Vehicles: off-highway motor vehicles

The law expands emergency-response access and allows short road trips to reach patrol locations or off-highway recreation areas when local safeguards are in place.

What the law does ​

• Allows first responders, as well as peace officers, to drive identified off-highway motor vehicles on highways during emergency responses.
• Allows peace officers and first responders to drive these vehicles up to five miles on a highway for official duties to access an off-highway recreation area or patrol location.
• Authorizes local governments to regulate this use only after public review and adoption of a publicly posted policy or plan.
• Requires local policies to identify authorized activities or locations and duration, and set needed training, certification, or safety-equipment requirements.

Who it affects ​

• Peace officers and first responders using identified off-highway motor vehicles for official duties.
• Local authorities that choose to authorize and regulate this road use.
• Members of the public using highways where authorized off-highway vehicles operate.

Context ​

Existing rules generally limit off-highway vehicles to crossing highways or other narrow exceptions.