Title 22 — Highways and Motor Vehicles

The following words and phrases shall, for the purposes of this title, have the following meanings, except when the context otherwise requires: (1) “Aftermarket” means the market for replacement parts, accessories, and equipment for the care or the enhancement of an original moto…

(a) It shall be a class B misdemeanor for any person to violate any provision of this title unless such violation is punishable as an infraction or a felony under this title or other law of this Territory. (b) Unless another penalty is by this title or other law of this Territory…

If any person is convicted of a violation of any provision of this title, and this title or other law of this Territory declares such violation to constitute a felony, such person shall, unless another penalty is provided by this title or other law of this Territory, be punished …

(a) No person may operate any motor vehicle in American Samoa without a valid driver’s license issued by the Commissioner, except as otherwise provided in this chapter. (b) The following persons, if over the age of 18 years, are exempt from the licensing requirements of this sect…

(a) Only 2 types of driver’s licenses shall be issued in American Samoa: a provisional driver’s license and a private driver’s license. (b) A learner’s permit shall be considered a driver’s license for purpose of authorizing a person to operate a motor vehicle in American Samoa. …

The Commissioner shall establish such qualifications as he believes reasonably necessary for the safe operation of the various types, sizes and combinations of vehicles and shall appropriately examine each applicant to determine his qualifications according to the type of license…

(a) No person may be permitted to obtain an operator’s license before reaching the age of 18 unless he has successfully completed an approved course in driver’s education. Persons who have successfully completed an approved course in driver’s education may obtain their operator’s…

(a) No person may be permitted to obtain a learner’s permit before reaching the age 18 provided that persons enrolled in driver education may obtain their learner’s permit at age 16. (b) The applicant for a learner’s permit must provide proof of age and identification such as bir…

(a) No person under the age of 21 years may drive any school bus transporting school children. (b) The Commissioner shall not issue a permit for the driving of a school bus carrying children unless the applicant has had at least one year of driving experience prior thereto and th…

(a) Application for a driver’s license shall be made to the Commissioner on such forms as are prescribed by the Commissioner. (b) The Commissioner shall issue to every applicant qualifying there for a driver’s license indicating the type or general class of vehicles the licensee …

(a) The following license fees are established: (1) 3-year motor vehicle Private driver license, $12.00; (2) 6-month learner’s permit $5.00; (3) Visitor permit, $9.00; (4) Provisional driver license, $9.00; (5) Commercial driver license, $8.00; (6) Renewal of Private driver licen…

(a) All private driver’s licenses shall expire 3 years from the date of issue. They shall be renewable on or before their expiration upon application, payment of the required fee, and satisfactory completion of such examinations as may be required by the Commissioner. (b) A provi…

Every person shall have a driver’s license or learner’s permit in his immediate possession at all times when operating a motor vehicle and shall display the same upon demand of a police officer. However, no person charged with violating this section may be convicted if he produce…

(a) A court shall, upon conviction of driving under the influence under 22.0707 or 22.0708, suspend or revoke a license as follows: (1) upon first conviction, for a period of 6 months; (2) upon second conviction, for a period of 2 years; (3) upon third conviction, permanently; (4…

The court may, upon conviction of careless driving, or fleeing from or attempting to elude a police officer under 22.0701 and 22.0705, suspend or revoke a license as follows: (1) upon first conviction, for a period of 60 days; (2) upon second conviction, for a period of 180 days;…

(a) The court may, upon conviction of reckless driving or homicide by vehicle under 22.0702 and 22.0706, suspend or revoke a license as follows: (1) upon first conviction, for a period of 180 days; (2) upon second and subsequent convictions, for a period of 2 years; (3) notwithst…

For all offenses contained in this title for which a suspension or revocation period is not otherwise specified, the court, upon conviction and in addition to other specified penalties, may suspend or revoke a license as follows: (1) upon the first conviction, for a period not to…

Notwithstanding 22.0211 through 22.0214, a court may, in its discretion, suspend or revoke the license of any driver who has been convicted of any offense under this title and who is shown to the court’s satisfaction to be incapable of safely driving a motor vehicle because of ph…

As used in 22.0211 through 22.0215, “conviction” includes those offenses to which a person pleads guilty by utilizing the procedure set forth in this title for payment of fine in lieu of court appearance. History: 1972, PL 12-65 § 1.

A license suspended or revoked pursuant to 22.0211 through 22.0215 shall be surrendered to the Commissioner for the period of the suspension and may not be reissued, nor may any new license be issued without recording thereon the offense for which the license was suspended or rev…

(a) Any holder of a provisional driver’s license who has been issued a uniform traffic complaint-summons must surrender his license to the Commissioner in addition to the payment of the required fine if the complaint-summons charges a moving traffic offense or serious traffic off…

The Clerk of the High Court, upon receiving a record of the conviction of any person upon a charge of driving a vehicle while his provisional or private license is suspended shall extend the period of such suspension for an additional like period unless otherwise directed by the …

The Commissioner may cancel any provisional or private driver’s license upon determining that the licensee was not entitled to the issuance thereof or that the licensee failed to give the required or correct information in his application. History: 1972, PL 12-65 § 1.

The Commissioner, having good cause to believe that a licensed driver (provisional or private) is incompetent or is otherwise not qualified to be licensed, may, upon written notice of at least 5 days to the licensee, require him to submit to art examination. Upon the conclusion o…

It is a class B misdemeanor for any person to (1) display, or cause or permit to be displayed, or have in his possession, any canceled, revoked, suspended, fictitious or fraudulently altered driver’s license: (2) lend his driver’s license to any other person or knowingly permit t…

Any person who drives a motor vehicle while his license is suspended pursuant to 22.0211 shall be guilty of a class D felony and, upon conviction, shall be sentenced to serve at least 90 days in custody. History: 1986, PL 19-40 § 5.

It is unlawful to willfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order, signal or direction of any member of the Department of Public Safety when such member is engaged in enforcing the provisions of this title or directing traffic. History: 1972, PL 12-65 § 1.

(a) The Commissioner shall place and maintain, or cause to be placed and maintained, such appropriate official traffic-control devices as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this title or direct or warn traffic upon the highways. (b) The driver of any vehicle shall ob…

(a) No person may place, maintain or display upon or in view of any highway, any unauthorized sign, signal, marking or device which purports to be, is an imitation of, or resembles an official traffic-control device, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic, or which h…

No person may deface, obliterate, bend, break or otherwise injure or destroy any road sign or marker, lettering thereon, or the post or other framework supporting the sign or marker. History: 1972, PL 12-65 § 1.

Upon all highways of sufficient width, a vehicle shall be driven upon the right half of the highway, except as follows: (1) when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction under the rules governing such movement; (2) when an obstruction exists making …

Drivers of vehicles proceeding in opposite directions shall pass each other to the right, and each driver shall give to the other at least one-half of the main traveled portion of the roadway whenever possible. History: 1972, PL 12-65 § 1.

The following rules shall govern when a vehicle overtakes and passes, on the left, a vehicle proceeding in the same direction: (a) The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall not pass the overtaking vehicle on the right. (b) The drive…

The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass on the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions: (1) when the vehicle overtaken is making or is about to make a left turn; (2) upon a street or highway with unobstructed pavement not occupied by parked vehicles; (3…

The Commissioner is directed to determine those portions of the highway where overtaking and passing on, or driving to, the left would be especially hazardous and to prohibit the same through the use of official traffic-control devices. History: 1972, PL 12-65 § 1.

(a) The driver of a motor vehicle may not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicle and the traffic upon and condition of the roadway. (b) The fact that a vehicle operated by a person has struck the rear po…

(a) The driver of a vehicle approaching an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to a vehicle which has entered the intersection from a different highway. (b) When 2 vehicles enter an intersection from different highways at the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left…

(a) Preferential right-of-way at an intersection may be indicated by stop signs or yield signs. (b) Except when directed to proceed by a police officer or traffic-control signal, every driver of a vehicle approaching a stop intersection indicated by a stop sign shall stop at a cl…

A driver intending to turn left within an intersection or into an alley, private road or driveway shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction and within the intersection or so close thereto as to constitute an immediate hazard. History: 197…

The driver of any vehicle shall slow down at the entrance to a through highway and yield the right-of-way to other vehicles which have entered the intersection from the through highway or which are approaching so closely on the through highway as to constitute an immediate hazard…

The driver of a vehicle intending to turn at an intersection shall proceed as follows: (a) Both the approach for a right turn and a right turn shall be made as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway. (b) A driver turning left at any intersection shall …

(a) No person may turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after giving an appropriate signal in the manner provided in this section in the event any other vehicle may …

No person may move a vehicle which is stopped, standing or parked unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety. History: 1972, PL 12-65 § 1.

The driver of a vehicle emerging from an alley, building, private road or driveway within a business or residential district shall stop such vehicle immediately prior to driving onto a sidewalk or onto the sidewalk area extending across such alley, building entrance, road or driv…

The driver of a vehicle, upon meeting or overtaking from either direction a school bus which has stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging school children, shall stop the vehicle before reaching the school bus when there is in operation on the school bus a visual signal…

(a) No motor vehicle may be stopped at any place where it is likely to obstruct traffic or create or constitute a dangerous condition to traffic on the road. Parking, standing, and loading or discharging of passengers or freight in such areas, or in “No Parking” zones, is express…

(a) No person may stop or park any vehicle, or leave it standing, in front of a fire station or within 15 feet of a fire hydrant except when such vehicle is attended by a licensed operator or chauffeur who is seated in the front seat and who can immediately move such vehicle in c…

(a) Whenever any police officer finds a vehicle standing upon a highway in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, such officer may move such vehicle, or require the driver or other person in charge of the vehicle to move it, to a position off the paved or main-travel…

(a) No person may operate a motor vehicle on any highway in American Samoa at a rate of speed in excess of 30 miles an hour except as otherwise provided in this title. (b) The Commissioner shall determine, upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation, such other max…

The driver of a vehicle may not back the same unless such movement can be made with safety and without interfering with other traffic. History: 1972, PL 12-65 § 1.