Guest Report - October 2025
- abatewis4
- Sep 29, 2025
- 5 min read
All-Terrain Vehicles/Utility Terrain Vehicles ATV/UTV in Wisconsin
Why am I reading about ATV/UTV in a motorcycle rights organization (MRO) newsletter? I attended the Governor’s Conference on Highway Safety in August with Gary Klinker. One of the breakout sessions was titled “Navigating the patchwork: Challenges and considerations for ATV/UTV route ordinances.” I will tell you about the title of their breakout in a little bit, but first, let’s look at some facts or demographics. There are currently 512,792 registered ATV/UTVs in Wisconsin, while there are about 400,000 registered motorcycles in Wisconsin. It appears to me that we have an opportunity to bring on some lobby support for things like the type of fuel we can use and the right-to-repair bill.
These cats seem to be pretty well-versed in local politics. They have managed to have local municipalities open over 65,000 miles of local roads to ATV/UTV use. It started with just a few roads connecting public trails in northern Wisconsin and now stretches to the Illinois border. They are not limited to connecting trails anymore, but taking the ATV/UTV operator to local businesses and into towns and villages, and some cities.
OK, so now a little more about the content of the breakout session. Let’s start with the money. So, I will just say that if you don’t care at all about ATV/UTVs, you can save yourself some time by turning the page. It is interesting, though, especially when you get to crash data. There are over 100,000 more registered ATV/UTVs in Wisconsin, yet they account for roughly half of the fatalities. I know there are many reasons for that, it just raised my eyebrows a little.
Economic Impact. ATV/UTV users contribute about 1% to the total of all Wisconsin employment, contributing to 39,804 jobs. Rider spending is estimated at $54 billion, and they bring in an estimated $435.4 million in tax revenue per year.
In 2015, there were 318,222 ATVs registered in Wisconsin and 37,458 UTVs for a total of 355,680 combined. In addition to these Wisconsin registrations, there were 13,330 ATV trail passes for out-of-state folks, and 1,590 5-day passes also to out-of-state folks. So, that is a total of 370,600 ATVs and UTVs on our roads and trails. So far in 2025, there are 324,679 ATVs and 188,163 UTVs for a total of 512,792. That is a roughly 14% increase in registrations. Also, I don’t have any 2025 data on non-resident annual ATV/UTV passes or 5-day passes. And, the 2024 annual report does not give numbers, just a graph. It looks like there were roughly 60,000 annual passes and about 5,000 5-day passes sold to non-residents. That makes the current ATV/UTV users on Wisconsin roads and trails up to at least 577,792.
Roads/Trails. Wisconsin has about 6,800 miles of public trails for ATV/UTV use. Many localities have opened roads to their use as well. There are currently over 65,000 miles of county, city, village, and township roads open to ATV/UTV travel. Each of those municipalities has its own rules for using these roads. There are a few “statewide” rules of the road for ATV/UTVs; there are, in fact, 1,072 different ordinances in over 42 counties in Wisconsin. The advice is “Know before you go”.
The DNR ATV safety course is mandatory for anyone born after January 1, 1988, to legally operate an ATV or UTV on a public trail or road. There are no exceptions; anyone 37 years old or younger must have completed this course to legally operate these machines. In addition, you must be 16 years old and have a WI DNR ATV safety certificate to operate an ATV/UTV by yourself on any road. 12–15-year-old youths are permitted to ride ATVs (not UTVs) on a road only if accompanied by a parent or an approved adult. Some municipalities have different age minimums, specific hours of operation, mandatory insurance, and some even require a valid driver's license. It is worth noting that anyone under 16 years old cannot operate a UTV on public roadways statewide; they cannot even cross the road.
Enforcement. Many counties have designated Sheriff Deputies to patrol ATV/UTV trails and roads they operate on. Obviously, each county is very different, and some don’t patrol at all.
ATVs have low-pressure tires for several reasons. Mostly, for improved traction, a smoother ride, reduced tire damage, and increased flotation on soft surfaces like sand, mud, and snow. UTVs have the same style of low-pressure tires; of course, they are thicker and stronger to handle the extra vehicle weight and speeds at which they operate. All low-pressure tires can be problematic on pavement, hard-packed dirt, and gravel roads. These types of surfaces require less traction and more stability. Some ATV/UTV operators switch to high-pressure tires if their riding is predominantly on hard surfaces. They allow for better handling, better responsiveness to cornering and braking, and reduce sidewall flex.
Crashes/Fatalities
A reportable crash on an ATV-UTV is a crash that results in a fatality or requires medical treatment by a physician and must be reported to the DNR on Form 4100-174 by the operator. There is no property damage limit or minor injury requirements. However, a crash that involves a motor vehicle and meets the threshold of a reportable crash must be reported to the police or sheriff department, and a DT4000 must be completed.
The Largest Causes of crashes are attributed to speed, inexperience, reckless operation, and alcohol.
In 2015, the total crashes reported were 203, 186 on ATVs and 17 on UTVs. There were 20 fatalities in 2015: 1 on a frozen waterbody, 8 on public roads, 10 on private property, and 1 on a public trail.
In 2024, the total crashes reported were 312, 151 on ATVs and 161 on UTVs. There were 40 fatalities in 2024: 2 on a frozen body of water, 27 on public roads, 9 on private property, and 2 on public trails.
So far in 2025 there have been 33 fatal crashes, 8 on ATVs and 25 on UTVs; 5 on a frozen waterbody, 15 on public roads, 10 on private property, and 3 on public trails.
In closing, I hope that I conveyed the message that we could certainly team up with these folks on some legislative initiatives. It doesn’t have to be a formal agreement or relationship; sometimes, casual support is very effective. My other objective was to just inform you of a sport that is gaining a large following and hopefully get you interested enough to look at it and the people who partake. Finally, I sincerely hope that this was not 15 minutes of your life that you will never get back. I don’t like people wasting my time either.
Larry Geist
Safe Rider Trainer
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