SALT LAKE CITY — As the snow melts and more Utahns trade in their snowmobiles for off-road vehicles, officials are reminding that there's a new required education course before drivers hit the road.
The man behind the course created it to keep his passion safe.
Bud Bruening says he owns six off-road vehicles.
"My wife would tell you it is definitely an addiction that I have,” Bruening said.
But Bruening's passion goes far beyond riding and owning off-highway vehicles.
He started "UTV Utah" several years ago and since then the nonprofit has become a leading voice in the off-road world with nearly 45,000 Facebook members.
A large part of their mission is to keep trails and access open in Utah, which Bruening says is being threatened by people who don't know the rules.
"A lot of people were going out there and not knowing that driving off the trail leaves big ruts, takes out vegetation," Bruening explained. "It causes new trails...and when that happens, other people will follow."
To protect the outdoors and drivers, UTV Utah helped create and pass legislation that took effect on January 1.
The new law requires drivers who are at least 18-years-old to take an education course on off-highway vehicles.
Bruening said their goal was to instruct and not to impede.
“Our input was make it free, don’t make it a yearly thing, or five years," he said. "Make it free forever, and make it easy. Make it so that somebody can do it online.”
That input was seriously taken into consideration and the course is now a free, once-in-a-lifetime, online class that takes less than 30 minutes to complete.
Officials with the Utah Department of Natural Resources began enforcing the new rule in February and as Utah warms up and more people pull out their off-highway vehicles, it's a good reminder to be prepared before you head out.
Chase Pili with Utah's DNR manages the off-highway vehicle program and says just over 100,000 individuals have completed the course.
If a driver is caught without the appropriate educational training, Pili says rangers are trying to educate first but a citation is possible.
"We understand that this is a new thing," Pili explained, "And just like any new law that comes into place, we want to be reasonable."
To learn more and take the course, click here.
