ATV Riding Laws - Kentucky
The Consumer Product Safety Commission ranked Kentucky third in terms of ATV deaths from 2007 to 2010, with 122 reported. For the period from 1982 through 2015, 652 fatalities were reported, putting the state behind only Texas, California, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The number of deaths from 2013 to 2015 put the state in third place, with 72.
Kentucky has several provisions for the use of all-terrain vehicles. There are statutory restrictions on operating them on public highways unless a vehicle has been authorized to do so or crosses them for agricultural, construction, road maintenance, or snow removal activities. A statute also restricts operation on two-lane public highways to cross at close to a 90-degree angle and for no more than two-tenths of a mile. Operators on highways must also:
- Have a valid operator’s license with them while riding.
- Comply with applicable traffic regulations.
- Have at least one working headlight and two taillights.
- Drive only during the day, except for snow removal, maintenance, and emergencies.
People are also restricted from driving on private property, unless a landowner, tenant, or anyone responsible for overseeing that property consents. Government agencies must approve of any ATV activity on public property.
Safety Requirements
Helmets are required for all operators driving on public property. This rule exempts those engaged in farming, mining, logging, or other business or industrial activity. Any rider or passenger under 16 must have a helmet on at all times while on an ATV.
Kentucky also has age restrictions related to engine size. An operator under 12 years old is prohibited from driving an all-terrain vehicle with an engine larger than 70 cc. Individuals under 16 can’t ride one with an engine over 90 cc. Below that age; all riders need to have parental supervision to legally operate the vehicle.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Office of Highway Safety offers additional tips on using helmets. It recommends using only U.S. Department of Transportation helmets or those approved by other standards organizations. A proper fit, comfortable padding, neck roll, and fastened chin strap are advised as well. It also advises users to replace helmets after five years or if cracked, dented, or otherwise damaged in a crash, and not ride on paved roads at all, or on unfamiliar terrain.
Registration, however, is not permitted, because ATVs cannot be used on public roads in Kentucky.
The state ranks quite high in all-terrain vehicle deaths, which include children, mothers, students, and police officers. The Journal of Agromedicine conducted a study of ATV-related deaths involving rural high school students, noting a high rate of students never wearing a helmet, rode as a passenger, or have had a previous accident. All-terrain vehicle riders have therefore been encouraged to obey the law and follow the safety tips issued by agencies and organizations throughout the state.