Jersey City Might Fine Gas Retailers for Fueling Illegal ATVs, Motorbikes

The proposed ordinance is part of a continuing effort to crack down on dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles.

April 14, 2023

JERSEY CITY, N.J.—Jersey City officials introduced a new ordinance to prohibit gas stations from selling fuel to drivers illegally operating motorbikes and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), NJ.com reports. The crackdown comes as part of a wider effort to reduce ATVs being driven illegally on roadways throughout the state.

Since June 2022, Jersey City Police has received 100 calls related to ATVs/dirt bikes, 10 of which were car accidents. “We have been working closely with our police department, as this issue has become increasingly alarming and our residents are being put in harm’s way due to reckless ATV drivers,” said Mayor Steven Fulop. “This is a necessary deterrent as part of our broader, multilayered efforts that have substantially improved safety on our roadways citywide.”

The proposed ordinance, which mimics one approved in Paterson, N.J., last year, would forbid any gas station owner or employee in Jersey City from dispensing fuel directly into an ATV or dirt bike unless it had been transported to the station on a truck, trailer or vehicle with current registration. If approved, the law would fine gas station owners or employees and storage facilities up to $2,000 per incident.

The ordinance provides an exemption if the gas station owner or employee feels they would be physically harmed if they refuse to serve the customer. But once safe, the employee or owner must report the incident to the Jersey City Police Department within an hour of the ATV or dirt bike leaving the property.

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