Minnesota Administrative Rules

6102.0040 REQUIRED EQUIPMENT.

Subpart 1.

Vehicle.

A vehicle shall not be operated on public lands, waters, and trails or on public streets and highways which are open to vehicle use unless equipped according to items A to E.

A.

When operating during hours of darkness or reduced visibility, a vehicle must have at least one headlamp in operation, having a minimum candlepower of sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of at least 100 feet ahead under normal atmospheric conditions. The headlamp must be so aimed that glaring rays are not projected into the eyes of oncoming vehicle operators.

B.

When operating during hours of darkness or reduced visibility, a vehicle must have at least one red tail lamp in operation, having a minimum candlepower of sufficient intensity to exhibit a red light, plainly visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear under normal atmospheric conditions.

C.

A vehicle must have brakes adequate to control the movement of, to stop, and to hold the vehicle under normal operating conditions.

D.

A vehicle must have a throttle so designed that when pressure used to advance the throttle is removed, the engine will immediately and automatically return to idle.

E.

An ORV must have a seat belt for each human occupant. All human occupants must wear seat belts when the vehicle is in operation.

Subp. 2.

Sled, trailer, or device towed by a vehicle.

A sled, trailer, or other device being towed by a vehicle must be equipped with a straight arm bar if the sled, trailer, or other device being towed by a vehicle contains one or more human passengers, except that a disabled vehicle being towed by any means may contain one human passenger if necessary to steer the vehicle. During the hours of darkness under normal atmospheric conditions the device being towed must also be equipped according to items A and B.

A.

Unobstructed and visible reflective material of at least 16 square inches must be mounted on each side and at the rear of the sled, trailer, or device.

B.

The reflection material required must have at least the minimum intensity values prescribed in Table II of the Federal Specifications L-S-300C, dated March 29, 1977, Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, chapter V, section 571.108, S5.7.2, or be in accordance with Reflex Reflectors, Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE J594F, which are incorporated by reference, are not subject to frequent change, and are available through the Minitex interlibrary loan system. The manufacturer's trade name, or other decorative material, if meeting minimum reflectorization standards, may be included in computing the required 16 square inch area.

Subp. 3.

Maker's permanent identification number.

All ATVs made after January 1, 1995, and OHMs made after January 1, 1994, that are sold in this state must bear the maker's permanent identification number. All ATVs and OHMs so manufactured shall bear an individual number that is not duplicated by that maker at any time within the succeeding ten years. The maker's permanent identification number must:

A.

be permanently stamped into the steering head or on a frame member on the forward half of the vehicle;

B.

have numerals and letters of not less than four millimeters in height, and in English language characters placed to read from left to right; and

C.

be readable without removing any part of the vehicle.

Subp. 4.

Mufflers.

A.

No person shall operate a vehicle unless it is equipped with a muffler having a spark arrestor approved by the United States Forest Service as described by Code of Federal Regulations, title 36, chapter II, section 261.52, paragraph (j).

B.

Vehicles shall not be sold, offered for sale, or operated in this state unless equipped so that overall noise emission does not exceed a sound level limitation of not more than 99 decibels on the A scale from a distance of 20 inches using test procedures and instrumentation as set forth in the Society of Automotive Engineers' Standard, SAE J1287, June 1988, or, if different procedures or instrumentation are used, a noise level equivalent to that level.

C.

No noise suppressing system or muffler shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass, or similar device and no person shall modify or alter that system or its operation in any manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the vehicle's motor to exceed the noise limits established in this subpart, except for organized events as authorized by Minnesota Statutes, sections 84.795, subdivision 7; 84.804, subdivision 5; and 84.928, subdivision 5.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 84.787 to 84.805; 84.92 to 84.929

History:

18 SR 1145; 22 SR 1026

Published Electronically:

June 11, 2008