By State Sen. Mark Messmer (R-Jasper)
Indiana officials have worked tirelessly to ensure safety requirements regarding minors are dependable and reliable.
Back in 2017, I sponsored House Enrolled Act 1200, which required children under 18 years old to wear a helmet while riding an off-road vehicle.
This past summer, I had several parents talk to me about how unpractical wearing a helmet can be for children who are harnessed in a child-restraint system in some off-road vehicles.
After these discussions, I worked with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to come up with legislation that would alleviate this issue while continuing to protect children.
Senate Bill 281 would allow minors the opportunity to ride off-road vehicle equipment without wearing a helmet if the child is properly using a car seat, and the UTV is equipped with safety belts that can be used with a child's car seat.
This bill only impacts off-road vehicles that have roll over protections. This would not include 4-wheelers and a child would still be required to wear a helmet on that type of off-road vehicle.
If an individual violates these requirements, it can result in a class C infraction.
Senate Bill 281 passed the Senate and is now being considered by the House Committee on Roads and Transportation.
Legislative calendars, agendas, vote tallies and proposed legislation can be found on iga.in.gov.
As always, feel free to contact my office directly with your questions and concerns by email at Senator.Messmer@iga.in.gov or by phone at 800-382-9467.
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State Sen. Mark Messmer (R-Jasper) represents Senate District 48, which
includes Crawford, Dubois, Gibson, Perry, Pike and Spencer counties.
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