Four-wheelers, ATVs and UTVs could legally operate on the streets of Crothersville if a proposed ordinance introduced at last week’s Crothersville Town Council meeting is approved.
Councilman Derrick Minton introduced his proposal to extend the golf cart ordinance to include ATVs and UTVs.
ATV is an abbreviation for All Terrain Vehicles frequently called 4-wheelers. UTVs is short for utility vehicles such as John Deere Gators, Polaris Rangers and other side-by-side vehicles such as with a bed for hauling material including small imported mini-trucks.
Much of Minton’s proposal mirrors the town’s ordinance allowing golf carts to operate on town streets: operator must be a licensed driver at least 16 years old, the vehicle must be insured for liability damages, must comply with all local & state traffic rules, have operating headlights, taillights and brake lights, and can only cross US 31 not travel north and south on it.
A difference is that vehicles under Minton’s proposed ordinance would have to first be registered with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources then be registered with the town of Crothersville to be operated on town streets. The ordinance calls for a $25 annual registration fee, the same as for golf carts.
Another difference is allowing ATVs & UTVs to operate on town streets after dark. Golf carts are restricted to daylight hours.
According to town hall officials only three golf cart registrations have been sold since the ordinance went into effect in 2010, and one of those was for the town’s golf cart used to read water meters.
But Minton thinks there will be more ACT/UTV registrations sold.
“There are more people who have ATVs than have golf carts,” he said.
Some residents at last week’s council meeting expressed concerns about ATV’s with loud mufflers operating at night disturbing residents’ sleep.
“If they break traffic laws, that is why we have police to enforce those laws,” said Minton. He pointed out that the proposed ordinance calls for a fine of up to $200 for violations and loss of local registration for a year.
The proposed ordinance expanding the use of town streets to ATVs & UTVs could receive first reading at the March town council meeting.
