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Off-Road Basics—Riding Your ORV

Reading and Traversing Terrain

To ride safely, you need to be able to assess the terrain ahead of you and understand the capabilities of your machine.

  • Stay on existing trails. Avoid dangerous terrain such as steep slopes, marshes, and swamps. Also, keep an eye out for large holes, ruts, bumps, debris, and other obstacles.
  • Travel at speeds appropriate for the terrain, visibility, operating conditions, and your ability.
  • Constantly scan the path ahead of you to pick the safest route around obstacles or hazards.
  • Carefully approach hills, turns, and other obstacles.
  • Be especially alert when traveling over unfamiliar terrain.

Reading terrain

Safety Tips

Don’t ride alone.
Avoid alcohol and drugs.
Don’t operate tired.

Riding on Different Types of Terrain

Snow

ORVs and all other wheeled vehicles are prohibited from using state snowmobile trails unless designated for ORV use.

  • Ride only on firm snow or groomed trails where permitted by law. Riding on soft snow can damage the terrain.
  • Watch for snow drifts. They may cause an accident or cause you to get stuck.

Sand Dunes

  • Mount an antenna flag on your ORV so others can see you.
  • Avoid riding on vegetation or wet sand.

Crossing Roads and Highways

Because ORVs are designed for off-road use, they can be difficult to handle on paved surfaces. Riding on or crossing a road illegally or improperly is a leading cause of ORV rider fatalities.

If you must cross a road, follow this safe procedure.

  • Stop at a right angle to the road.
  • Pick a crossing point where you have good visibility in both directions.
  • Bring your vehicle to a complete stop on the shoulder of the road.
  • Look both ways, and yield to oncoming traffic.
  • Proceed forward slowly because your ORV may be difficult to maneuver on pavement.
  • Drive straight across the road.

ORVs legally operate on ORV trails.

Operating on trails vs. roads

Cars legally operate on roads.

Michigan Department
of Natural Resources
Off-Road Basics
It's the Law!
More Information

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Online offroad vehicle safety handbook last modified: April 13, 2009
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