Manchester Police Increase ATV Enforcement

MANCHESTER, NJ — People who are found driving their all-terrain vehicles on Manchester Township streets are risking having their ATVs confiscated for violating New Jersey's laws, Mayor Ken Palmer said recently.

Palmer, speaking during a Facebook Live on March 29, said Manchester Township Police have stepped up enforcement over the last year, as ATV use has increased due to limits on other activities.

The township has long had an uneasy relationship with ATVs and their enthusiasts. Complaints have been filed on a regular basis by residents who don't like the sound of the ATVs in the woods near their home.

"It was enforced but we weren't incredibly vigilant," Palmer said. "Most people respected the fact that they shouldn't be riding the ATVs on the roads or affecting quality of life of others."

But with the increased usage of ATVs, there has been an increase in complaints and problems, especially regarding riders taking their ATVs onto streets, he said.

There have been at least three serious incidents in the last year, including one in December that killed a manwhen the ATV he was a passenger on flipped and landed upside down in the lake at the Heritage Minerals site. The driver in that incident was charged with driving under the influence in the case. Read more: Drunk Driving, Vehicular Homicide Charges In Manchester ATV Crash

In another incident, an 18-year-old was seriously injured when he drove an ATV drove into traffic along Route 37. Read more: 1 Hurt In ATV-Car Crash On Route 37: Manchester Police

ATV riders have been causing damage along the shoulders in some areas and they are dangerous in traffic with regular cars and trucks. New Jersey law bars ATV use on streets and roads.

Palmer said that in one instance, the township's public works crews repaired a stretch of shoulder along Harry Wright Boulevard that had been torn up by ATV riders.

"Two weeks later it was torn up again," he said.

The police department is increasing its enforcement detail to deter riders from driving down township streets.

"When you see the ATVs ripping down the roads, that's a problem," Palmer said. "If you get caught on the roads, don't be surprised if police confiscate them."

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