SAFETY STRESSED FOR OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE RIDING
SANTA FE – When warm weather returns to New Mexico it could mean an early start to the off-highway motor vehicle (OHV) riding season. The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish wants to remind riders that safety is the primary goal of the state’s OHV laws for riding on public lands.
OHV riders under the age of 18 must:
- Wear a helmet and eye protection.
- Have a safety training permit, now available to students who pass one of the OHV training courses available on the Department of Game and Fish website, www.wildlife.state.nm.us.
- Have adult supervision while riding if they do not have a driver’s license.
- Register their OHV with the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division or have a nonresident permit.
Riders of any age must:
- Register their OHV with the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division or have a nonresident permit.
- Have a U.S. Forest Service-approved spark arrester and an engine that produces fewer than 96 decibels.
- Never harass or pursue wildlife or livestock.
- Never ride on private property without permission.
This spring, Department of Game and Fish and other law enforcement officers across the state, including the U.S. Forest Service and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department, will check OHV riders for registration permits and compliance with safety requirements. Expect to be checked.
If you are unfamiliar with New Mexico’s OHV laws, please spend a few moments on the Department’s websites, www.wildlife.state.nm.us or www.b4uride.com. Or call the New Mexico Off-highway Vehicle Program at (505) 476-8140.
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TTune in to New Mexico Game and Fish TV:
“New Mexico Wildlife”
6:30 a.m. Saturdays on KASA Channel 2, Albuquerque
6:30 p.m. Sundays on KENW, Portales
7:30 p.m. Thursdays on KRWG, Las Cruces
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