Title 23, Title 23: Motor Vehicles

§ 1006. Stopping at railroad crossings The Traffic Committee may designate particularly dangerous railroad grade crossings, and the Agency of Transportation shall erect stop signs at each. The expense of erecting these stop signs shall be borne by the Agency of Transportation. (A…

§ 1006a. Highways; emergency closure (a) The Traffic Committee may close any part or all of any State highway to public travel to protect the health, safety, or welfare of the public. In such event, the Agency may maintain a detour comprising State or town highways, or both, arou…

§ 1006b. Smugglers’ notch; winter closure of Vermont Route 108; vehicle operation prohibited (a) Winter closure. The Agency of Transportation may close the Smugglers’ Notch segment of Vermont Route 108 during periods of winter weather. (b) Vehicle operation prohibition. (1) Singl…

§ 1006c. Chain requirements for vehicles with weight ratings of more than 26,000 pounds (a) As used in this section, “chains” means link chains, cable chains, or another device that attaches to a vehicle’s tire or wheel or to the vehicle itself and is designed to augment the trac…

§ 1007. Local speed limits (a)(1) The legislative body of a municipality may establish, on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation, a speed limit on all or a part of any city, town, or village highway within its jurisdiction, which: (A) is not more than 50 miles per…

§ 1007a. Neighborhood electric vehicles; speed limit The maximum speed for a neighborhood electric vehicle shall be 25 miles per hour. (Added 2003, No. 8, § 2.)

§ 1008. Ordinances in municipalities (a) The legislative body of a municipality may adopt ordinances as to the operation, use, and parking of motor vehicles, including angle parking; as to the location, design, and structure of traffic lights; as to “stop” signs and “yield right …

§ 1008a. Regulation of motor vehicles at State airports (a)(1) The Secretary may adopt rules governing the operation, use, and parking of motor vehicles on the grounds of State airports, including the access roads. (2) In addition, the Secretary may prescribe special restrictions…

§ 1009. Restrictions of controlled-access roadway (a) The Traffic Committee by resolution or order entered in its minutes may regulate or prohibit the use of any controlled-access highway by any class or kind of traffic that is found to be incompatible with the normal and safe mo…

§ 1010. Special occasions; town highway maintenance (a) When it appears that traffic will be congested by reason of a public occasion or when a town highway is being reconstructed or maintained or where utilities are being installed, relocated, or maintained, the legislative body…

§ 1011. Applicability of this chapter (a) The provisions of this chapter relating to the operation of motor vehicles apply to operation upon public highways only, except where a different place is specifically referred to. (b) On-duty enforcement officers are exempt from the spee…

§ 1012. Obedience to enforcement officers (a) A person while operating or in charge of a motor vehicle shall, upon request by an enforcement officer who reasonably suspects that the person has committed or is committing a violation of this title, give his or her name and address …

§ 1013. Authority of enforcement officers Enforcement officers may make arrests for violation of this title; may direct, control, and regulate traffic; and may make reasonable orders in enforcement of this title or to prevent or alleviate traffic congestion, property damage, or p…

§ 1014. Persons riding animals A person riding an animal or driving any animal-drawn vehicle upon a road is granted all of the rights and is subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a motor vehicle by this chapter except those provisions of this chapter that by th…

§ 1015. Authorized emergency vehicles (a) The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency call or when responding to, but not returning from, a fire alarm and a law enforcement officer operating an authorized emergency vehicle in fresh pursuit of a …

§ 1016. Reports of arrests Law enforcement officers who make arrests or issue citations for violations of this title shall forward a written report on forms prescribed and furnished by the Commissioners of Motor Vehicles and of Public Safety and approved by the Attorney General w…

§ 1017. Speed limit in school zones Notwithstanding the maximum penalty established in subsection 2302(c) of this title and the waiver penalties established pursuant to 4 V.S.A. § 1102(d), the civil penalty for violating a State or municipal speed limit in a school zone designate…

§ 1021. Obedience to traffic-control devices (a) The driver of any vehicle shall obey the instructions of any official traffic-control device applicable to him or her placed in accordance with this chapter unless otherwise directed by an enforcement officer, subject to the except…

§ 1022. Traffic-control signals (a) Whenever traffic is controlled by traffic-control signals exhibiting different colored lights, or colored lighted arrows, successively one at a time or in combination, only the colors green, red, and yellow may be used, except for special pedes…

§ 1023. Pedestrian-control signals Whenever special pedestrian-control signals exhibiting the words “Walk” or “Don’t Walk” are in place, the signals indicate as follows: (1) “Walk”: pedestrians facing the signal may proceed across the roadway in the direction of the signal and sh…

§ 1024. Flashing signals (a) Whenever a flashing red or yellow signal is used in a traffic sign or signal, it requires obedience by vehicular traffic as follows: (1) Flashing red: When a red lens is illuminated with rapid intermittent flashes, drivers shall stop before entering t…

§ 1025. Standards (a) The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD), as amended, shall be the standards for all traffic control signs, signals, and markings within the State. Revis…

§ 1026. Lane control signals When lane direction control signals are placed over the individual lanes of a street or highway, vehicular traffic shall travel in any lane over which there is a green signal but may not enter or travel in any lane over which there is a red signal. (A…

§ 1027. Unauthorized signs, signals, or markings (a) No person shall place, maintain, or display upon or in view of any highway any unauthorized sign, signal, marking, or device that is an imitation of or resembles an official traffic-control device or railroad sign or signal or …

§ 1028. Interference with devices or signals No person shall, without lawful authority, alter or attempt to alter, deface, injure, knock down, or remove any official traffic-control device or any railroad sign or signal or any inscription, shield, or insignia thereon, or any part…

§ 1029. Municipal signs Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 1025 and 1027 of this title, municipalities may erect alternative signs of a guidance or informational nature and creative design, in accordance with the provisions of 10 V.S.A. § 494(15), to assist persons in rea…

§ 1031. Driving to right (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 …

§ 1032. Passing vehicles proceeding in opposite directions 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 leas…

§ 1033. Passing motor vehicles and vulnerable users (a) Passing motor vehicles generally. Motor vehicles proceeding in the same direction may be overtaken and passed only as follows: (1) The driver of a motor vehicle overtaking another motor vehicle proceeding in the same directi…

§ 1034. Passing on the right (a) The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only as follows: (1) when the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a left turn; (2) upon a street or highway of sufficient width for two or more lines of movin…

§ 1035. Limitations (a) A vehicle shall not be driven to the left side of the center of the roadway in overtaking and passing another vehicle or a vulnerable user proceeding in the same direction unless authorized by the provisions of this chapter and unless the left side is clea…

§ 1036. No-passing zones (a) The Traffic Committee is authorized to determine those portions of any highway under its jurisdiction where overtaking and passing or driving on the left side of the roadway would be especially hazardous and may by appropriate signs indicate the begin…

§ 1037. One-way roadways and rotaries (a) The Traffic Committee may designate any highway or any separate roadway under its jurisdiction for one-way traffic and shall erect appropriate signs giving notice thereof. (b) Upon a roadway designated and signposted for one-way traffic, …

§ 1038. Driving on roadways laned for traffic Whenever any roadway has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic, the following rules shall apply in addition to all others consistent therewith: (1) A vehicle shall only be driven, as nearly as practicable, ent…

§ 1039. Following too closely, crowding, and harassment (a) The driver of a vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of the vehicles and the traffic upon, and the conditions of, the highway. The operator…

§ 1040. Driving on divided highways Whenever any highway is 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 may be driven only upon the ri…

§ 1041. Restricted access roadways No person may drive a vehicle onto or from any controlled-access roadway except at entrances and exits established by public authority. (Added 1971, No. 258 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. March 1, 1973.)

§ 1042. Restricting the use of town highways (a) The legislative body of a municipality may, with the approval of the Secretary of Transportation, designate highways and bridges under its control, except for class 1 town highways, for use by specified types of motor vehicles base…

§ 1043. Operation of neighborhood electric vehicles (a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the operator of a neighborhood electric vehicle may not operate the vehicle on a highway with a speed limit in excess of 35 miles per hour. (b) The Traffic Commi…

§ 1046. Vehicle approaching or entering intersection (a) When two vehicles approach or enter an intersection from different highways at approximately the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right of way to the vehicle on the right. (b) The right-of-wa…

§ 1047. Vehicle turning left (a) The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the 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 that is either within the intersection or …

§ 1048. Stop or yield intersections (a) Preferential right of way at an intersection may be indicated by “stop” signs or “yield” signs. (b) Except when directed to proceed by an enforcement officer or traffic-control signal, every driver of a vehicle approaching a stop intersecti…

§ 1049. Vehicle entering from private road The driver of a vehicle about to enter or cross a highway from an alley, building, private road, or driveway shall yield the right of way to all vehicles and vulnerable users approaching on the highway. (Added 1971, No. 258 (Adj. Sess.),…

§ 1050. Operation on approach of law enforcement and emergency vehicles or when approaching stationary law enforcement and emergency vehicles or work zone (a) Approach of law enforcement and emergency vehicles. Upon the approach of a law enforcement vehicle sounding a siren or di…

§ 1050a. Authorized highway maintenance vehicles (a) As used in this section, “authorized vehicle” means a vehicle authorized by the Agency of Transportation (in the case of State highways) or the municipality (in the case of town highways) to perform maintenance on a highway. (b…

§ 1051. Pedestrians’ right of way in crosswalks (a) If traffic-control signals are not in operation, the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right of way, slowing down or stopping if necessary, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk. (b) No pedestrian may suddenl…