Title 23, Motor Vehicles

§ 1222a. Emissions of diesel-powered commercial vehicles (a) Except for voluntary exhaust-smoke emission testing, a vehicle may be stopped and an inspection performed under this section only if a law enforcement officer observes an apparent violation of the exhaust-smoke emission…

§ 1223. Prohibitions A person shall not affix or cause to be affixed to a motor vehicle, trailer, or semi-trailer a certification of inspection that was not assigned by an official inspection station to such motor vehicle, trailer, or semi-trailer. No person shall reaffix or caus…

§ 1224. Inspection certificates For each inspection certificate issued by the Department, the designated station shall pay the Commissioner the fee required under section 1230 of this title. All unused inspection certificates and number tabs shall be returned to the Department wi…

§ 1225. Penalty The Commissioner may suspend the registration of any motor vehicle, trailer, or semi-trailer until the owner thereof complies with the requirements of this article. (Added 1969, No. 143, § 5; amended 1971, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 19.)

§ 1226. Reciprocity The Commissioner may authorize the acceptance in this State of a certificate of inspection and approval issued in another state or province having inspection requirements similar to the requirements in effect in this State. He or she may extend the time within…

§ 1227. Certified inspection mechanics (a) Periodic inspections may be performed only by mechanics who have been certified by the Commissioner, provided that an uncertified person employed as an inspection mechanic may perform inspections during the first 30 days that he or she i…

§ 1228. Mechanic certification; inspection designation; revocation Any certification for mechanic or designation as an inspection station may be revoked or suspended for cause as described in the official inspection manuals. (Added 1997, No. 155 (Adj. Sess.), § 66k.)

§ 1229. Rules (a) The Commissioner may adopt rules necessary to implement the provisions of sections 1222, 1224, 1227, and 1228 of this title, relating to inspections and certification of inspection mechanics. (b) In consultation with the Secretary of Natural Resources or the Sec…

§ 1230. Charge For each inspection certificate issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Commissioner shall be paid $8.00, provided that State and municipal inspection stations that inspect only State or municipally owned and registered vehicles shall not be required to pay…

§ 1231. Administrative penalties (a) The Commissioner may impose an administrative penalty of not more than $500.00 for each violation against a designated inspection station or a certified inspection mechanic who violates the laws relating to the performance of periodic motor ve…

§ 1241. Locking device A motor vehicle shall be provided with a lock, key, or other device to prevent such motor vehicle from being set in motion by its own motive power.

§ 1242. Safety glass (a) A person shall not operate on a highway in this State a motor vehicle registered in Vermont, manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1936, unless such vehicle is equipped with safety glass, wherever glass is used in doors, windows, and windshields. The…

§ 1243. Lights (a) A motor vehicle, except a motorcycle and motor-driven cycle, in use or at rest on a highway, unless otherwise provided, during the period from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, shall also be equipped with at least two lighted head lamps of s…

§ 1244. Illumination required The light from the front lamps of a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, while such vehicle is in motion, shall render any substantial object on the ground clearly visible at least 150 feet ahead of such vehicle and, while such vehicle is at rest, …

§ 1245. Illumination required on motorcycles The light from the front lamp of a motorcycle shall render any substantial object on the ground clearly visible at least 100 feet ahead of such motorcycle.

§ 1246. Restrictions An individual shall not operate a motor vehicle on the highway during the period stated in section 1243 of this subchapter if the motor vehicle utilizes any lighting device of over four candle power equipped with a reflector, unless the device, the lens used …

§ 1247. Approval of lighting devices The manufacturer or distributor of each device or lens designed to control lights on motor vehicles shall apply to the Commissioner for his or her approval of the use of such device or lens in this State. The Commissioner shall make or cause t…

§ 1248. Taillights (a) Every motor vehicle, trailer, semi-trailer, and pole trailer, and any other vehicle that is being drawn at the end of a combination of vehicles, shall be equipped with at least two taillamps mounted on the rear, except that one taillamp shall be allowed on …

§ 1249. Directional signal lamps A person shall not operate on a highway in this State a pleasure car, pleasure car with trailer coach attached, motor truck, truck-tractor in combination with a trailer or semi-trailer, motor bus, or school bus registered in Vermont, manufactured …

§ 1250. Clearance lamps (a) Every motor vehicle, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, having a width at any part in excess of 80 inches, when in use or at rest on a highway, during the period from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, shall displa…

§ 1251. Sirens and emergency warning lamps; out-of-state emergency and rescue vehicles (a) Prohibition. A motor vehicle shall not be operated upon a highway of this State equipped with any of the following: (1) a siren unless either a permit authorizing the siren, issued by the C…

§ 1252. Law enforcement and emergency services vehicles; issuance of permits for sirens or emergency warning lamps, or both; use of amber lamps (a) Law enforcement vehicles. (1) Law enforcement vehicles owned and operated by the government. The following are authorized for use, w…

§ 1253. Inspection of permits Permits issued by the Commissioner in accordance with the provisions of sections 1251 and 1252 of this title shall be carried in some easily accessible place in the vehicles authorized to use the equipment and shall be available for inspection at any…

§ 1254. Emergency warning lamp; definition As used in sections 1251–1255 of this subchapter, “emergency warning lamp”: (1) means a lamp or lamps that provide a flashing light to identify an authorized vehicle on an emergency mission that may be a rotating beacon or pairs of alter…

§ 1255. Exceptions (a) The provisions of section 1251 of this title shall not apply to directional signal lamps of a type approved by the Commissioner. (b) All persons with motor vehicles equipped as provided in subsections 1252(a) and (b) of this subchapter shall use the sirens …

§ 1256. Motorcycles; headgear A person may not operate or ride upon a motorcycle upon a highway unless he or she properly wears protective headgear of a type that conforms to the federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards contained in 49 C.F.R. § 571.218, as may be amended. The requi…

§ 1257. Eye protection If a motorcycle is not equipped with a windshield or screen, the operator of the motorcycle shall wear either eye glasses, goggles, or a protective face shield when operating the vehicle. The glasses, goggles, or face shield shall have colorless lenses when…

§ 1258. Child restraint systems; individuals under 18 years of age (a) No individual shall operate a motor vehicle, other than a type I school bus, in this State upon a public highway unless every occupant under 18 years of age is properly restrained in a federally approved child…

§ 1259. Safety belts; persons 18 years of age or older (a) The operator of a motor vehicle shall be guilty of a violation of this section if any person 18 years of age or older is occupying a seating position that has been manufactured with a federally approved safety belt system…

§ 1260. Motorcycle exhaust; excessive noise; prohibitions (a) A motorcycle operated on a highway shall be equipped with an exhaust system that includes a muffler or other mechanical device designed to reduce the noise emitted by the motorcycle. (b) A motorcycle shall be in violat…

§ 1281. Additional equipment In addition to other equipment required by this title, any school bus as defined in section 4 of this title shall be equipped as follows: (1) A door in the rear and a door on the right side for entrance or exit purposes. (2) At least one fire extingui…

§ 1281a. Optional equipment In addition to equipment required under section 1283 of this title, any school bus as described in subdivision 4(34) of this title may be equipped with a stop arm sign with flashing red lights, of a type approved by the Commissioner, securely mounted b…

§ 1282. Operator, equipment, and inspection (a) Before an individual may assume the duty of transporting school pupils in either a Type I or Type II school bus, the individual shall as a minimum: (1) For Type I, have a valid State of Vermont commercial driver’s license with a pas…

§ 1283. Identification and equipment of school buses (a) Types I and II school buses shall be: (1) Identified with the words, “School Bus,” printed in letters not less than eight inches high, located between the warning signal lamps as high as possible without impairing visibilit…

§ 1284. Vehicle maintenance (a) School buses shall at all times be maintained in a safe operating condition. (b) A systematic preventive maintenance program shall be established and records kept, which at all times shall be available for inspection by any enforcement officer. (c)…

§ 1285. Pupil instruction At least twice during each school year, each pupil who is transported in a school bus shall be instructed by school authorities in safe riding practices and participate in emergency evacuation drills. (Added 1975, No. 149 (Adj. Sess.), § 10.)

§ 1286. Penalties Any violation of section 1283, 1284, or 1285 of this title shall be a traffic violation as defined in chapter 24 of this title. (Added 1987, No. 209 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; amended 1997, No. 32, § 5.)

§ 1287. Multifunction school activity bus (a) A “multifunction school activity bus” is a vehicle that is used to transport students on trips other than on a fixed route between home and school and that meets the construction and safety standards for a “multifunction school activi…

§ 1301. Emergency exits The owner of a motor bus, designed to carry more than seven passengers and having a closed body, shall not operate such bus or permit the same to be operated, unless it has an exit in the rear end or an exit at the rear on the opposite side from the front …

§ 1302. Rubber tires on trucks; number of trailers (a) Motor trucks shall be equipped with rubber tires. (b) Not more than one trailer shall be attached to one motor truck. However, two vehicles may be towed in driveaway-towaway operations, including double saddlemount, if the op…

§ 1303. Flares required A person shall not operate a motor truck, except those registered at pleasure car rates and those registered with a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 10,001 pounds, with or without a trailer or semi-trailer attached, or a motor bus, upon a highway o…

§ 1304. Use If such vehicle is disabled so that it is necessary that it remain on the roadway or shoulder of the highway, the driver or other person in charge of such vehicle shall cause operating flares to be placed upon the roadway or shoulder of the highway, one approximately …

§ 1305. Mirror required All motor trucks and motor vehicles towing a trailer or semi-trailer shall be equipped with a mirror not less than five inches in diameter or with less than 25 square inches of reflective area so attached that the driver shall at all times have a reflected…

§ 1306. Rear wheel flaps No person may operate or cause to be operated any bus, truck, trailer, or semi-trailer upon any highway in this State unless the bus, truck, trailer, or semi-trailer is equipped with suitable metal protectors or substantial flexible flaps behind the rearm…

§ 1307. Brake equipment required (a) Every motor vehicle, when operated upon a highway, shall be equipped with brakes acting on all wheels adequate to control the movement of and to stop and hold such vehicle, including two separate means of applying the brakes to at least two wh…

§ 1308. Performance ability of brakes (a) The service brakes upon any motor truck, truck, and tractor or combination of vehicles shall be adequate to stop such vehicle or vehicles when traveling 20 miles per hour within a distance of 30 feet when upon dry asphalt or concrete pave…