Stafford Township, NJ, To Crack Down On Reckless ATV Riders

🚨 Stafford Township Police announce ATV crackdown

🚨 Residents in Warren Grove are fed up with reckless riders

🚨 Violators could face stiff fines and jail time

For months, residents in the Warren Grove section of Stafford Township have been calling police to complain about noisy and reckless ATV riders disrupting the peace and causing a hazard.

Many of these ATV riders have been tearing through private property and doing damage.

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Police are announcing a crackdown and violators could be facing stiff fines and possible jailtime when caught.

A notice posted on the Stafford Township Facebook page reads:

"The Stafford Township Police has been receiving a large number of complaints from the Warren Grove section of town, in regards to All-Terrain Vehicles. We understand riding is fun and has been a way of life for many in this area for years. Yet, it must be done legally and without disturbing the peace or creating a public safety issue."

Police are urging riders to learn the rules spelled out in ordinance 203-2. It prohibits the following:

☑ Speeding
☑ Reckless Driving
☑ Excessive Muffler Noise
☑ Unregistered Vehicles on Township Roads
☑ Riding on Private Land without Permission
☑ Riding on Prohibited State Property

Over the next few weeks, police say they will be adding extra patrols and if anyone is caught violating the ordinance, the penalties can be severe.

A judge can impose fines up to $2,000 in addition to community service and/or jailtime up to 90-days.

Stafford Township ordinance regulating ATV riding
(Stafford Township, NJ)

The ordinance does not just apply to ATVs, it includes "dirt bikes, trail bikes, minibikes, motor scooters, go-carts, swamp buggies, mopeds and snowmobiles and any other motor-driven vehicle operated or otherwise in use on or in places other than public highways."

Other towns have announced crackdowns

Instances of reckless ATV riding has been a growing problem across a large part of New Jersey, and not just in rural areas. Jersey City, Paterson, Atlantic City and other urban areas have been plagued by reckless riding.

In May, 2023, New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin announced a statewide crackdown and issued guidelines to municipalities to craft their own local ordinances.

In addition to stiff fines and jail time, Platkin says towns have the authority to seize ATVs and other off-road vehicles.

Paterson has seized dozens of ATVs.

Atlantic City has had an ATV ban in place for years, but has also made it illegal for any gas station to sell gas to an ATV that is driven up to the pumps.

Platkin says, "The misuse of these vehicles on roadways poses a significant threat to the safety of the driving public and pedestrians, while their unlawful use on public lands endangers the natural landscape and natural resources."

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