I've looked it up but can't get an answer. At what age can your child operate a sled by himself. My boys have their Saftey certificates but I was told that was when you operated with an adult. They've ridden with me their entire life and want to take short rides without old dad. Anyone know?
Wisconsin age requirements
- Thread starter bigduke6
- Start date
garyl62
Active member
Almost 100% sure it's 12, but the regs read a little funny. Anyone born after 1985 is required to have a certificate.
http://dnr.wi.gov/files/pdf/pubs/le/le0201.pdf
http://dnr.wi.gov/files/pdf/pubs/le/le0201.pdf
I am a snowmobile safety instructor. Currently we have a class going on. 12 years old with a Wisconsin safety class permit kids can snowmobile on their own. Anyone born after January 1985 must have this permit!! 16 years and older can take the test on line. Under 12 they can only drive a sled on your property only. Not a friends or even another family members just on their parents land. In my opinion just because a 12 year old has a permit should not be the only thing needed to sled. Parents have to take an active part in this training process as well. Most of these kids need developing yet and practice. We are giving kids the green light to get on a sled that can go 100mph. Parents have to judge if their child is ready for this. We as teachers can do nothing more than give them knowledge they need to drive safe and about the laws and rules. Everyone be safe out there this year and remember you are sharing the trails with riders of different talents!
If you yahoo or google search, "child fatalities on snowmobiles", you will find lots of interesting reading on the subject. Especially eye-opening is: www.adn.com/adn/snowmachines/main416.html, which is a little dated but provides factual, albeit unfortunate, information about what things are like when laws and law enforcement are at a minimum and people are left to be responsible for their own actions.
I personally cringe when I hear people bragging about juggling babies on the back of motor vehicles of any kind or even around large farm animals for that matter. Or whenever I see children riding up and down the streets without a care in the world (a daily occurrence in the Keweenaw) or Dad carefully riding a soft-tired ATV up the pavement on Brockway Mountain Drive with a small child seated in front. All too often tragedies occur, oftentimes in peoples own backyards, involving small children, very slow speeds (at least until the throttle sticks or the truck slips out or gear or off the jack or something else unexpected happens), and parents who are thinking that they are being responsible with these very innocent and totally trusting potential victims. The parents are always shocked and say they were being careful, and things like this aren't supposed to happen. Guess what, they do. I know you can never guarantee safety, but why tempt fate with the lives of others?
Some people can develop the skills, strength, and maturity to operate safely at a relatively early age. Some people never can. In my opinion, you need to develop these prerequisite abilities through non-motorized activities first before jumping on motor vehicles of any kind.
People should do the right thing and use common sense without having a rule or regulation dictating what they think they can safely be doing. Ignoring the hard cold facts and historical information doesn't really help either.
Bring on the heat...
I personally cringe when I hear people bragging about juggling babies on the back of motor vehicles of any kind or even around large farm animals for that matter. Or whenever I see children riding up and down the streets without a care in the world (a daily occurrence in the Keweenaw) or Dad carefully riding a soft-tired ATV up the pavement on Brockway Mountain Drive with a small child seated in front. All too often tragedies occur, oftentimes in peoples own backyards, involving small children, very slow speeds (at least until the throttle sticks or the truck slips out or gear or off the jack or something else unexpected happens), and parents who are thinking that they are being responsible with these very innocent and totally trusting potential victims. The parents are always shocked and say they were being careful, and things like this aren't supposed to happen. Guess what, they do. I know you can never guarantee safety, but why tempt fate with the lives of others?
Some people can develop the skills, strength, and maturity to operate safely at a relatively early age. Some people never can. In my opinion, you need to develop these prerequisite abilities through non-motorized activities first before jumping on motor vehicles of any kind.
People should do the right thing and use common sense without having a rule or regulation dictating what they think they can safely be doing. Ignoring the hard cold facts and historical information doesn't really help either.
Bring on the heat...
momoney2123
New member
I am 27 years old an have been riding with my parents since i was 18months on the trails. My brother the same. My nephew is 2 years old and he is coming with us on his first trip this coming year. You can get hurt or killed doing anything. Use the common sense god gave ya. Its up to the discretion of the parent in my opinion at what age they want to take there kids. Ya gotta live life man. Now letting someone to young and inexpierenced to personally operate there own sled in a public atmosphere is a different story.
I agree that we live in a dangerous world. I also believe that we all got it coming and deserve has got nothing to do with it. But I don't care if you're "Ricky Bobby" and were conceived, born, and raised on the back of a fast moving sled, there is no way riding with a child between you and the handlebars or steering wheel can ever be considered even remotely safe, if not criminally negligent operation. If you can ride two up or have some other kind of safety device that's another story. I know there are always exceptions and in some cases a snowmachine might be the only mode of transportation available. but C'mon man.
Another reason to practice safe riding practices every time you ride is that it sets the good example. If you tell kids, "Don't do this because it's unnecessarily dangerous and could get you or your little brother or sister hurt", they might actually listen. But if you habitually ride recklessly at home, it sets an early bad example that will be hard to overcome later. When your kids take snowmobile or ATV class, the basic essential rules of safety shouldn't come as shocking new revelations totally contrary to what they have learned at home. What they teach in these classes and what the operator manuals and warning stickers say aren't a damned government conspiracy determined to make your life ****, they are intended to help you enjoy safe operation which should be everyone's goal.
momoney2123
New member
Haha, I mean you dont ride like an idiot ever especially infront of your kids when tryin to teach them, i think that goes without saying. Like I said use the common sense god gave you and there wont ever be an issue. Not sure what your trying to start here and why your so concerned about others taking kids riding. If I had a kid today, next winter I would take them riding sitting right in front of me, OK? That would be my choice and if something happened I would have to live with that. I still remember to this day riding infront of my dad holding onto the gas cap, loving every second of it. Those are memories that I will never forget. Maybe you need a hug?
Yes, indeed. I guess I'm getting old and starting to hang on too tightly. I just thought it was a good time of the year to stimulate a hard core discussion about snowmobile safety and maybe even get some people to think about it, but I realize that nobody ever wants to do that. Sorry to piss everyone off with an early season buzz kill, and I promise not to bring it up later in the season.
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lenny
Guest
I don't think anybody is avoiding a conversation about safety. We talk about it often here. The parent is always the first step in determining what and when the child will do anything with a motor vehicle. My kids received a certification at the public school only after I allowed them to participate in the program. When they came home with the achievement I was happy for them but in reality they still needed strong supervision and to this day I still do not let them ride alone because they still prove to me they are not ready. No class or training will trump a parents responsibility over their children. I am not implying anyone is stating otherwise but just trying to point out that if my child does not develop the skills to ride properly than they will not ride.
I do and have just as of recent had my child ride on the same atv with me. I give them rides and enjoy the time with them while at the same time they are watching and learning. Some people should not do this and some are well within the skill level to do so, to each their own. Some people die riding an elevator, parachuting, mountain biking or just walking down a side walk and debris from an old building fall on their head. Bottom like, be careful and don't let someone else dictate to you what is safe and what is not, use your brain.
I do and have just as of recent had my child ride on the same atv with me. I give them rides and enjoy the time with them while at the same time they are watching and learning. Some people should not do this and some are well within the skill level to do so, to each their own. Some people die riding an elevator, parachuting, mountain biking or just walking down a side walk and debris from an old building fall on their head. Bottom like, be careful and don't let someone else dictate to you what is safe and what is not, use your brain.
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lenny
Guest
that's quite the charge there, somewhat insulting and offensive but hey, to each his own!
garyl62
Active member
Well I think the answer to the legal part of this question we have all agreed is 12. I think we all need to refresh our minds on the original post on the point I added the bold too. Short rides. Let them get out a little and get some experience riding, making choices, and following a trail to get home. Now, if the question was when are they ready, best reply to that IMHO would be Lenny's
Both of my son's started riding a 95 Indy Lite doing figure 8s around the yard and they both took the class when they turned 12. I completely agree that the class give the very basic safety information but it does nothing to teach them how to "ride" a sled. That's my job.
This will be the first winter that will allow my oldest son to ride alone because he has proved to me over the last two years that he has the ability to make good decisions driving cars and sleds. My youngest son (13 yrs old) logged over 500 miles last winter and is a better technical rider than his older brother but I won't allow him to ride alone. It has nothing to do with his riding ability and everything to do with his ability to make good decisions about speed and conditions.
This will be the first winter that will allow my oldest son to ride alone because he has proved to me over the last two years that he has the ability to make good decisions driving cars and sleds. My youngest son (13 yrs old) logged over 500 miles last winter and is a better technical rider than his older brother but I won't allow him to ride alone. It has nothing to do with his riding ability and everything to do with his ability to make good decisions about speed and conditions.
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lenny
Guest
well said!