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ORV Unit
OFF-ROAD VEHICLE UNIT (ORV)
The
Grant County Sheriff’s Office is proud to serve the community in
an off-road capacity. The ORV unit consists of two commissioned deputies
who work with a number of community groups to ensure safe off-road recreation.
The ORV deputies travel the state educating users
of the Sand Dunes and other areas as to the laws and safety equipment
required in off-road activities. Memorial Day weekend is an example of
one of the more active weekends and assistance from other agencies and
deputies makes this a success, drastically reducing the number of accidents
and calls for service.
The ORV division is funded through a Maintenance & Operation, Education and
Enforcement Grant through the Recreation and Conservation Office.
New information:
Alcohol is prohibited in the Moses Lake
and Beverly Sand Dunes. It is also unlawful to operate
an ORV on roadways. In particular the main Sand Dunes Rd
in Moses Lake.
Grant County ORV Facilities:
Grant County 4WD & ORV Communities:
Area(s), Condition(s), and Law(s)
Under Which You Are Allowed To Ride:
Vacant Lots: Find out who
owns the land and ask for their permission to ride on
the land. If you don't, you are guilty of trespassing (going
onto someone's property without their permission). Just
because there's not a fence around it doesn't mean you
have the right to ride there. The biggest complaint
about ORV's running near houses is the NOISE and DUST.
The noise bothers everyone. Don't ride near houses.
Clean air regulations govern the amount of dust that can
be created. Violations of clean air regulations can
carry stiff fines.
Washington State DNR, WDFW and some
Private Land: (Department of Natural Resources
and
Department of Fish and Wildlife) - ORV's are permitted
on marked DNR and WDFW roads and trails. View the law as it
pertains to:
Any person can operate any ORV on DNR and WDFW roads and motorized trails with the following:
-
Current License Plate or ORV Tag
-
A working muffling system (emitting
no more than 105 decibels at 20") with a "USFS
Approved Spark Arrester" that is stamped into the
metal on motorcycle mufflers and is clearly visible
-
Head-light(s) and tail-light(s) are
required during the hours of darkness
-
Brakes and Brake-light(s).
-
Effective July 2005
-
RCW 46.09.117: Riders under 13 must be under
direct supervision of a person eighteen years of
age or older possessing a valid license to
operate a motor vehicle under
RCW
46.20 to ride on a non-highway
road
-
RCW 46.09.120.3.a: Except for an off-road
vehicle equipped with seat belts and roll bars
or an enclosed passenger compartment, it is a
traffic infraction for any person to operate or
ride an off-road vehicle on a non-highway road
without wearing upon his or her head a
motorcycle helmet fastened securely while in
motion. For purposes of this section,
"motorcycle helmet" has the same meaning as
provided in RCW 46.37.530.
Area(s), Condition(s), and Law(s) Under
Which You Are NOT
Allowed To Ride:
Roadways: Only
licensed street vehicles may ride on, cross or
ride the shoulders/ditches of roadways.
Canals: Riding along canals is prohibited.
These roads are for maintenance and canal operations. If
you are on them, you are guilty of trespassing.
Additional content coming soon!
(We would like to thank Yakima County
for inspiring much of the content displayed above)
