Title 56, Motor Vehicles

For the purposes of this chapter the words, phrases and terms defined in this article shall have the meanings thereby attributed to them.

(A) The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or the death of a person immediately shall stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident or as close to it as possible. He then shall return to and in every event shall remain at the scene of the accident …

(A) The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting only in damage to a vehicle which is driven or attended by a person immediately shall stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident or as close to it as possible, but shall return to and in every event shall remain at …

The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person or damage to any vehicle which is driven or attended by any person shall give his name, address and the registration number of the vehicle he is driving and shall upon request and if a…

The driver of any vehicle which collides with any vehicle which is unattended shall immediately stop and shall then and there either locate and notify the operator or owner of such vehicle of the name and address of the driver and owner of the vehicle striking the unattended vehi…

The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting only in damage to fixtures legally upon or adjacent to a highway shall take reasonable steps to locate and notify the owner or person in charge of such property of such fact and of his name and address and of the registr…

The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person shall immediately by the quickest means of communication, whether oral or written, give notice of such accident to the local police department if such accident occurs within a municipali…

The operator or owner of a motor vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person or total property damage to an apparent extent of one thousand dollars or more which was not investigated by a law enforcement officer, within fifteen days after the acc…

With respect to a motor vehicle accident, no employee of any law enforcement agency shall allow any person to examine or obtain a copy of any accident report or related investigative report when the employee knows or should reasonably know that the request for access to the repor…

Whenever the driver of a vehicle is physically incapable of making an immediate or a written report of an accident as required in Section 56-5-1260 and there was another occupant in the vehicle at the time of the accident capable of making a report, such occupant shall make or ca…

None of the reports required by Sections 56-5-1260 to 56-5-1280 may be evidence of the negligence or due care of either party at the trial of any action at law to recover damages. However, law enforcement officers may refer to these reports when testifying in order to refresh the…

The Department of Public Safety shall prepare and upon request supply to police departments, coroners, sheriffs, garages and other suitable agencies or individuals forms for accident reports required hereunder, appropriate with respect to the persons required to make such reports…

Every coroner or other official performing like functions shall on or before the tenth day of each month report in writing to the Department of Public Safety the death of any person within his jurisdiction during the preceding calendar month as the result of a traffic accident, g…

The person in charge of any garage or repair shop to which is brought any motor vehicle which shows evidence of having been involved in an accident of which report must be made as provided in Section 56-5-1270 or struck by any bullet shall report to the Department of Public Safet…

All accident reports made by persons involved in accidents shall be without prejudice to the individual so reporting and shall be for the confidential use of the Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Public Safety, or other State agencies having use for the records for acci…

The Department of Public Safety must tabulate and may analyze all accident reports as required in Section 56-5-1270 and shall publish annually or at more frequent intervals statistical information based thereon as to the number and circumstances of traffic accidents.

Any incorporated city or town may by ordinance require that the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident shall also file with a designated city department a report of such accident or a copy of any report herein required to be filed with the Department of Motor Vehicles. All s…

(A) A person shall not drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing. Speed must be so controlled to avoid colliding with a person, vehicle, or other conveyan…

(a) Establishing speed zones. Whenever the Department of Transportation shall determine upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that any maximum speed hereinbefore set forth is greater or less than is reasonable or safe under the conditions found to exist at an…

(A) A person commits endangerment of a highway worker if the person is operating a motor vehicle within a highway work zone at anytime one or more highway workers are in the highway work zone and in proximity to the area where the act or omission occurs and the person: (1) drives…

(A) An emergency scene is a location designated by the potential need to provide emergency medical care and is identified by emergency vehicles with flashing lights, rescue equipment, or emergency personnel on the scene. (B) An emergency scene is a special hazard. (C) An emergenc…

(a) Establishing speed zones. Whenever local authorities in their respective jurisdictions determine on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the maximum speed permitted under this article is greater or less than is reasonable and safe under the conditions fo…

(a) Impeding traffic by slow speed prohibited. —No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law. (b) Establishing minimum spee…

(a) Vehicles towing house trailers. —No person shall drive a vehicle which is towing a house trailer at a speed greater than a maximum of forty-five miles per hour. (b) Vehicles with solid rubber or cushion tires. —No person shall drive any vehicle equipped with solid rubber or c…

In every charge of violation of any speed regulation in this article, the complaint and summons or notice to appear shall specify the speed at which the defendant is alleged to have driven and the maximum speed applicable within the district or at the location.

It shall be unlawful to engage in a motor vehicle race or contest for speed on any public road, street or highway in this State or to aid, abet or assist in any manner whatsoever in any such race or contest. Altering, changing, tampering with or "souping up" a motor vehicle for t…

A bicycle is a device propelled solely by pedals, operated by one or more persons, and having two or more wheels, except childrens' tricycles.

It shall also be unlawful for any owner of a motor vehicle to acquiesce in or permit his car to be used by another in any motor vehicle race or contest for speed on any public road, street or highway in this State.

For the purpose of Sections 56-5-1590 to 56-5-1620, the word "acquiescence" shall mean actual knowledge that the car was to be used for the purpose of racing on a public road, street or highway.

Any person violating the provisions of Sections 56-5-1590 to 56-5-1620 by driving a motor vehicle shall, upon conviction, be fined not less than two hundred dollars nor more than six hundred dollars or imprisoned for not less than two months nor more than six months, or both, in …

(A) Authorized emergency vehicles for purposes of this section include the following: (1) fire department vehicles; (2) police vehicles; (3) ambulances and rescue squad vehicles which are publicly owned; (4) vehicles of coroners and deputy coroners of the forty-six counties as de…

Every motor vehicle designed for carrying more than ten passengers and used for the transportation of persons and every motor vehicle, other than a taxicab, designed and used for the transportation of persons for compensation is a "bus."

(a) Upon all roadways of sufficient width a vehicle shall be driven upon the right half of the roadway 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 upon roadways having width for not more than one line of traffic in each direction each driver shall give to the other at least one half of the main-traveled portion of the roadway, as n…

The following rules shall govern the overtaking and passing of vehicles proceeding in the same direction, subject to those limitations, exceptions and special rules hereinafter stated: (1) The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall p…

(a) The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions: 1. When the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a left turn. 2. Upon a roadway with unobstructed pavement of sufficient width for two or more lines of…

No vehicle shall be driven to the left side of the center of the roadway in overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction unless the left side is clearly visible and is free of oncoming traffic for a sufficient distance ahead to permit such overtaking an…

(a) No vehicle shall be driven on the left side of the roadway under the following conditions: 1. When approaching or upon the crest of a grade or a curve in the highway where the driver's view is obstructed within such distance as to create a hazard in the event another vehicle …

(A) A vehicle may not be driven in the farthest left-hand lane of a controlled access highway except when overtaking and passing another vehicle. (B) Subsection (A) of this section does not apply: (1) when no other vehicle is directly behind the vehicle in the left lane; (2) when…

(a) The Department of Transportation and local authorities may determine those portions of any highway under their respective jurisdictions where overtaking and passing or driving on the left of the roadway would be especially hazardous and may by appropriate signs or markings on…

No vehicle may be driven so as to overtake and pass another vehicle in a highway work zone where road maintenance or construction work is underway and passing would be hazardous to the highway worker. A person who violates the provisions of this section must be punished as provid…

Every motor vehicle that complies with the color and identification requirements set forth in Section 59-67-30 and State Board of Education Regulations and Specifications Pertaining to School Buses which is used to transport children to or from public school or in connection with…

Whenever any roadway has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic the following rules in addition to all others consistent herewith shall apply: (a) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from …

(a) The Department of Transportation and local authorities with respect to highways under their respective jurisdictions may designate any highway, roadway, part of a roadway or specific lanes upon which vehicular traffic shall proceed in one direction at all or such times as sha…

Whenever any highway has been divided into two or more roadways by leaving an intervening space or by a physical barrier or clearly indicated dividing section so constructed as to impede vehicular traffic, every vehicle shall be driven only upon the right-hand roadway unless dire…

(A) The operator of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicles and the traffic upon and the condition of the highway. (B) The operator of any truck or motor vehicle drawing another…