What You Need to Stay Safe on Your Powersport Vehicle

There’s a lot of variety among powersport vehicles, meaning there are a lot of different pieces of safety equipment you may need. If you’re a little unsure of what’s required for your vehicle, just keep reading. We here at Gina's Motorsports of Monee have written up a helpful guide so you know exactly what you need before starting your engine.

Personal Watercrafts

Personal watercraft, or PWC, have the most legal requirements concerning safety gear. In order to drive your PWC, you’ll need to have your license and registration on board and all passengers will need to wear life jackets at all times. It’s also required that a functional fire extinguisher always be present on your PWC. Depending on your state there may be other equipment required and we encourage you to look up your local ordinances. However, it’s common across the U.S. to require owners to have a sound-creating device, such as a whistle or air horn, and an emergency lanyard.

Snowmobiles

Much like personal watercraft, in order to drive your snowmobile, it’s required that you have your registration on you at all times. Many states also require that drivers take a snowmobile safety course and keep a copy of their certificate of completion. However, the requirements from there on out can vary quite a bit from state to state. Most states do require that passengers and riders wear helmets and that the vehicle has functioning rear and headlights and included mirrors. However, for your personal safety, we strongly advise having an emergency kit stored in your vehicle at all times. This should include items such as a first aid kit and food and water, as well as cold weather items like an emergency blanket, extra warm clothing, and a small ice pick.

All-Terrain Vehicles

Generally speaking, all-terrain vehicles have the fewest safety requirements out of all powersport vehicles. However, there are many different types of off-roading vehicles and we encourage you to look up your state’s official legislation. Generally speaking, an all-terrain vehicle only requires that all passengers wear a helmet, with some laws stating that it needs to be approved by the Department of Transportation. However, if you’re riding vehicles such as dirt bikes or ATVs we encourage you to invest in some padding and protective clothing. If your vehicle has included storage we suggest storing a first aid kit and a few tools in your vehicle.

We hope this guide has helped clear up any confusion on what’s required of you as a powersport vehicle owner! If you’re still in the market for one of these vehicles, whether it’s a UTV, PWC, or snowmobile, we hope you’ll stop by our dealership in Monee, Illinois. We proudly serve both the city of Chicago and Kankakee County, Illinois, and have an amazing inventory as well as amazing prices.