Winston-Salem police crack down on illegal ATV use around city as weather gets warmer (2025)

Illegal ATV and dirt bike drivers can face misdemeanors and felony charges.

Adrianna Hargrove

WXII 12 Breaking News and Traffic Anchor

Winston-Salem police crack down on illegal ATV use around city as weather gets warmer

Illegal ATV and dirt bike drivers can face misdemeanors and felony charges.

CHRISTINE, WE’LL SEE YOU AT FIVE. ELSEWHERE TONIGHT, THE WINSTON-SALEM POLICE DEPARTMENT IS CRACKING DOWN ON THE ILLEGAL USE OF ATVS AND DIRT BIKES. OUR ADRIANNA HARGROVE SPOKE WITH AN OFFICER ABOUT THE DANGERS AND HOW YOU CAN REPORT THEM. ATVS ARE ALL TERRAIN. VEHICLES ARE CLASSIFIED AS FOUR WHEELERS. THEY, ALONG WITH DIRT BIKES AND SIDE BY SIDE VEHICLES, ARE DESIGNED TO OPERATE OFF ROADS AND PLACES LIKE WOODS, FIELDS AND TRAILS. SERGEANT JOSHUA SHEETS, WITH SPD’S TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT UNIT, SAYS ATVS DON’T HAVE HEADLIGHTS, EQUIPMENT AND OTHER SAFETY REQUIREMENTS TO OPERATE ON ROADS. THE RATIONALE OR THE REASON BEHIND THAT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT TYPICALLY. INSURED. YOU KNOW, THE OWNERS OF THOSE VEHICLES DON’T HAVE INSURANCE ON THE VEHICLE BECAUSE YOU DON’T NEED IT. IF YOU’RE RIDING ON A TRAIL OR IN THE WOODS. SHEETS SAYS PATROL OFFICERS, COMBINED WITH INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY AND CAMERA SYSTEMS FROM REAL TIME CRIME CENTER, ARE HOW THEY FIND ILLEGAL DRIVERS. YOU COULD ALSO HELP LAW ENFORCEMENT BY IF YOU SEE SOMEONE OPERATING AN ATV OR DIRT BIKE ON THE ROAD, CONTACT SPD AND GIVE AS MANY DETAILS AS POSSIBLE, SUCH AS THE LOCATION, DESCRIPTION OF THE VEHICLE AND IDENTITY OF THE DRIVER. NOW, ILLEGAL ATV AND DIRT BIKE DRIVERS CAN FACE MISDEMEANORS AND FELONY CHARGES. POLICE SAY THIS YEAR, SINCE OFFICERS STARTED ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS TO REPORT VIOLATORS, THREE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN REPORTED AND CHARGED IN THREE SEPARATE CASES. IN STUDIO, ADRIANN

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Winston-Salem police crack down on illegal ATV use around city as weather gets warmer

Illegal ATV and dirt bike drivers can face misdemeanors and felony charges.

Adrianna Hargrove

WXII 12 Breaking News and Traffic Anchor

The Winston-Salem Police Department is cracking down on the illegal use of all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes. ATVs are classified as four-wheelers, dirt bikes and side-by-side vehicles. They are designed to operate off-road in places like woods, fields and trails.Sgt. Joshua Sheets with WSPD's traffic enforcement units says ATVs do not have headlights, equipment or other safety requirements to operate on roads."The rationale or the reason behind that is because they are not typically insured," Sheets said. "The owners of those vehicles don't have insurance on the vehicle because you don't need it if you're riding on a trail or in the woods." Sheets says patrol officers, combined with innovative technology and camera systems from the real-time crime center, are how they find illegal drivers.You can also help law enforcement.If you see someone operating an ATV or dirt bike on the road, contact the WSPD and give as many details as possible, such as the location, description of the vehicle and identity of the driver.Illegal ATV drivers can face misdemeanors and felony charges.Police say this year, since officers started encouraging residents to report violators, three people have been reported and charged in three separate cases.

The Winston-Salem Police Department is cracking down on the illegal use of all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes.

ATVs are classified as four-wheelers, dirt bikes and side-by-side vehicles. They are designed to operate off-road in places like woods, fields and trails.

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Sgt. Joshua Sheets with WSPD's traffic enforcement units says ATVs do not have headlights, equipment or other safety requirements to operate on roads.

"The rationale or the reason behind that is because they [ATVs] are not typically insured," Sheets said. "The owners of those vehicles don't have insurance on the vehicle because you don't need it if you're riding on a trail or in the woods."

Sheets says patrol officers, combined with innovative technology and camera systems from the real-time crime center, are how they find illegal drivers.

You can also help law enforcement.

If you see someone operating an ATV or dirt bike on the road, contact the WSPD and give as many details as possible, such as the location, description of the vehicle and identity of the driver.

Illegal ATV drivers can face misdemeanors and felony charges.

Police say this year, since officers started encouraging residents to report violators, three people have been reported and charged in three separate cases.

Winston-Salem police crack down on illegal ATV use around city as weather gets warmer (2025)
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