Date: 08/13/2015
Final
Presentation from the County Sheriffs of Colorado
OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLES
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01:08 PM -- Presentation from the County Sheriffs of Colorado
Sheriff Fred McKee, Delta County, Sheriff Ronald Bruce, Hinsdale County, and Sheriff Anthony Mazzola, Rio Blanco County, came to the table to present to the committee. The testimony of various county sheriffs was distributed to the committee (Attachment B). Sheriff McKee introduced the panel and explained its involvement with all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in Delta county. He spoke to the 23 ATV accidents that had occurred on county roads in these counties in the past 4 years. Sheriff McKee discussed the age limit in place for the use of ATVs, the need for local control for regulating ATVs, and whether the state should have laws that infringe upon the use of ATVs.
Attachment B.pdf
Sheriff Bruce discussed Arizona's experience with allowing OHVs to drive on public roads, the different dynamics of counties throughout Colorado, and how it makes the most sense to allow counties to determine themselves whether OHVs can use county roads.
Sheriff Mazzola discussed the very low incidence of OHV accidents that he had seen on county roads in Rio Blanco County, the use of ATVs by the agricultural community, the two OHV accidents that have occurred in the county in the past four years, and the number of accidents that Colorado State Patrol responds to on Rio Blanco's county roads. Sheriff Mazzola implored the committee to allow counties to decide whether or not they wish to allow OHVs on their roads.
01:28 PM
The sheriffs responded to questions on the necessity of a statewide registration system for OHVs. Committee discussion of this and local regulation of OHVs ensued. The sheriffs responded to a question on OHV users from other states that allow OHV operation on public roads and how this effects their driving on Colorado roads.