(a) A person may not operate a passenger car or light
truck while towing a trailer, semitrailer, house trailer, or another
motor vehicle on a public highway unless safety chains of a type approved
by the department are attached in a manner approved by the department
from the trailer, semitrailer, house trailer, or drawn motor vehicle
to the towing vehicle.
(b) Exceptions.
(1) Does not apply to trailers, or semitrailers, used
for agricultural purposes.
(2) Does not apply to trailers, semitrailers, house
trailers, or drawn motor vehicles operated in compliance with the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
(3) Does not apply to trailers, semitrailers, or house
trailers which are equipped with safety chains installed by the original
manufacturer before the effective date of this section, August 18,
1994.
(4) Does not apply to fifth wheel or gooseneck semitrailers.
(c) Definition of Terms.
(1) House trailer--A trailer or semitrailer:
(A) which is designed, constructed, and equipped as
a dwelling place, living abode, or sleeping place (either permanently
or temporarily) and equipped for use as a conveyance on streets and
highways; or
(B) whose chassis and exterior shell is designed and
constructed for use as a house trailer, as defined in subparagraph
(A) of this paragraph, but which is used instead permanently or temporarily
for the services, or for any other commercial purpose except the transportation
of property for hire or the transportation of property for distribution
by a private carrier.
(2) Light truck--Any truck with a manufacturer's rated
carrying capacity not to exceed 2,000 pounds and is intended to include
those trucks commonly known as pickup trucks, panel delivery trucks
and carryall trucks.
(3) Motor vehicle--A self-propelled or towed vehicle
used to transport passengers or property upon a public highway.
(4) Passenger car--A motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle,
golf cart, light truck, or bus, designed or used primarily for the
transportation of persons.
(5) Safety chains--A series of metal links or rings
connected to or fitted into one another, and are inclusive of the
hooks, coupling devices, and other connections, necessary in the coupling
together of a towing or towed vehicle.
(6) Semitrailer--Every vehicle with or without motive
power, other than a pole trailer, designed for carrying persons or
property and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and so constructed
that some part of its weight and that of its load rests upon or is
carried by another vehicle.
(7) Trailer--Every vehicle with or without motive power,
other than a pole trailer, designed for carrying persons or property
and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and so connected that no part
of its weight rests upon the towing vehicle.
(8) Truck--Every motor vehicle designed, used, or maintained
primarily for transportation of property.
(d) Specifications for safety chains.
(1) Two separate and individual safety chains shall
be used simultaneously in all situations where safety chains are required.
(2) The two safety chains will be of equal length,
long enough to permit free turning of the vehicles without placing
stress on the chains, and attached to the towing vehicle equidistant
right and left of the point at which the vehicles are connected. The
safety chains must be connected to the towed and towing vehicles and
to the tow-bar in a manner which prevents the tow-bar from dropping
to the ground in the event it fails or becomes disconnected. In no
event will the safety chains be allowed to contact the road surface
during movement of the vehicles.
(3) Safety chains shall be of sufficient strength to
prevent the vehicles from separating in the event the towed vehicle
disengages from the towing vehicle under ordinary towing conditions.
(4) Safety chains must be attached to either side of
the tongue or connecting apparatus of the towed vehicle, equidistant
forward and aft of the hitch or connector. They shall not be directly
welded to the towed vehicle, but rather shall be connected by means
of bolts, pins, or other secure connecting methods, that meet necessary
strength requirements.
(e) Enforcement Policy. When the use of safety chains
are required in accordance with subsection (a) of this section, enforcement
actions should be initiated against all persons apprehended who are
operating a towing and towed vehicle in combination:
(1) without both safety chains securely attached;
(2) when safety chains are improperly attached to the
degree that one or both are in contact with surface of the road;
(3) when the failure of either or both safety chains
or the manner in which they are attached allow the vehicles to become
disconnected or allow the tongue or connecting apparatus of the towed
vehicle to come into contact with the road surface during ordinary
towing operations; or
(4) when the failure of either or both safety chains
or the manner in which they are attached results in an accident.
|