PRINTER'S NO. 530
No. 511 Session of 1973
INTRODUCED BY R. D. FLEMING, MANBECK, STAUFFER, HOBBS, FRAME,
STROUP, CIANFRANI, NOLAN, O'PAKE, MELLOW, SCALES, ORLANDO,
ROSS, KURY, MAZZEI, MURRAY, WOOD, W. E. FLEMING, DENGLER,
EWING, STAPLETON, BELL, TILGHMAN, LENTZ, McCREESH, DWYER,
ANDREWS, REIBMAN, ROVNER, COPPERSMITH, HESS, HANKINS,
AMMERMAN, HILL, NOSZKA, ARLENE, DOUGHERTY, SMITH, HOLL,
HAGER, HOWARD AND ZEMPRELLI, MARCH 20, 1973
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION, MARCH 20, 1973
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of April 29, 1959 (P.L.58, No.32), entitled "An
2 act consolidating and revising the Vehicle Code, the Tractor
3 Code, the Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Act and
4 other acts relating to the ownership, possession and use of
5 vehicles and tractors," requiring protectors or flaps behind
6 the rearmost wheels of vehicles and changing penalties.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Section 830, act of April 29, 1959 (P.L.58,
10 No.32), known as "The Vehicle Code," is amended to read:
11 Section 830. [Commercial] Vehicles To Be Equipped with Rear
12 Wheel Flaps or Shields.--(a) Every [commercial] motor vehicle,
13 tractor and trailer and every combination of a [commercial]
14 motor vehicle and trailer or of a truck tractor and semi-
15 trailer, when used on a highway, shall be so constructed or
16 equipped [as] with suitable metal protectors or substantial
17 flexible flaps behind the rearmost wheels of the vehicle or
1 combination or any wheel extending beyond the side of the body
2 or fenders of the vehicle or tractor to minimize side spray and
3 to bar water or other road surface substances thrown from the
4 [rear] wheels of such vehicle or combination at tangents
5 exceeding twenty-two and one-half (22 1/2) degrees, measured
6 from the road surface, from passing in a straight line to the
7 rear of such vehicle or combination.
8 (b) The protectors or flaps shall have a ground clearance of
9 not more than one-third (1/3) of the horizontal distance from
10 the bottom edge of the protector or flap to the center line of
11 the axle, provided, however, that no protector or flap need be
12 closer to the ground than six (6) inches under any condition of
13 loading. The protector or flap shall extend laterally at least
14 the width of the tire or tires being protected.
15 (c) If any motor vehicle, including semi-trailers and
16 trailers, is so designed or constructed that the objectives of
17 this section are accomplished by reason of fender or body
18 construction or other means of enclosure, either permanent or
19 temporary, then the requirements of this section have been
20 satisfied.
21 (d) This section shall not apply to any farm tractor or to
22 uncoupled truck tractors or to pole trailers or other vehicles
23 where the construction is such that complete freedom around the
24 wheel area is necessary to secure the designed use of the
25 vehicle.
26 Penalty.--Any person violating any of the provisions of this
27 section shall, upon summary conviction before a magistrate, be
28 sentenced to pay a fine of [ten dollars ($10.00)] fifty dollars
29 ($50.00) and costs of prosecution, and in default of the payment
30 thereof, shall undergo imprisonment for not more than [five (5)]
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1 ten (10) days.
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