Sec. 14-387. Rules of operation. Violations. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 14-387. Rules of operation. Violations. No person shall operate a snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle in the following manner: (1) On any public highway, except such snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle, if operated by a licensed motor vehicle operator, may cross a public highway if the crossing is made at an angle of approximately ninety degrees to the direction of the highway and at a location where no obstruction prevents a quick and safe crossing, the snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle is completely stopped before entering the traveled portion of the highway and the driver yields the right-of-way to motor vehicles using the highway, provided nothing in this subsection shall be construed to permit the operation of a snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle on a limited access highway, as defined in subsection (a) of section 13a-1; (2) in such a manner that the exhaust of the snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle makes an excessive or unusual noise; (3) without a functioning muffler, subject to the provisions of section 14-80, properly operating brakes, sufficient and adequate front and rear lighting and reflecting devices, except an all-terrain vehicle with an engine size of ninety cubic centimeters or less shall not be required to be equipped with front and rear lighting and shall not be operated after dark; (4) in any manner which would cause harassment of any game or domestic animal; (5) on any land without the written permission of the owner, or the agent of the owner, or in the case of state-owned land, without the written permission of the state agency or institution under whose control such land is, or in the case of land under the jurisdiction of a local municipality without the written permission of such municipality, which written permission shall be carried on the person operating the all-terrain vehicle while on such land; and (6) on any railroad right-of-way. Nothing in sections 14-379 to 14-390, inclusive, shall preclude the operation of a snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle (A) on the frozen surface of any public body of water, provided any municipality may by ordinance regulate the hours of operation of snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles on public waters within such municipality and provided the operation of a snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle shall be subject to the provisions of section 25-43c; or (B) on any abandoned or disused railroad right-of-way or in any place or upon any land specifically designated for the operation of snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles by statute, regulation or local ordinance. Any person who violates any provision of this section shall have committed a separate infraction for each such violation.

      (1969, P.A. 752, S. 9; 1971, P.A. 848, S. 11; 857, S. 4; 1972, P.A. 294, S. 15; P.A. 76-381, S. 16; P.A. 84-429, S. 69; P.A. 86-249, S. 8; P.A. 93-405, S. 2; P.A. 03-276, S. 4.)

      History: 1971 acts made provisions applicable to all-terrain vehicles, included domestic animals in Subdiv. (7), added Subdivs. (8) and (9) re operation on agricultural or posted land or on railroad rights-of-way, specifically stated right to operate vehicle on abandoned rights-of-way or on land specifically designated for the purpose and allowed regulation of hours of operation on public waters by ordinance; 1972 act included all-terrain vehicles in provision re operation on public waters; P.A. 76-381 deleted Subdivs. (2) to (4) banning operation at unreasonable rate of speed, in negligent manner or under influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs, renumbering remaining Subdivs. accordingly, replaced numeric designators in exemption with alphabetic ones and added provision that violator deemed to have committed an infraction; P.A. 84-429 made technical change for statutory consistency; P.A. 86-249 amended Subsec. (6)(A) by adding provision making the operation of snowmobiles or all-terrain vehicles on frozen surfaces of public waters subject to Sec. 25-43c; P.A. 93-405 amended Subdiv. (3) to provide that an all-terrain vehicle with an engine size of ninety cubic centimeters or less shall not be required to have front and rear lighting and shall not be operated after dark; P.A. 03-276 amended Subdiv. (5) by deleting "fenced agricultural land or posted" and by adding "which written permission shall be carried on the person operating the all-terrain vehicle while on such land", effective July 1, 2003.

      See Sec. 23-26g re infractions committed through violations of Environmental Protection Commissioner's regulations re operation of all-terrain vehicles on state land.

      See chapter 881b re infractions of the law.