What's happening
This bill raises the minimum age from ten to fourteen for minors to receive ATV safety certificates and operate ATVs in New York.
Why it matters
Raises the minimum age for ATV safety certification and operation. By increasing the minimum age from ten to fourteen, the bill restricts younger children from operating ATVs, aiming to reduce accidents and injuries among minors.
Narrows exceptions for younger riders. The bill removes a previous allowance where minors as young as sixteen with a safety certificate could supervise other minors, making adult (18+) supervision the only permissible oversight for underage riders not on family property.
Increases parental responsibility and oversight. Parents and guardians will have to wait until their children are at least fourteen before enrolling them in ATV safety courses or allowing them to ride off family property, likely requiring more active parental involvement and delaying independent ATV use.
Reflects growing safety concerns. The changes suggest heightened legislative attention to the physical and cognitive readiness of younger adolescents for operating potentially dangerous vehicles, aligning with broader efforts to improve youth safety standards in recreational activities.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Raise ATV Age for Minors
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
18 Co-sponsors
2 Multi-sponsors
History
- Ordered to third reading cal.230
- Advanced to third reading cal.204
- Reported
- Referred to transportation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Raise ATV Driving Age
In Senate Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Pete Harckham
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6087
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 27, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the operation of all-terrain vehicles by minors
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 2409 of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by chapter 402 of the laws of 1986, is amended to read as follows:
2. Safety certificate. Upon successful completion of a safety course given in conformity with subdivision one of this section by a person [ten] fourteen years of age or over, the person or entity which gave the course shall notify the commissioner of such completion in a manner prescribed by the commissioner. The commissioner shall, upon receipt of such information, issue an ATV safety certificate to the person who has successfully completed the course. Such certificate may be limited to the type of vehicle for which the course was given.
§ 2. Subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 2410 of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by chapter 402 of the laws of 1986, are amended to read as follows:
1. Except as provided by subdivision two of this section, no person under the age of sixteen years shall operate an ATV except upon lands owned or leased by his or her parent or guardian, unless he or she is under general supervision of a person eighteen years of age or over [or a person sixteen years of age or over who holds an ATV safety certificate]. "Leased lands" as herein used shall not include lands leased by an organization of which said operator or his or her parent or guardian is a member.
2. A person [ten] fourteen years of age but less than sixteen years of age who has received safety training as prescribed by the commissioner and has received the appropriate ATV safety certificate issued by the
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09896-03-9
A. 6087 2
commissioner may operate an ATV in the same manner as a person who is sixteen years of age or older.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.