.
As for public roadways, these vehicles will continue to be prohibited.
