Registration, not license, needed for snowmachines

MAT-SU -- With approved snowmachine riding areas open due to recent heavy snowfall -- including Hatcher Pass and Denali State Park -- Alaska State Troopers are urging people to ride safely and responsibly to avoid injuries.

Also, troopers urge people to follow laws covering the sport, including the requirement to register snowmobiles with the state. Failure to register carries a $300 fine.

One change in the law that people may not be aware of involves driver's licenses, Trooper Troy Shuey said Friday. An obscure state law once mandated that a person have a driver's license to operate a snowmachine in Alaska. However, that law was repealed during the last legislative session.

Some printed material distributed during the Snowmachine Safety Seminar on Nov. 21 at Wasilla Middle School incorrectly stated the law, Shuey noted. The brochure, printed in 2001, pre-dated the change by the Legislature.

Alaska Statute 28.15.021 outlines activities that are exempt from the driver's license rule. Subsection 5 says exemptions cover "A person when driving or operating an off-highway vehicle, watercraft, aircraft or other vehicle not designated for highway use."

As with roadway vehicles, snowmachine operators commit the crime of driving while intoxicated if their blood-alcohol level is .08 percent or more. The same penalties apply to snowmachining while under the influence as apply to operating a motor vehicle on a street or highway.

Shuey said it's against the law to drive snowmachines on sidewalks or on bike or pedestrian trails. For example, that means the trail along the north side of Palmer-Wasilla Highway is off-limits to motorized use, he said.

Alaska Administrative Code requires that snowmachines have certain equipment to operate on public lands or rights-of-way. The items include:

Lights and reflectors. One red reflector is required, as well as one headlight and one taillight.

Throttle. A snowmachine must be equipped with a throttle in which, when released by hand, will return the engine speed to idle, close the carburetor, and disengage the clutch.

Brakes. They must work under normal driving conditions and when loading.

Snowmachine organizations urge riders to conduct a pre-start check of their machine each time before going out. That includes making sure the steering system moves easily, that the throttle moves easily and is not frozen in the "on" position, and checking brakes to see if they stick or bind.

Also check oil and fuel levels, and look at the track to see if it is clear of ice. Dress adequately for cold weather, and always tell somewhere where you are going and when you expect to return.