ATV News & Articles of Florida
Should country roads be made available to ATVs in Florida?
The future of ATV riders in Florida hangs in a balance right now as the state considers whether country roads should be made to ATV riders or not. As of right now, ATVs are only allowed where there are not as many commercial vehicles traveling around. One may wonder what the issue is if ATVs were allowed on country roads because country roads are not exactly the same as the traffic-congested parts of the state.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission earlier revealed that there is a significant increase in deaths related to ATVs. And it is quite apparent that if the law allowing ATVs to travel on country roads is passed, there will be another increase. Florida residents voted on whether the law should be passed or not – and for those who voted cited that if ATVs were allowed on country roads, it would allow for more flexibility. However, those who opposed it because they thought that off road vehicles should remain just that…off the road.
Under the new law, ATVs are now allowed to be ridden on rural roads where it isn't paved, and the ATV should not go any faster than 35 MPH , be driven only during the day (along the unpaved roads), ATV riders should have a special ATV license, and if a minor were to ride their ATVs, they should be accompanied by an adult who has license for ATV riding.
Is it OK for the residents that the new law applies only to unpaved roads? Apparently not. Florida residents who are opposing the law said that many of the country roads in Florida are well traveled. People use it quite often to get around to other parts of the state. So, in opposing the new ATV law, they're essentially worried about the safety of other users of the country roads.
Now, with such strong opposition against the new ATV law from politicians and residents alike, many are considering the option of opting out via a majority vote. Those voting against the new ATV law is probably not going to get much help from Jackson county. That's because they have only one complaint, so far, about the new law. The rate of accidents relating to ATVs in the county is from low to none over the last few years. However, this does not mean that people from Jackson County are not concerned about a potential rise in the statistics. With more than 1,300 miles of dirt roads, there would be ATVs lurking around everywhere and there is a chance that the number of accidents related to ATVs will increase tremendously.
Instead of opposing the new law, why not people start with good basic and foundational guidance on proper and ethical usage of ATVs?