LD 1664
pg. 2
Page 1 of 2 An Act to Amend Certain Motor Vehicle Laws LD 1664 Title Page
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LR 765
Item 1

 
§15, is further amended by enacting a new subparagraph (7) to read:

 
(7)__A Department of Public Safety vehicle operated by
a motor carrier inspector may be equipped with
auxiliary lights that emit an amber light.

 
Sec. 7. 29-A MRSA §2054, sub-§9 is enacted to read:

 
9.__Stationary authorized emergency vehicles.__The operator of
a vehicle passing a stationary authorized emergency vehicle using
an emergency light, with due regard to the safety and traffic
conditions, shall:

 
A.__Pass in a lane not adjacent to that of the authorized
emergency vehicle, if possible; or

 
B.__If passing in a nonadjacent lane is impossible or
unsafe, pass the emergency vehicle at a careful and prudent
speed reasonable for passing the authorized emergency
vehicle safely.

 
Sec. 8. 29-A MRSA §2063, sub-§§2, 4, 5, and 8, as enacted by PL 1993, c.
683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, are amended to read:

 
2. Riding to the right. A person operating a bicycle or
scooter shall ride it as far as practicable to the right side of
the way, except when making a left turn. This subsection does
not apply in a municipality that, by ordinance and with the
approval of the Department of Public Safety and the Department of
Transportation, makes other provisions for the location of
bicycle or scooter traffic.

 
4. Hitching rides. A person riding on a bicycle, scooter or
toy vehicle may not attach it to a moving vehicle on a way.

 
5. Rights and duties. A person riding a bicycle or scooter
on a way has the rights and is subject to the duties applicable
to the operator of a vehicle, except as to:

 
A. Special regulations; and

 
B. Provisions in this Title that by their nature can have
no application.

 
8. Impoundment. The chief of police of a municipality, or if
there is no chief of police, the chair of the local legislative
body, when satisfied that a juvenile under the age of 17 years
has ridden a bicycle or scooter in violation of this

 
section, may impound the bicycle or scooter for a period not to
exceed 5 days for the first offense, 10 days for a 2nd offense
and 30 days for a subsequent offense.

 
Sec. 9. 29-A MRSA §2066, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A,
§2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:

 
5. Following fire apparatus; other emergency vehicles. An
operator may not follow within 500 feet of fire apparatus
traveling in response to a fire alarm or within 150 feet of any
other authorized emergency vehicle as defined in section 2054,
subsection 1, paragraph B that is using an emergency light as
defined in section 2054, subsection 1, paragraph D.

 
Sec. 10. 29-A MRSA §2067, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt.
A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:

 
3. Parking or standing. Unless a municipal ordinance
specifically provides otherwise, a vehicle may not be parked or
stand on or beside the left-hand side of a way during the times
when lighted lamps are required in a manner that its lights
project in the direction of oncoming traffic.

 
Sec. 11. 29-A MRSA §2084, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2
and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:

 
§2084. Bicycles and scooters

 
1. Night equipment. A bicycle, scooter or motorized bicycle
or tricycle, when in use in the nighttime or at other times when
motor vehicles are required to display headlights, must have:

 
A. Lighted a front light that emits a white light visible
from a distance of at least 200 feet to the front;

 
B. A red reflector to the rear that is visible at least 200
feet to the rear; and

 
C. Reflector strips on the pedals and handlebars.

 
2. Brakes. A bicycle, scooter or motorized bicycle or
tricycle must be equipped with a brake sufficient to enable the
operator to stop the vehicle or device within a reasonable
distance.

 
Sec. 12. 29-A MRSA §2088, sub-§2, ¶¶C and D, as reallocated by RR 1999,
c. 1, §41, are amended to read:

 
C. Participants in parades; or

 
D. A passenger secured by a seat belt in a manufacturer-
installed seat located outside the passenger compartment.;
or

 
Sec. 13. 29-A MRSA §2088, sub-§2, ¶E is enacted to read:

 
E.__Campers and hikers being transported in Baxter State
Park.

 
Sec. 14. 29-A MRSA §2251, sub-§8, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt.
A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:

 
8. Violation. A person commits a Class E crime if that
person:

 
A. Is required to make an oral or written report and
knowingly fails to do so within the time required; or

 
B. Is an operator involved in a reportable accident and
knowingly fails to give a correct name and address when
requested by an officer at the scene.; or

 
C.__Is the operator involved in a reportable accident or the
owner of a vehicle involved in a reportable accident and
knowingly fails to produce the vehicle or, if the vehicle is
operational, return it to the scene when requested by the
investigating officer.

 
Sec. 15. 29-A MRSA §2396, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt.
A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:

 
3. Gravel. A load of gravel, sand, crushed stone, rubbish,
wood chips, building debris or trash must be covered or otherwise
secured or confined to prevent any portion of the load from
falling from or spilling out of the vehicle.

 
SUMMARY

 
The bill affects the motor vehicle statutes as follows.

 
1. It defines scooter and imposes the same restrictions on
this mode of transportation as on bicycles.

 
2. It authorizes a law enforcement officer who has stopped a
vehicle for another violation to demand and inspect the
operator's record of duty status and medical examiner's
certificate, if the operator is required to have this
information.

 
3. It allows a permit to be issued by a law enforcement
agency to tow an unregistered vehicle using a tow dolly.
Currently, a permit may be issued to tow by use of a service
wrecker or tow bar.

 
4. It allows Department of Public Safety vehicles operated by
motor carrier inspectors to be equipped with amber auxiliary
lights.

 
5. It allows vehicles designed to respond to a weapon of mass
destruction to use a siren and to display and use a red light or
combination red and white light.

 
6. It requires an operator passing a stationary authorized
emergency vehicle that is using an emergency light to pass that
emergency vehicle in a nonadjacent lane, if possible, or at a
careful and prudent speed.

 
7. It prohibits an operator from following within 150 feet of
an authorized emergency vehicle, other than fire apparatus, that
is using an emergency light.

 
8. It prohibits a vehicle from standing beside the left-hand
side of a way at night in a manner so that its headlights project
in the direction of oncoming traffic.

 
9. It creates an exemption to the prohibition against riding
in the back of a pickup truck for campers and hikers being
transported in Baxter State Park.

 
10. It requires the operator or the owner of a vehicle
involved in a reportable accident to produce the vehicle and
return the vehicle to the scene of an accident, if possible, at
the request of the officer who is investigating the accident.

 
11. It resolves an inconsistency regarding confining a load
of wood chips when the wood chips are transported.


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