Ontario Dirt Bike Laws and Regulations

[Robp]

Unless, your kids are riding on PRIVATE property, (yours or someone who gives you written permission to do so), your kids can't be legally riding on crown or maintained trails. The off road vehicle act states that they MUST be at least 12 years of age. It is the same with ATV's. Sleds also have a minimum age for a person to operate them.

Yes you can get insurance stating your the rider, BUT if your kids are riding and crash the insurer will void the policy and not cover anything, plus then you will have to answer yes whenever buying insurance and get asked have you ever had a policy canceled before. If they get stopped on crown land, (OPP S.A.V.E. team and conservation officers patrol areas on ATV's, then you will get ticketed, and depending upon the circumstances they can even seize the bike.

Not saying your kids can't shouldn't ride, just advising of the potential issues. Might want to rethink the idea unless you have a few acres for them to ride on. It gets really boring riding around a 1 acre loop.

Maybe I misunderstand the exceptions stated in the law.

Age limit for driving
4. (1) No owner of an off-road vehicle shall permit a child under the age of twelve to drive the vehicle. R.S.O. 1990, c. O.4, s. 4 (1).
Exception
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply where the child is driving the vehicle,
(a) on land occupied by the vehicle owner; or
(b) under the close supervision of an adult. R.S.O. 1990, c. O.4, s. 4 (2).



Wouldn't exception (b) negate the age restriction?

 

[Iceman]

Well scorra and the OFTR have many members under the age of twelve. They are allowed to ride the Simcoe County Forest tracts, they must be plated/insured and under 94db. You have to insure the bike under you, then add a secondary clause that's allows for riders under 12 on your policy. I'll see if I can find the clause number and post it here.

Sent from my Le Pan TC802A using Tapatalk

 

[hedo2002]

Maybe I misunderstand the exceptions stated in the law.

Age limit for driving
4. (1) No owner of an off-road vehicle shall permit a child under the age of twelve to drive the vehicle. R.S.O. 1990, c. O.4, s. 4 (1).
Exception
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply where the child is driving the vehicle,
(a) on land occupied by the vehicle owner; or
(b) under the close supervision of an adult. R.S.O. 1990, c. O.4, s. 4 (2).



Wouldn't exception (b) negate the age restriction?

But what does "close supervision" entail? Unless mom or dad are also on an accompanying vehicle, how do you keep close supervision as the child rides through a wooded area? Is 50 feet away close? Is 1000 feet away close? As with most regulations it would be left to the discretion of the officer.

OFTR and SCORRA, may have many members under age 12, doesn't make it legal. I am sure if they check with their insurers they may be told not to sell memberships, to children under 12. I know most ATV clubs will not sell a membership to anyone under 16 for liability reasons. Now that is not to confuse the owners personal insurance, (which may have the exemption clause), I am speaking of the club or organizations Liability policy.

 

[Robp]

But what does "close supervision" entail? Unless mom or dad are also on an accompanying vehicle, how do you keep close supervision as the child rides through a wooded area? Is 50 feet away close? Is 1000 feet away close? As with most regulations it would be left to the discretion of the officer..

Just curious, in your world you imagine parents just dropping their kids off in the morning to go ride some single track, then pick them up in the afternoon?

That's ridiculous and I would hope you see that. It seems obvious to me you don't know what trail riding with kids is all about.

 

[hedo2002]

Just curious, in your world you imagine parents just dropping their kids off in the morning to go ride some single track, then pick them up in the afternoon?

That's ridiculous and I would hope you see that. It seems obvious to me you don't know what trail riding with kids is all about.

Actually that does happen, there was a child taken to an "off road track" last year, dad was off chatting with others when the kid, (8 years old), got on their atv with a child and decided to go for a rip, rolled the ATV and he was killed. So yes it can happen, but that wasn't my point, (did I not ask how far is considered close supervision and asked 50' or 1000'), so obviously I wasn't suggesting the "parents dropped the kids off." Now the mother, (the parents are separated), is now trying to push the province to make it the law under the Off Road Vehicle Act that no one under 16 be permitted on ANY off road vehicle period. Also look at the stats last year there were 4 people under the age of 16 killed on ATV's due to not properly operating the vehicle as intended, (three involved speeding on roads). So at times kids don't always follow what they may have been told by their parents.

Reading is fundamental you should give it a try. Your the one trying to stretch the information provided to the point of being ridiculous.

My point was "close supervision" is left open to interpretation of the officer. Just providing relevant information to the OP. It is his children and I am sure he will properly supervise them, just needs to be aware of the regs and potential issues. He may opt to just remain on his own property for the time being, or he may get a second bike and go trail riding with them. Go back and read the OP's post he said nothing about having a bike for him to ride along with them.

 

[Robp]

Actually that does happen, therewas a child taken to an "off road track" last year, dad was offchatting with others when the kid, (8 years old), got on their atv with a childand decided to go for a rip, rolled the ATV and he was killed. So yes it canhappen, but that wasn't my point, (did I not ask how far is considered closesupervision and asked 50' or 1000'), so obviously I wasn't suggesting the"parents dropped the kids off." Now the mother, (the parents areseparated), is now trying to push the province to make it the law under the OffRoad Vehicle Act that no one under 16 be permitted on ANY off road vehicleperiod. Also look at the stats last year there were 4 people under the age of16 killed on ATV's due to not properly operating the vehicle as intended,(three involved speeding on roads). So at times kids don't always follow whatthey may have been told by their parents.

Reading is fundamental you should give it a try. Your the one trying to stretchthe information provided to the point of being ridiculous.

My point was "close supervision" is left open to interpretation ofthe officer. Just providing relevant information to the OP. It is his childrenand I am sure he will properly supervise them, just needs to be aware of theregs and potential issues. He may opt to just remain on his own property forthe time being, or he may get a second bike and go trail riding with them. Goback and read the OP's post he said nothing about having a bike for him to ridealong with them.

An "off road track"? Why the quotation marks? Was it orwasn't it? The kid was obviously not matureenough and neither was the father. ATV's are deathtraps, butthat's beside the point.

Sorry, but I don't feel that I’m stretching anything. The law is the law including theexception. Of course it doesn’t statehow close that supervision is because there are a lot of varying instances.

The OP never said he was or wasn’t getting a bike to rideas well. I never assumed he was. Did you? He did say he got them PW50’s which are not ATV’s, but you have broughtup scenario’s involving ATV’s. ATV’s aredifferent machines which actually carry different rules, for example, you canlegally ride an ATV down the road in some places in Ontario but not a bike atall.

And for what it’s worth both my kids (9 and 13) haveOFTR/SCORRA memberships and insurance with State Farm. I will be contacting them because of what theOP said.


You gave the OP some information and so did I. Both were relevant and I don’t understand whyyou feel the need for a smart *** comment towards me.


To the OP, I would suggest checking out https://www.scorra.ca/phpBB3/ if youhaven’t already.