Follow the law, Emery County Sheriff reminds off-highway vehicle riders (and their parents)
Oct 10, 2025, 6:09 PM
Jacie Fasselin and her son, Jaxten ride an ATV to check fencing on their farm near Elmo in Emery County on Sunday, April 28, 2024. (Kristin Murphy/Deseret News)
(Kristin Murphy/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — The Emery County Sheriff’s Office is reminding parents about safety and state law, citing what they called a “large amount of complaints” about kids riding motorized off-highway vehicles on city streets.
The types of vehicles in question are dirt bikes, ATVs and UTVs.
Related: UHP identifies 5 killed in crash between SUV, semitruck and ATV on US 6 near Price
“Most of the complaints have been called in by people who are concerned about the safety of these youngsters,” said the Emery County Sheriff’s Office. “… It’s fun to be a kid and ride around town on your dirt bike or four-wheeler, but it is not always the safest thing to do.”
“Accidents involving trucks and cars with OHVs never end well for the OHV,” the sheriff’s office said.
Definition of terms
In its post, the Emery County Sheriff’s Office mentioned ATVs, UTVs and off-highway vehicles.
Generally speaking, an OHV, or off-highway vehicle, is a motorized off-highway vehicle “designed for riding on unpaved surfaces,” according to offroad-ed, which provides off-road education courses.
Related: ATV accident claims the life of a 14-year-old girl in Uintah County
An ATV, or all-terrain vehicle, is a type of OHV. It has low-pressure knobby tires and is manufactured in both three-wheeled and four-wheeled versions.
A UTV, or utility terrain vehicle, is another type of OHV. In a UTV, a driver and passenger can sit side by side. They are also referred to as a utility-task vehicle or side-by-side vehicle.
So what are the rules for off-highway vehicles?
Education about, supervision of, and the proper safety gear for OHVs are all addressed by Utah law. To operate an OHV, adult and youth operators must take a safety course and have a certificate from the course.
According to Utah law, OHV operators under age 18 must be supervised by an adult while operating the OHV.
Related: One dead, two seriously injured in separate ATV accidents at Fivemile Pass
If an OHV operator is under 18 years old, they must wear a helmet. OHVs can’t be operated on a highway or street unless the highway or street is designated as an OHV route.
More information is available on the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation website.
Parents, kids and OHVs
The Emery County Sheriff’s Office has a few requests of parents.
“Please re-examine your practices with your kids and OHVs,” the sheriff’s office said. “Be smart and cautious about it. … No amount of fun or convenience is worth the risk of losing a loved one to a crash.”
“Parents, please talk with your kids and set clear rules and expectations to keep them safe while operating OHVs.”
