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West Virginia is one of the biggest states for ATVs and has experienced more deaths than any other
state on the recreational vehicles.
After seven years of no ATV laws, they are now going to the governor for signature.
The new bill would require riders under 18 to take safety courses and wear helmets on both public and
private land, while barring those without driver's licenses from carrying passengers.
The bill would restrict ATV use on some state roads while allowing them on mostly back-country roads that
lack a painted centerline. Only 13,000 of the state's 34,000 miles of roads have centerlines. Also, it
explicitly allows adults to carry one passenger.
Opponents of "open road" riding says the law now makes it official - you can ride on open highways
without a yellow line.
ATV manufacturers consider it unsafe to drive ATVs on paved roads or to carry a second passenger. The
manufacturers lobbied heavily against the measure, saying
ATV tires are not designed for pavement, and few of the vehicles are designed to carry passengers.
Sections of the proposed law will be difficult to enforce by law officers. The measure has murky language
about riding berms.
Leff Moore of the West Virginia Recreational Vehicle Association, said the proposal will exacerbate the
state's liability insurance crisis, since it lacks explicit provisions requiring ATV drivers to get insurance.
Under current law, drivers can lose their license for 30 days for failing to carry insurance.
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