Currently in Massachusetts, “A person between the ages of 12 and 14 years old may operate a recreation vehicle or a snow vehicle if directly supervised by a person 18 years old or older,” according to 323 CMR 3.03. Recent accidents involving youth have left people wondering if tougher laws should be in place. Snowmobile organizations are now seeking out these tougher laws.

The new legislation reads, youth ages 14 to 16 would need direct adult supervision to operate a recreational vehicle and would only be allowed to operate a vehicle with an engine capacity of no more than 90cc. Furthermore, young individuals would be required to complete a safety course to operate these vehicles. This portion of the legislation would be phased in over time.

The Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts offers these safety courses. President of the association, Daniel Gould, said that “many parents do not seem to realize the dangers” of operating these vehicles. With speeds of 50 miles per hour, crashes can quickly become fatal.

These safety courses offer tips of the trade that can be very useful while riding. Overall, if you are going to ride, be safe!