2005 Legislation
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SENATE BILL NO. 1084 – Trailers, certain, reflector reqmt

SENATE BILL NO. 1084

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Bill Status



S1084.....................................................by TRANSPORTATION
VEHICLE LIGHTING EQUIPMENT - Amends existing law relating to vehicle
lighting equipment to require reflectors on the front of certain trailers,
semitrailers and pole trailers.
                                                                        
02/02    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/03    Rpt prt - to Transp
02/23    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
02/24    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
02/25    3rd rdg - PASSED - 34-0-1
      AYES -- Andreason, Brandt, Bunderson, Burkett, Burtenshaw, Cameron,
      Coiner, Compton, Corder, Darrington, Davis, Gannon, Geddes, Goedde,
      Hill, Jorgenson, Kelly, Keough, Langhorst, Little, Lodge, Malepeai,
      Marley, McGee, McKenzie, Noble, Pearce, Richardson, Schroeder,
      Stegner, Stennett, Sweet, Werk, Williams
      NAYS -- None
      Absent and excused -- Broadsword
    Floor Sponsor - Corder
    Title apvd - to House
02/28    House intro - 1st rdg - to Transp
03/11    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/14    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/15    3rd rdg - PASSED - 68-0-2
      AYES -- Anderson, Andrus, Barraclough, Barrett, Bastian, Bayer,
      Bedke, Bell, Bilbao, Black, Block, Boe, Bolz, Bradford, Cannon,
      Chadderdon, Clark, Collins, Crow, Deal, Denney, Edmunson, Ellsworth,
      Eskridge, Field(18), Field(23), Garrett, Hart(Jacobson), Harwood,
      Henbest, Henderson, Jaquet, Jones, Kemp, Lake, LeFavour, Loertscher,
      Martinez, Mathews, McGeachin, McKague, Miller, Moyle, Nielsen,
      Nonini, Pasley-Stuart, Pence, Raybould, Ring, Ringo, Roberts, Rusche,
      Rydalch, Sali, Sayler, Schaefer, Shepherd(2), Shepherd(8), Shirley,
      Skippen, Smith(30), Smylie, Snodgrass, Stevenson, Trail, Wills, Wood,
      Mr. Speaker
      NAYS -- None
      Absent and excused -- Mitchell, Smith(24)
    Floor Sponsor - Wills
    Title apvd - to Senate
03/16    To enrol
03/17    Rpt enrol - Pres signed
03/18    Sp signed
03/21    To Governor
03/23    Governor signed
         Session Law Chapter 126
         Effective: 07/01/05

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-eighth Legislature                   First Regular Session - 2005
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                       IN THE SENATE
                                                                        
                                    SENATE BILL NO. 1084
                                                                        
                                BY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO VEHICLE LIGHTING EQUIPMENT; AMENDING SECTION 49-909,  IDAHO  CODE,
  3        TO  REQUIRE  REFLECTORS ON THE FRONT OF CERTAIN TRAILERS, SEMITRAILERS AND
  4        POLE TRAILERS.
                                                                        
  5    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  6        SECTION 1.  That Section 49-909, Idaho Code, be, and the  same  is  hereby
  7    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
  8        49-909.  ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT REQUIRED ON CERTAIN VEHICLES. In addition to
  9    other  equipment  required  in  this  chapter, the following vehicles shall be
 10    equipped as follows:
 11        (1)  On every bus or truck, whatever its size, there shall be:
 12        (a)  On each side, one (1) reflector, at or near the rear; and
 13        (b)  On the rear, two (2) reflectors, one (1) at each side,  and  one  (1)
 14        stoplight.
 15        (2)  On  every  bus  or truck eighty (80) inches or more in over-all width
 16    and less than thirty (30) feet in over-all length, in addition to the require-
 17    ments in subsection (1):
 18        (a)  On the front, two (2) clearance lamps, one (1) at each side; and
 19        (b)  On the rear, two (2) clearance lamps, one (1) at each side.
 20        (3)  On every bus or truck thirty (30) feet or more  in  over-all  length,
 21    regardless  of  its  width, in addition to the requirements in subsection (1),
 22    clearance lamps required in subsection (2), plus:
 23        (a)  On each side, two (2) side marker lamps, one (1) at or near the front
 24        and one (1) at or near the rear; and
 25        (b)  On each side, one (1) reflector at or near the front.
 26        (4)  On every truck tractor, the cab of which is as wide as or wider  than
 27    any vehicle being drawn:
 28        (a)  On the front, two (2) clearance lamps, one (1) at each side; and
 29        (b)  On each side, one (1) side marker lamp at or near the front.
 30        (5)  On  every  trailer  or semitrailer having a gross weight in excess of
 31    three thousand (3,000) pounds, if wider than the truck or the cab of the truck
 32    tractor drawing it, the following:
 33        (a)  On the front, two (2) clearance lamps, one (1) at each side;
 34        (b)  On each side, two (2) side marker lamps, one (1) at or near the front
 35        and one (1) at or near the rear;
 36        (c)  On each side, two (2) reflectors, one (1) at or near  the  front  and
 37        one (1) at or near the rear; and
 38        (d)  On  the rear, two (2) clearance lamps, one (1) at each side, also two
 39        (2) reflectors, one (1) at each side, and one (1) stoplight.
 40        (6)  On every trailer or semitrailer having a gross weight  in  excess  of
 41    three  thousand  (3,000) pounds if of the same width or less than the truck or
 42    the cab of the truck drawing it, the following:
 43        (a)  On each side, one (1) side marker lamp near the rear;
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1        (b)  On each side, two (2) reflectors, one (1) at or near  the  front  and
  2        one (1) at or near the rear;
  3        (c)  On the rear, two (2) clearance lamps, one (1) at each side; and
  4        (d)  On  the  rear,  two  (2) reflectors, one (1) at each side and one (1)
  5        stoplight.
  6        (7)  On every pole trailer in excess  of  three  thousand  (3,000)  pounds
  7    gross weight:
  8        (a)  On  each  side,  one  (1) side marker lamp and one (1) clearance lamp
  9        which may be in combination, to show the front, side and rear; and
 10        (b)  On the rear of the pole trailer or load, two (2) reflectors, one  (1)
 11        at each side.
 12        (8)  On  every  trailer, semitrailer and pole trailer weighing three thou-
 13    sand (3,000) pounds gross or less:
 14        (a)  Oon the rear, two (2) reflectors, one (1) on each side; and
 15        (b)  On the front, two (2) reflectors, one (1) on each side.
 16        (9)  If any trailer or semitrailer is so loaded or is of dimensions  which
 17    obscure the stoplight on the towing vehicle, then the drawn vehicle shall also
 18    be equipped with one (1) stoplight.
 19        (10) Reflectors shall be mounted at a height no less than twenty-four (24)
 20    inches  and  not  higher  than sixty (60) inches above the ground on which the
 21    vehicle stands. If the highest part of the permanent structure of the  vehicle
 22    is  less  than  twenty-four  (24) inches, the reflector at that point shall be
 23    mounted as high as that part of the  permanent  structure  will  permit.  Rear
 24    reflectors  on  a  pole  trailer may be mounted on each side of the bolster or
 25    load. Any required red reflector on the rear of a vehicle may be  incorporated
 26    with  the  tail  lamp,  but  the  reflector shall meet all the other reflector
 27    requirements of this chapter.
 28        (11) Clearance lamps shall be mounted on the permanent  structure  of  the
 29    vehicle in a manner to indicate its extreme width and as near the top as prac-
 30    ticable.  Clearance  lamps and side marker lamps may be mounted in combination
 31    provided illumination is given as prescribed for both.
 32        (12) Lighting devices required shall be mounted, so far as practicable, in
 33    a manner to reduce the hazard of their being obscured by mud or dust thrown by
 34    the vehicle's wheels.
 35        (13) On every trailer where the connecting tongue is fifteen (15) feet  or
 36    more  in  length two (2) amber-colored reflectors shall be mounted on the con-
 37    necting tongue, one (1) on each side near the center of the connecting tongue.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                             RS 14715

It is the purpose of this act to provide for the placement of
reflective devices on the front of trailers for easy
identification by oncoming vehicles. Current statute does not
address the reflective markings on the front of trailers under
3000 pounds GVW. Trailers, such as snowmobile trailers, are often
pulled during conditions with less than optimum visibility.
Without reflective markings on the front of the vehicles the
opportunity for collision with oncoming traffic is unnecessarily
great. This amendment will provide consistency throughout the act
for all classes of trailers. 


                           FISCAL NOTE

There is no fiscal impact to the state. Fiscal impact to the
citizenry is minimal for the placement of reflectors on the front
of trailers.



Contact:       

Name:     Senator Tim Corder 
Phone:    (208) 332-1342


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                      S 1084