§ 143-116.7. Motor vehicle laws applicable to streets, alleys and driveways on the grounds of Department of Health and Human Services institutions; traffic regulations; registration and regulation of - North Carolina Statutes

§ 143‑116.7.  Motorvehicle laws applicable to streets, alleys and driveways on the grounds ofDepartment of Health and Human Services institutions; traffic regulations;registration and regulation of motor vehicles.

(a)        Except as otherwise provided in this section, all theprovisions of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes relating to the use of thehighways of the State and the operation of motor vehicles thereon are madeapplicable to the streets, alleys, roads and driveways on the grounds of allState institutions under the jurisdiction of the Department of Health and HumanServices. Any person violating any of the provisions of the Chapter in or onsuch streets, alleys, roads or driveways shall, upon conviction be punished asprescribed in this section. Nothing herein contained shall be construed as inany way interfering with the ownership and control of the streets, alleys,roads and driveways on the grounds of the State institutions operated by theDepartment of Health and Human Services.

(b)        The Secretary of Health and Human Services may adopt rulesconsistent with the provisions of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes, withrespect to the use of the streets, alleys, and driveways of institutions of theDepartment of Health and Human Services. Based upon a traffic and engineeringinvestigation, the Secretary of Health and Human Services may also determineand establish speed limits on streets lower than those provided in G.S. 20‑141.

(c)        The Secretary may, by rule, regulate parking and establishparking areas on the grounds of institutions of the Department of Health andHuman Services.

(d)        The Secretary may, by rule, provide for the registration andparking of motor vehicles maintained and operated by employees of theinstitution, and may fix fees, not to exceed ten dollars ($10.00) per year, forsuch registration.

(e)        Rules adopted under this section may provide that violationsubjects the offender to a civil penalty, not to exceed fifty dollars ($50.00).Penalties may be graduated according to the seriousness of the offense or thenumber of prior offenses by the person charged but shall not exceed fiftydollars ($50.00). The Secretary may establish procedures for the collection ofpenalties, and they may be enforced by civil action in the nature of debt.

(f)         A rule adopted under this section may provide for theremoval of illegally parked motor vehicles. Any such removal must be incompliance with Article 7A of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes.

(g)        Any violation under this section or of a provision of Chapter20 of the General Statutes made applicable to the grounds of State institutionssolely by operation of this section shall be considered an infraction and shallbe subject to an infraction penalty not to exceed fifty dollars ($50.00). Arule adopted under this section may provide that a violation shall not be aninfraction, but shall be enforced by other methods available, including themethods authorized by subsection (e).

(h)        Any fees or civil penalties collected pursuant to thissection shall be deposited in the General Fund Budget Code of the institutionwhere the fees or civil penalties are collected and shall only be used tosupport the cost of administration of this section. Infraction penalties shallbe disbursed as provided in G.S. 14‑3.1(a). (1981, c. 614, s. 5; 1985, c. 672; c. 764, s. 39; 1985(Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 852, ss. 13, 14; 1987, c. 827, s. 256; 1997‑443,s. 11A.118(a).)