Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 57-20. Practices Related to Offroad Vehicles Sharing the Road, Path, and Trail

n many rural areas, offroad and special purpose vehicles [e.g., all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), utility task vehicles (UTVs), four-wheelers, golf carts, and dirt bikes] share the roadway with cars and trucks. These vehicles also share trails and paths with pedestrians and cyclists. Users of offroad vehicles may be unaware of how they can legally mix with existing traffic on roads, paths, and trails. There is a gap in knowledge about how state departments of transportation (DOTs) manage offroad vehicles and the challenges these vehicles may pose. The objective of this synthesis is to document state DOT practices for offroad vehicles on roads, paths, and trails. Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to): Current state laws or regulations governing the registration and operation of offroad vehicles on different classifications of roadways, paths, and trails; Data utilized by state DOTs to determine ownership/usage rates and safety issues; and State DOT coordination with local jurisdictions. Information will be gathered through a literature review, a survey of state DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected DOTs for the development of case examples. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.

• Record URL:
  • http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5997

Language

• English

Project

• Funding: $65,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  20-05/Topic 57-20

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC    20001

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Hutchins, Mark

• Start Date: 20241001
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: All terrain vehicles; Regulations; Rural highways; State departments of transportation; Traffic safety; Trails; Vehicle mix
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01972951
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: 20-05/Topic 57-20
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Nov 27 2025 3:51AM