The town of Waterford recently announced new laws and larger fines in an effort to crack down on large groups of all-terrain vehicles taking over the streets — and the gas stations that allow the riders to fuel up.
Waterford Police Department Lt. Patrick Flanagan said the city implemented a similar ordinance that is used in bordering New London. The Waterford ordinance went into effect on Aug. 20.
“Like many other towns, cities, suburbs, jurisdictions in Connecticut, we’ve been plagued with all-terrain vehicles, and that includes dirt bikes, ATVs and mini motorcycles, minis sport bikes driving in large groups on the roadways disobeying traffic laws and creating basically a hazard or nuisance to the rest of the public,” Flanagan said.
Flanagan said officials met with the New London and East Lyme Police Departments to look at ways that the communities can combat this issue.
“New London (was) first pass its ordinance in 2018, which we mirrored,” Flanagan said. “We share a border with New London. These all-terrain vehicles are coming and going and crossing town lines. We have this new ordinance as a way to combat the issue and allow us to seize the bike and destroy them or sell them at a public auction.”
The new ordinance will allow the Waterford Police Department to levy greater fines ranging from $1,500, $2,000 and $2,500 coinciding with a first-, second- and third-time offense. Police can also fine passengers $250.
Flanagan said the lone all-terrain dealer in town, Motorsports Nation, was asked to display the ordinance in the business. He added that all 12 gas stations in town must hang a sign that says, “Fueling of unauthorized vehicles is prohibited” in both English and Spanish in an area that is visible from all gas pumps.
“They cannot sell gasoline in a retail manner to any of the all-terrain (vehicles) that arrive from the roadway,” Flanagan said. “It makes it a little more difficult for the dirt bikes and ATVs to actually obtain fuel. A lot of times, people violating these laws aren’t carrying around five-gallon gas cans. They are riding recreationally, so they’re pulling up directly to pumps to fuel up. So, we think by attaching that portion to the ordinance, we may have some effect.”
Flanagan said the town’s gas stations have been agreeable to the ordinance.
Flanagan said he expects to see after effects from this ordinance as soon as this fall as word gets out that there are greater consequences of offenders.
He noted that this past summer, Waterford police did not see the as many big groups on its streets compared to previous summers.
“Last summer, we had a street takeover in which hundreds of ATVs and minibikes passed through our town and we were able to seize two ATVs, then we did make two arrests,” Flanagan said.
Flanagan said the police force is limited in capacity in policing these types of incidents.
“The first priority is safety to the public,” Flanagan said. “State law dictates that we cannot chase these guys. We can’t get into pursuits with ATVs or motorcycles, so we are limited in that capacity. But these are things like this ordinance that are steps we can take to combat this.”
The New London ordinance went into effect in 2018. West Hartford banned ATVs and similar vehicles in public areas in 2021, as well as Meriden in 2023. Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport and Southbury are among the growing list of cities and towns also cracking down on these vehicles.
Statewide, Gov. Ned Lamont signed into law SB 1284, An Act Concerning the Illegal Use of Certain Vehicles and Street Takeovers. It went into effect on July 1.
The bill set the table for municipalities like Waterford to institute increased fines for participating in a street takeover or watching a street takeover. The state law included a two-year suspension for anyone with three or more violations. It would also allow for those individuals participating in a street takeover to have their license suspended for 45 days.
