New York State Announces Massive Change To ATV Age Requirement

The new year has already begun, and there have already been some new changes put in place in New York state. 

Many new rules and regulations went into effect as of January 1, including ones that raise fees for drivers, wage hikes, and other regulations. 

One of the new laws you may already be aware of is the increase of minimum wage. As of January 1, the minimum wage in Upstate New York is now $15/hour. In other major areas like New York City, Long Island, and Westchester, those employees are now working at a minimum age of $16/hour. 

Make sure you are watching for that first paycheck of the month, because if you are being paid less than $15/hour, you can file a formal complaint here. 

However, there is one rule that seems to have snuck up on us with only few people mentioning it, and that rule has to do with ATVs. 

There is a new amendment that will raise the age to operate an ATV to 14 years old. In previous years, you used to be able to operate an ATV at the age of 10 years old, but the approved amendment will change that. 

The amendment also states that “children under 16 [will] only be allowed to ride it on public land and under supervision,” according to Rochester First. 

In hopes of preventing some ATV crashes that occurred in 2023 and previous years, this amendment will take effect near the end of February. 

Those aren’t the only changes to New York state law, though. Take a mental note that the following have also changed:

• Toll prices on the New York State Thruway increase by 5% as of January 1. 
• Victims of crimes no longer require documentation from police to receive compensation, thanks to a new bill that expanded the eligibility for victim compensation funds. 
• Governor Hochul signed a new law to help prevent EBT Cardholders from being scammed out of the benefits. 
• Those who have a concealed carry pistol permit are required to renew their registration with the state every three years. 

A lot has changed since last year, and things are definitely way different than 100 years ago. Back then, a gallon of milk was only 28 cents in 1984. Now you can’t even drive on the Thruway for that price.