Minnesota Session Laws - 2001, Regular Session

                             CHAPTER 24-S.F.No. 480 
                  An act relating to traffic regulations; abolishing 
                  statutes that define trackless trolley car, that 
                  regulate driving through rough country, and that 
                  prohibit employment by passenger carriers of persons 
                  addicted to liquor; making conforming changes; 
                  amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, sections 169.03, 
                  subdivision 7; 169.20, subdivision 5; 169.46; and 
                  169.80, subdivision 2; repealing Minnesota Statutes 
                  2000, sections 169.01, subdivision 18; 169.38; and 
                  169.901. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.03, 
        subdivision 7, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 7.  [STREETCAR AND TROLLEY STREETCARS.] 
        Streetcars and trackless trolley cars, except where otherwise 
        specifically provided, shall be governed by the same rules as 
        provided in this chapter for vehicles and motor vehicles, only 
        insofar as such rules apply to speed, stopped at through streets 
        and railroad tracks, and obeying signals of traffic-control 
        devices and rights-of-way, driving under the influence of drugs 
        or intoxicating liquor, careless driving, and the stopping at 
        the scene of an accident and giving the information as required 
        by this chapter, and following vehicles too closely, and shall 
        be entitled to the same rights and benefits of this chapter, as 
        to warning, turning and stopping signals and rights-of-way, as 
        any vehicles or motor vehicle in the streets and highways of 
        this state. 
           Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.20, 
        subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 5.  [EMERGENCY VEHICLE.] (a) Upon the immediate 
        approach of an authorized emergency vehicle equipped with at 
        least one lighted lamp exhibiting red light visible under normal 
        atmospheric conditions from a distance of 500 feet to the front 
        of such vehicle and, except where otherwise not required by law, 
        when the driver is giving audible signal by siren, the driver of 
        each other vehicle shall yield the right-of-way and shall 
        immediately drive to a position parallel to and as close as 
        possible to the right-hand edge or curb of the highway clear of 
        any intersection, and shall stop and remain in this position 
        until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed, except when 
        otherwise directed by a police officer.  The driver of another 
        vehicle on a one-way roadway shall drive to the closest edge or 
        curb and stop.  The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle 
        escorting the movement of a vehicle or load which is oversize or 
        overweight need not sound an audible signal by siren but shall 
        exhibit the light required by this paragraph.  The driver of 
        each other vehicle then shall yield the right-of-way, as 
        required by this paragraph, to the emergency vehicle escorting 
        the vehicle or load which is oversize or overweight. 
           (b) Upon the approach of an authorized emergency vehicle 
        the driver of each street car and the operator of each trackless 
        trolley car streetcar shall immediately stop such the car clear 
        of any intersection and keep it in this position and keep the 
        doors and gates of the street car or trackless trolley car 
        closed until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed, except 
        when otherwise directed by a police officer. 
           (c) A peace officer may arrest the driver of a motor 
        vehicle if the peace officer has probable cause to believe that 
        the driver has operated the vehicle in violation of paragraph 
        (a) within the four-hour period following the termination of the 
        emergency incident. 
           (d) This subdivision shall not operate to relieve the 
        driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive 
        with due regard for the safety of persons using the highways. 
           Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.46, is 
        amended to read: 
           169.46 [HITCHING BEHIND VEHICLE.] 
           No person shall hitch a toboggan, hand sled, bicycle, or 
        other similar device onto any motor vehicle, street car or 
        trackless trolley car streetcar while being used on a highway.  
           Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.80, 
        subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 2.  [OUTSIDE WIDTH.] (a) The total outside width of a 
        vehicle exclusive of rear view mirrors or load securement 
        devices which are not an integral part of the vehicle and not 
        exceeding three inches on each side, or the load may not exceed 
        102 inches except that the outside width of a vehicle owned by a 
        political subdivision and used exclusively for the purpose of 
        handling sewage sludge from sewage treatment facilities to farm 
        fields or disposal sites, may not exceed 12 feet, and except as 
        otherwise provided in this section. 
           (b) A vehicle exceeding 102 inches in total outside width, 
        owned by a political subdivision and used for the purpose of 
        transporting or applying sewage sludge to farm fields or 
        disposal sites may not transport sludge for distances greater 
        than 15 miles, nor may it be used for transportation of sewage 
        sludge or return travel between the hours of sunset and sunrise, 
        or at any other time when visibility is impaired by weather, 
        smoke, fog, or other conditions rendering persons and vehicles 
        not clearly discernible on the highway at a distance of 500 feet.
           (c) The total outside width of a low bed trailer or 
        equipment dolly, and the load, used exclusively for transporting 
        farm machinery and construction equipment may not exceed nine 
        feet in width except that a low bed trailer or equipment dolly 
        with a total outside width, including the load, in excess of 102 
        inches may not be operated on any interstate highway without 
        first having obtained a permit for the operation under section 
        169.86.  The vehicle must display 12-inch square red flags as 
        markers at the front and rear of the left side of the vehicle. 
           (d) The total outside width of a trackless trolley car or 
        passenger motor bus, operated exclusively in a city or 
        contiguous cities in this state, may not exceed nine feet. 
           Sec. 5.  [REPEALER.] 
           Minnesota Statutes 2000, sections 169.01, subdivision 18; 
        169.38; and 169.901, are repealed. 
           Presented to the governor April 11, 2001 
           Signed by the governor April 13, 2001, 1:55 p.m.