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LAWS & RULES : ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE ( ATV )
vehicles on public ways pursuant to Title 29-A , section 2395 . Municipal or county law enforcement officials having jurisdiction have primary enforcement authority over any route established under this paragraph .
7 . Failing to stop ATV before entering public way . A person shall bring an ATV to a complete stop before entering a public way .
8 . Failing to yield right-of-way while operating ATV . A person shall yield the right-of-way to all other types of vehicular traffic while operating an ATV on a public way .
9 . Crossing closed bridge , culvert , overpass or underpass with ATV . A person may not cross with an ATV a bridge , culvert , overpass or underpass closed to ATVs by the Commissioner of Transportation pursuant to this subsection . The Commissioner of Transportation may , following a public hearing , prohibit the crossing by an ATV of an individual bridge , culvert , overpass or underpass if the commissioner determines that that crossing or use of a public way is hazardous . Any bridge , culvert , overpass or underpass closed by the commissioner must be posted by appropriate notices .
10 . Reckless operating on ATV . A person may not operate an ATV in such a way as to recklessly create a substantial risk of serious bodily injury to another person .
11 . Operating ATV to endanger . A person may not operate an ATV so as to endanger any person or property .
12 . Operating ATV at greater than reasonable and prudent speed . A person may not operate an ATV except at a reasonable and prudent speed for the existing conditions .
13 . Operating ATV without protective headgear . A person under 18 years of age may not operate an ATV without protective headgear .
14 . Carrying passenger on ATV without headgear . A person may not carry a passenger under 18 years of age on an ATV unless the passenger is wearing protective headgear .
15 . Repealed
16 . ATV headlight and taillight requirements . This subsection establishes light equipment requirements for the operation of an ATV .
A . Except as provided in this subsection and section 13159 , a person may not operate an ATV in the State , regardless of where purchased , unless equipped with front and rear lights as follows .
( 1 ) The ATV must have mounted on the front at least one headlight capable of casting a white beam for a distance of at least 100 feet directly ahead of the ATV .
( 2 ) The ATV must have mounted on the rear at least one taillight capable of displaying a red light that must be visible at a distance of at least 100 feet behind the ATV .
B . The following are exceptions to the requirements of paragraph A .
( 1 ) Repealed .
( 2 ) A person may operate an ATV including a 2-wheel off-road motorcycle without a headlight and taillight between sunrise and sunset .
17 . Required use of ATV lights . Except as provided in section 13159 , the following provisions govern the use of ATV lights .
A . A person shall use the lights required under subsection 16 as follows :
( 1 ) During the period from ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise ; and
( 2 ) At any time when , due to insufficient light or unfavorable atmospheric conditions caused by fog or otherwise , other persons , vehicles and other objects are not clearly discernible for a distance of 500 feet ahead .
18 . Unlawfully operating ATV on railroad tracks . This subsection governs operation of an ATV on railroad tracks .
A . A person may not :
( 1 ) Operate an ATV along or adjacent and parallel to the tracks of a railroad within the limits of the railroad right-of-way without written permission from the railroad owning the right-of- way ; or
( 2 ) Operate an ATV across the tracks of a railroad after having been forbidden to do so by the railroad owning the railroad right-of- way or by an agent of that railroad , either personally or by appropriate notices posted conspicuously along the railroad right-of-way .
B . Notwithstanding paragraph A , a person may operate within the right-of-way of a portion of railroad line that has been officially abandoned under the authority of the Interstate Commerce Commission .
19 . Operating too close to certain buildings . A person may not operate an ATV within 200 feet of a dwelling , hospital , nursing home , convalescent home , or
2023-24 STATE OF MAINE SUMMARY OF LAWS & RULES ATV & SNOWMOBILE
church .
A . This subsection does not apply when a person is operating an ATV on :
( 1 ) Public ways in accordance with subsections 6 and 9 or on controlled access highways in accordance with subsection 3 , paragraph A ;
( 2 ) The frozen surface of any body of water ; or
( 3 ) Land that the operator owns or is permitted to use .
20 . Repealed . 21 . Repealed .
22 . Abuse of another person ’ s property . A person may not while operating an ATV :
A . Tear down or destroy a fence or wall on another person ’ s land ;
B . Leave open a gate or bars on another person ’ s land ;
C . Trample or destroy crops on another person ’ s land ; or
D . Remove or destroy signs or posted notices .
23 . Repealed .
24 . Operation of ATV on temporarily closed trail . A person may not operate an ATV on any section of a trail posted with a notice of temporary closure in accordance with this subsection . The notice must specify the section of trail that is closed and the period of the closure and must be conspicuously posted at each end of the closed section of the trail .
25 . ATV noise and fire control devices . The following provisions pertain to ATV muffling and fire control devices and noise level limits .
A . Except as provided in section 13159 , a person may not :
( 1 ) Operate an ATV that is not equipped at all times with an effective and suitable muffling device on its engine to effectively deaden or muffle the noise of the exhaust ;
( 2 ) Operate or modify an ATV with an exhaust system that has been modified in any manner that will increase the noise emitted above the following emission standard :
( a ) Each ATV must meet noise emission standards of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and in no case exceed 96 decibels of sound pressure when measured from a distance of 20 inches using test procedures established by the commis-