Off-road: Bill would ban UTVs from high-speed highways, require licenses and insurance

Utility terrain vehicles — they’re essentially turbocharged golf carts, and Sen. Tom Wright wants them off high-speed highways.

The Port Orange Republican this month filed SB 440, which would ban the vehicles known widely as UTVs from all federal roadways where the posted speed limit is 55 mph or more.

It would also require those controlling UTVs to have a driver’s license or be a minor under the direct supervision of a licensed driver.

The bill defines a UTV as “a vehicle less than 70 inches in width which has at least two seats allowing passengers to sit in a side-by-side manner and which is equipped with headlamps, stop lamps, turn signals, taillamps, rearview mirrors, a windshield, seat belt, and a horn.”

Further, the measure would mandate that UTV owners comply with all state insurance and license requirements for mini trucks.

Florida has similar strictures on its books already for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), which are similar to UTVs but more like four-wheel motorcycles. However, ATVs are banned from all public roads and streets except unpaved ones with speed limits less than 35 mph.

Counties can exempt themselves from the ATV roadway restrictions — and could do the same for UTVs if Wright’s bill passes — if their commissions vote to do so after holding a public hearing.

Wright’s bill follows numerous reports of UTV-involved fatalities across Florida, including the deaths of a Columbia County police captain in November 2022, a Tampa man in January, a 14-year-old Dixie County teen in June and a 10-year-old Ocala boy in September.

It also comes as governments across the country are grappling with how to regulate and benefit from the vehicles and one similar to them, which can boost outdoor tourism but can be excessively noisy.

The measure, which Wright filed Nov. 13, awaits a House companion.