Did you know there’s a UTV education course in Utah?
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — A crash between a car and a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) on Monday turned deadly after the driver of the UTV was ejected during the crash.
That crash sparked a conversation about safety, and ABC4.com spoke with Chase Pili, the off-highway vehicle program manager for the Division of Outdoor Recreation, about how Utahns can be safe when operating off-highway vehicles.
“We do have an adult education course for all off-highway vehicle users over the age of 18,” Pili said.
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Pili said the online course is a one-time test that lasts for life. He said it takes 15 to 30 minutes to complete and provides information on safe and ethical information on using the off-highway vehicles. There are 26 questions accompanied with educational videos.
Completion of the course is required under the code in order for Utahns to operate off-highway vehicles. Pili said the practices reviewed in the course “apply to almost all recreating users.”
According to Utah Code, “The division shall design the program to develop and instill the knowledge, attitudes, habits, and skills necessary for the safe and ethical operation of an off-highway vehicle.”
Pili said the overall objectives of the course are to provide a message of safety, go over the impact of off-highway vehicle usage and how to be a good neighbor and a good steward of the land.
Part of the safety message, Pili said, is “making sure that people are wearing their seatbelts, wearing their helmets and operating within their means and the capabilities of both them as well as the machines.”
Pili also made note of the fact that off-highway vehicles are designed for off-road usage and will therefore operate differently when used on pavement. He also said those types of machines don’t have as many safety mechanisms.
“Purchasing an off-highway vehicle is knowing all the laws and regulations before you go out on the trails,” Pili said.
Since the implementation of the education course in January 2023, Pili said about 268,000 people have completed the educational course. Pili acknowledged that, while each vehicle is different, he would still recommend helmets and seatbelts when in an off-highway vehicle.
Pili said there has been some negative feedback, but also a lot of good feedback about what people have learned from completing the course. He also said rangers are patrolling the trails and educating people about the course.
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