Are you allowed to cross a road on your quad?

[Yammy]

Can you ride your quad on the road or cross a road if your quad is licensed and registered and you have functional signal lights and running lights?

Let me know, I'm new to this.

Thanks! 

[davefrombc]

It depends on where you are.  In BC, Canada, you  have to be licensed and have  a minimum $200,000 Liability insurance to  cross main  roads and also  may  drive on the shoulder of secondary roads with a permit from the local  police department.  You  must also  have separate liability insurance to  ride on public land. There is no requirement for running or signal  lights here.

You need to  check with your  state/ provincial laws for the requirements for you and your  quad there .  The rules can be very different depending on the location.

[Yammy]

Dave, thank you!

 I will be riding it in BC Canada, possibly Alberta too.

I didn't realize the police was involved in providing permissions other than enforcing rules. I imagined that permission and regulation would come from the registration office! That's how it's done in Alberta anyway. But I'm new to the quading... so I have a lot to learn

thank you

[davefrombc]

In BC, road permits are issued free from  the local detachment office for the area you want to  drive in .  There are 2 insurances required to  ride here .. The  ICBC  insurance is for crossing main  roads at intersections and driving on secondary road shoulders.  The other is liability  insurance  for  riding on forest service roads and  other Crown land .. That insurance is normally  cheaper through private companies. I  have no  idea on the requirements in Alberta.

 

[PineAppleCawks]

Here in the southern states of the US all it takes is a farm use tag ;).

Not really though it always depends on local regulations and the kind of area your in means a lot. If your nearest neighbor is 7 miles away and you only see a few cars in a day you might as well just drive it on the road

[olddude]

Around here they don't take kindly to riding on any hard road. If you have to cross a hard road you better be pushing it. Having said that some folks can get away with just about anything. There was a kid up the street that used to ride his blaster up and down the road all the time but then one day he flew by and just a little bit later the car with the blue lights went by in hot pusuit. I ain't seen that kid or the 4 wheeler since.

[Yammy]

Unfortunately when people don't follow the rules, it ruins it for everyone. Some also, seem to forget respect and courtesy! For the land (public or private) and/or the machine and the power of the mechine!

Follow the rules, stay safe and have fun!

Thank you for sharing! Good feedback!

[Grizz700]

In New York state its a BIG no no to ride on/cross any public road, paved or dirt. 

The part that is even a little more infuriating is that even through can't ride on the roads you still have to register your ATV and get a license plate!

As I understand many choose not to get it registered, but if it ever gets stolen and you call the police the first question from them is going to be what's the registration/plate number? Oooops if you don't have that info!

[quadmaniac]

On 5/20/2022 at 11:11 AM, Grizz700 said:

In New York state its a BIG no no to ride on/cross any public road, paved or dirt. 

The part that is even a little more infuriating is that even through can't ride on the roads you still have to register your ATV and get a license plate!

As I understand many choose not to get it registered, but if it ever gets stolen and you call the police the first question from them is going to be what's the registration/plate number? Oooops if you don't have that info!

Yep, NY is a big no no unless you hit a trail system upstate.

[Dave S]

Here in rural Wisconsin, many towns and villages allow ATV/UTV to ride the roads, unless posted otherwise, generally NO Highway riding.  Where I live, I can almost get to Green Bay and Canada on town roads.  I set my ATV up with turn signals, but as far as I know, there's no requirement in any of the surrounding towns.  I just wanted to be proactive to defend against the 'other guy' in cars and trucks.

[Dave S]

On 5/20/2022 at 10:11 AM, Grizz700 said:

what's the registration/plate number

Isn't that the FIRST thing that comes off a stolen vehicle?

🤣

[lilbird]

Depends on what state/province you are in but generally you have to be licensed and insured to cross or drive on a roadway. 

[Clayzimmerman]

I dunno what the laws are but the cops around here dont care theres people always driving the roads with there quads and dirt bikes. Which i live in mo so that prolly is y they dont care 

[Dngrs1]

On 5/5/2022 at 9:42 PM, Yammy said:

Can you ride your quad on the road or cross a road if your quad is licensed and registered and you have functional signal lights and running lights?

Let me know, I'm new to this.

Thanks! 

By "road" do you mean highway or just a dirt road?

[MJGator]

I live on a Farm to Market road in Texas. Lots of tractors and other farm equipment share the road. Most ATV/Utv traffic is just crossing or going down the road a bit. Probably not legal, but not a big issue as long as no one is racing or destroying property. 

[Oldbear]

Iowa as of July 1 2022 became legal to drive on about every thing except the Interstate.  Must have Insurance at least one headlight , stop and tail lights, rear mirror and a horn.  Obey all the regular rules and maximum speed 35 mph with a DNR registration.   A lot of towns have had ordinances where with a permit  UTV and golf carts can  run them on the street .  That's the basic jist of the new law but the city's can still prevent them if they desire, odd.  So that's the best news I could hear.  Previous it was farmers farm to farm atv parks and on ice.

 

[SilverLaker]

Ontario is a bit different. You have to be 16 yrs old, have a drivers licence to cross a road, and far as driving on the shoulders go each municipality has a say on that. Its a go unless they pass by laws prohibiting it. And off road plates and insurance required too. Speed limited to 50km/h too. The Police are good about it, so long as you aren't driving like an as* they leave us alone. 

[JDAlbert]

Depends on the state, but we're able to ride on the road here in Montana--with tags, mirrors, signals, etc...  I'm sure a lot of folks do--just be careful of people in cars/suvs.  Had a guy try to pass me on the left when I was making a left turn.  I had my signal on but that didn't matter to him.

[mga]

can't ride on any road in Kentucky

https://bullitt.kysheriff.org/wp/all-terrain-vehicles-and-what-you-need-to-know/#:~:text=KENTUCKY ATV LAWS,any public highway or roadway.

[rgeiser]

in IL you can get city permits that allow you to ride on the road just no highway. and next year they are going to offer county wide permits. mainly because everyone is riding the back roads anyway.

[Gwbarm]

My state claims there is no way to make an ATV street legal.

https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/all-terrain-vehicle-atv-laws-mississippi