Position In Opposition to On-Road Operation of ATVs
The Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA) is the national not-for-profit trade association representing manufacturers and distributors of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in the United States. SVIA’s major goal is to promote the safe and responsible use of ATVs.
SVIA opposes legislation allowing ATVs on roads that are not part of a designated trail system because:
- ATV manufacturers design, test, and sell ATVs for off-highway use only.
- Unlike cars and trucks, ATVs do not meet Federal motor vehicle safety standards.
- Misuse of ATVs causes the majority of accidents and injuries.
Allowing ATVs on roads falsely signals that this practice is safe. It is not. On-road ATV riders face increased risks from collisions with cars and trucks. ATVs are not designed for on-road use, and they do not handle well on paved surfaces. This increased risk remains even if an owner or aftermarket provider modifies an ATV’s equipment for on-road use and federal data shows that on-road ATV deaths were 51% of total deaths in 2018 (latest year of complete data).1 This is a disproportionately high number given that the vast majority of riders use ATVs for their intended off-road use.
Studies and investigations show that a large majority of ATV injuries and deaths involve behaviors that our industry warns against in rider education programs, product literature, and on vehicle warning labels. These behaviors include: 1) riding ATVs on paved roads; 2) riding without a helmet or other protective safety gear; 3) carrying passengers on ATVs designed for one person; 4) children riding adult-sized ATVs; and 5) riding under the influence of alcohol.
States can prevent a substantial number of ATV-related injuries and deaths if laws keep ATVs off public roads, except to cross at a 90-degree angle when necessary to connect trail systems, which SVIA proposes in its model legislation.
