ST. GEORGE – The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce its new off highway vehicle/all-terrain vehicle education course.
Southern Utah has long been known for its outdoor recreation. Many locals and tourists enjoy exploring the area on ATVs. What many people are not aware of is that children under the age of 8 are prohibited from operating ATVs on public lands in Utah. Any person over the age of 8 who wishes to operate an ATV is required to have a valid OHV Safety Certificate or driver’s license in their immediate possession.
Through cooperation with the Division of Utah State Parks and Recreation the Washington County Sherriff’s Office has created a course to locally issue state required OHV safety certificates.
In the past, instructors throughout Utah taught an OHV safety course course provided by instructors certified with the Division of State Parks and Recreation. This course was eventually phased out. Students are still able to obtain an OHV Safety Certificate through an online course located on the State Parks webpage.
A four-hour OHV education course
The course is designed to give riders the basic skills necessary to safely operate an OHV. Some of the topics included are ATV nomenclature, ATV laws in Utah, proper safety equipment, riding technique and much more.
At the conclusion of the course, students will take a written test on the material covered during the course. After successfully passing the test, the students will be sent a valid OHV Safety Certificate for the state of Utah.
An encouraged four-hour basic OHV skill course
Many students who are granted OHV Safety Certificates have very little riding experience. During the skill course, students bring their own ATV and are allowed to practice the techniques taught during the classroom portion. Topics include conducting a pre-ride inspection of the machine, starting, stopping, turning, climbing and descending hills, avoiding or crossing obstacles and much more.
The class is limited to 10 students per session for safety reasons and is taught by a certified OHV instructor. Students wishing to attend the skills portion may send an email with the student’s name and contact information to [email protected]. They will then be contacted for the next available course.
The sheriff’s office will be presenting the first certification course on June 30, 2012, at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 9 a.m. There is no cost to the students, but class size is limited.
Those wishing to attend the course should send a request to [email protected] or contact the sheriff’s office directly. All accepted students will receive confirmation via letter, email or phone. Students unable to attend due to class size will be contacted for the next available course.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews
It’s disturbing how many people manage to kill themselves on ATVs doing the dumbest things. A little knowledge of the physics of inertia and the center of mass would go a long way. I’m glad these guys are making an attempt at educating people about these vehicles.