Title 31, Title 31 and Other Vehicles

Whenever motor and other vehicles are operated in combination during the time that lights are required, any lamp (except tail lamps) need not be lighted which, by reason of its location on a vehicle of the combination, would be obscured by another vehicle of the combination. This…

Whenever the load upon any vehicle extends to the rear or front four feet (4′) or more beyond the bed or body of the vehicle, there shall be displayed at the extreme rear end or front of the load, at the time specified in § 31-24-1, a red light or lantern plainly visible from a d…

(a) The state traffic commission shall adopt standards and specifications applicable to head lamps, clearance lamps, identification, and other lamps on snow removal equipment when operated on the highways of this state in lieu of the lamps otherwise required on motor vehicles by …

(a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is authorized to approve or disapprove lighting devices and to issue and enforce regulations establishing standards and specifications for the approval of such lighting devices, their installation, and aiming. The regulation…

(a) When the administrator of the division of motor vehicles has reason to believe that an approved device as being sold commercially does not comply with the requirements of this chapter, he or she may, after giving thirty (30) days’ previous notice to the person holding the cer…

No person shall have for sale, sell, or offer for sale for use upon or as a part of the equipment of a motor vehicle, trailer, or semi-trailer or use upon any such vehicle any head lamp, auxiliary or fog lamp, rear lamp, signal lamp, or reflector which reflector is required by th…

Every motor cycle and every motor-driven cycle shall be equipped with at least one and not more than two (2) head lamps which shall comply with the requirements and limitations of this chapter. Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4.

No person shall have for sale, sell, or offer for sale for use upon or as a part of the equipment of a motor vehicle, trailer, or semi-trailer any lamp or device mentioned in § 31-24-49 which has been approved by the administrator of the division of motor vehicles unless the lamp…

No person shall use upon any motor vehicle, trailer, or semi-trailer any lamps mentioned in § 31-24-49 unless the lamps are mounted and adjusted as to focus and aim in accordance with instructions of the administrator of the division of motor vehicles. Violations of this section …

(a) All new automobiles and automobiles for hire sold in Rhode Island beginning with the 1969 models shall be provided with a hazard switch so as to produce a constant flashing light when the switch is activated. The switch shall be activated by the operator whenever any vehicle …

No person engaged as an itinerant vendor of food items from a motor vehicle operated, or caused to be operated by him or her, upon the public streets or highways of the state of Rhode Island, shall operate the motor vehicle or cause the motor vehicle to be operated for the purpos…

All new school buses, as defined in § 31-1-3, shall at all times be equipped with a rear-viewing, rear-mounted white flashing strobe light, meeting the following requirements: (1) A white flashing strobe light will be installed on the roof of a school bus; at a point not to excee…

Every head lamp upon every motor vehicle, including every motorcycle and motor-driven cycle, shall be located at a height measured from the center of the head lamp of not more than fifty-four inches (54") nor less than twenty-four inches (24") to be measured as set forth in § 31-…

Every motor vehicle, trailer, semi-trailer, and pole trailer, and any other vehicle which is being drawn at the end of a train of vehicles, shall be equipped with at least one tail lamp mounted on the rear, which when lighted as required in this chapter, shall emit a red light pl…

Every tail lamp upon every vehicle shall be located at a height of not more than seventy-two inches (72") nor less than twenty inches (20") to be measured as set forth in § 31-24-3. Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4.

Either a tail lamp or a separate lamp shall be constructed and placed as to illuminate with a white light the rear registration plate and render it clearly legible from a distance of sixty feet (60′) to the rear. Any tail lamp or tail lamps, together with any separate lamp for il…

(a)(1) Except in reference to §§ 31-25-16 and 31-25-27 where it shall be considered a violation, it is a civil violation for any carrier to drive or move or to cause or permit to be driven or moved on any highway any vehicle or vehicles of a size or weight exceeding the limitatio…

(a) No person shall operate on any highway any vehicle with any load unless the load and any covering on it is securely fastened so as to prevent the covering or load from becoming loose, detached, or in any manner a hazard to other users of the highway. (b) No motor truck traile…

When one vehicle is towing another the drawbar or other connection shall be of sufficient strength to pull all weight towed by it and the drawbar or other connection shall not exceed fifteen feet (15′) from one vehicle to the other, except the connection between any two (2) vehic…

When one vehicle is towing another and the connection consists of a chain, rope, or cable, there shall be displayed upon the connection a white flag or cloth not less than twelve inches (12") square. Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4.

(a) When a tow truck or other vehicle is towing another vehicle, except those vehicles designed to be in combination, in this state upon any public highway divided into two (2) or more clearly marked lanes for travel in the same direction, it shall be unlawful to tow except in th…

(a) The gross weight imposed on the highway by the wheels of any one axle of a vehicle shall not exceed twenty-two thousand four hundred pounds (22,400 lbs.). (b) For the purposes of this chapter, “axle load” is defined as the total load transmitted to the road by all wheels whos…

(a) It shall be unlawful to transport or operate over or upon any public highway in this state any vehicle equipped with tandem axles, should the gross weight of the axles exceed thirty-six thousand pounds (36,000 lbs.) if the axle spacing does not exceed eight feet (8′). (b) Wit…

The administrator of the division of motor vehicles upon registering any truck, truck tractor, or semi-trailer under the laws of this state, or any bus for the transportation of ten (10) or more persons, may require any information and may make any investigation or test as necess…

(a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall insert in the registration card issued for a vehicle the gross weight for which it is registered. If it is a truck tractor to be used for propelling semi-trailers, the administrator shall separately insert the total pe…

(a) Every motor truck and every truck-tractor exceeding a gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight of ten thousand pounds (10,000 lbs.) shall be identified with the name, trade name, or company identifying logo and the city and state of the owner and operating carrier, or…

Any proper officer having reason to believe that the weight of a vehicle and load is unlawful is authorized to require the driver to stop and submit to a weighing of the vehicle and load by means of either portable or stationary scales, and may require that the vehicle be driven …

Whenever a proper officer upon weighing a vehicle and load, as provided in § 31-25-18, determines that the weight is unlawful, the officer may require the driver to stop the vehicle in a suitable place and remain standing until the portion of the load is removed as may be necessa…

(a) The provisions of this chapter governing size, weight, and load shall not apply to: (1) Road machinery; (2) Farm vehicles, including farm tractors, temporarily moved upon a highway; (3) Any vehicle owned and operated by the Rhode Island public transit authority that is design…

Any driver of a vehicle who fails or refuses to stop and submit the vehicle and load to a weighing, or who fails or refuses when directed by a proper officer upon a weighing of the vehicle to stop the vehicle and otherwise comply with the provisions of §§ 31-25-18 and 31-25-19, s…

(a) The department of transportation, with respect to highways under its jurisdiction, may, in its discretion, upon application in writing and good cause being shown for it, approve the issuance of a special permit in writing authorizing the applicant to operate or move a vehicle…

(a) The application for an annual divisible load permit pursuant to § 31-25-21 shall specifically describe the vehicle or vehicles and load to be operated or moved, and the particular highways for which the permit to operate is requested. (b) For divisible load permits, the speci…

(a) The department of transportation or local authority is authorized to issue or withhold a permit at its discretion, or if the permit is issued, to limit the number of trips, or to establish seasonal or other time limitations within which the described vehicles may be operated …

Every permit, including all documentation required by that permit, issued under §§ 31-25- 21 — 31-25-23 shall be carried in the vehicle to which it refers and shall be open to inspection by any proper officer or authorized agent of any authority granting the permit. No person sha…

(a) Local authorities with respect to highways under their jurisdiction may by ordinance or resolution prohibit the operation of vehicles upon a highway or impose restrictions as to the weight of vehicles to be operated upon a highway, for a total period of not to exceed ninety (…

Local authorities with respect to highways under their jurisdiction may, by ordinance or resolution, prohibit the operation of trucks or other commercial vehicles, or may impose limitations as to the weight of those vehicles on designated highways, which prohibitions and limitati…

(a) State highways. The state traffic commission shall likewise have authority, as granted to local authorities in this chapter, to determine by resolution and to impose restrictions as to the weight of vehicles operated upon any highway under the jurisdiction of the commission, …

(a) No motor vehicle with a gross weight exceeding two (2) tons except those listed in this section shall be allowed to travel the Veterans Memorial Parkway in the city of East Providence. (b) The director of the department of revenue is directed to post signs to limit access as …

(a) The operation of through commercial vehicles on Forest Avenue and Turner Road is prohibited. (b) For purposes of this section, a commercial vehicle is defined as a motor vehicle or combination of vehicles used to transport passengers or property if the motor vehicle: (1) Has …

(a) The operation of through commercial vehicles on Limerock Road between Douglas Pike in Smithfield and Jenckes Hill Road in Lincoln is prohibited. (b) For purposes of this section, a commercial vehicle is defined as a motor vehicle or combination of vehicles used to transport p…

(a) The operation of commercial vehicles is prohibited on Chases Lane in Middletown. (b) For purposes of this section, a “commercial vehicle” is defined as a motor vehicle or combination of vehicles used to transport passengers or property if the motor vehicle: (1) Has a gross co…

(a) No commercial motor truck or tractor with a gross weight exceeding four (4) tons, except those listed in this section, shall be allowed to travel on Route 114 (Hope Street and Ferry Road) between Gooding Avenue and Route 136. (b) The director of the department of transportati…

(a) No commercial motor truck or tractor with a gross weight exceeding four (4) tons, except those listed in this section, shall be allowed to travel on Hopkins Avenue. (b) The director of the department of transportation is directed to post signs to limit access as prescribed in…

(a) No commercial motor truck or tractor with a gross weight exceeding four (4) tons, except those listed in this section, shall be allowed to travel on South Main Street. (b) The director of the department of transportation is directed to post signs to limit access as prescribed…

(a) No commercial motor vehicle with a gross weight exceeding five (5) tons, except those listed in this section, shall be allowed to park on any state roadway in the city of East Providence in excess of two (2) hours. (b) The director of the department of transportation is direc…

(a) No commercial motor truck or tractor with a gross weight exceeding four (4) tons, except those listed in this section, shall be allowed to travel on Route 15 (Armistice Boulevard from Newport Avenue easterly to the Rhode Island state line). (b) The director of the department …