PRINTER'S NO. 563
No. 519 Session of 1977
INTRODUCED BY MESSRS. PETRARCA, DOMBROWSKI, BITTINGER,
BELLOMINI, LIVENGOOD, D. R. WRIGHT, STEWART, LOGUE,
A. K. HUTCHINSON, TADDONIO, MISCEVISH, KUSSE, MOEHLMANN,
KLINGAMAN, HASKELL, E. H. SMITH, NOYE, MISS SIRIANNI,
MESSRS. SHUMAN, HALVERSON, ZORD, CAPUTO, LEVI, NOVAK,
McINTYRE, GEORGE, RICHARDSON, LAUDADIO, DUMAS, SHELTON,
W. W. FOSTER, WAGNER, WILT, PRATT, MILANOVICH, TRELLO,
ABRAHAM, WANSACZ, GARZIA, RHODES, MRKONIC, RAVENSTAHL,
GEISLER, KOLTER, MORRIS, JOHNSON, DiCARLO, ENGLEHART,
GREENFIELD, SCHMITT, RIEGER, COHEN, MRS. KELLY, MESSRS.
M. P. MULLEN, CESSAR, CIMINI, GRIECO, HAMILTON, VROON, PITTS,
WEIDNER, LINCOLN, M. M. MULLEN, CIANCIULLI, FLAHERTY,
DeWEESE, HOPKINS, GLEESON, MEBUS, VALICENTI,
W. D. HUTCHINSON, McGINNIS, SALVATORE, OLIVER, BERLIN,
DININNI, MANMILLER, McCALL, POLITE, TAYLOR,
O'KEEFE AND ARTHURS, MARCH 7, 1977
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, MARCH 7, 1977
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2 Statutes removing prohibitions on the use of studded tires
3 during certain periods and prescribing penalties.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Section 4525 of Title 75, act of November 25,
7 1970 (P.L.707, No.230), known as the Pennsylvania Consolidated
8 Statutes, added June 17, 1976 (No.81), is amended to read:
9 § 4525. Tire equipment and traction surfaces.
10 (a) General rule.--No vehicle shall be operated on the
11 highway unless the vehicle is equipped with tires of a type,
1 size and construction approved by the department for the vehicle
2 and unless the tires are in a safe operating condition as
3 determined in accordance with regulations of the department.
4 (b) Vehicles not equipped with pneumatic tires.--It is
5 unlawful for any person to operate or move, or cause or permit
6 to be moved, in contact with any highway any vehicle equipped
7 with traction or road contact surfaces other than pneumatic
8 tires unless of a type, size and construction permitted by
9 regulations of the department and unless the movement is made
10 under specific conditions allowed by regulations of the
11 department.
12 (c) Tire studs.--[No vehicle having tires containing studs
13 shall be driven on any highway.] Tires in which ice grips or
14 tire studs of wear resisting material have been installed which
15 provide resiliency upon contact with the road and which have
16 projections not exceeding two thirty-seconds of an inch beyond
17 the tread of the traction surface of the tire shall be permitted
18 between November 1 of each year and April 30 of the following
19 year. The Governor may by executive order extend the time tires
20 with ice grips or tire studs may be used when highway conditions
21 are such that such tires would be a safety factor in traveling
22 Commonwealth highways. Firefighting and fire emergency vehicles
23 may use tires with ice grips or tire studs during any time of
24 the year. The use of tires with ice grips or tire studs contrary
25 to the provisions of this subsection shall be unlawful.
26 (d) Tire chains.--Tires chains may be temporarily used on
27 vehicles during periods of snow and ice emergency if they are in
28 conformance with regulations promulgated by the department.
29 (e) Penalty.--
30 (1) Any person violating the provisions of subsection
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1 (c) shall be guilty of a summary offense and upon conviction
2 thereof, shall be sentenced to pay a fine as indicated in
3 paragraph (2) and in default of payment thereof, shall
4 undergo imprisonment for not more than 30 days.
5 (2) Fines for violation of subsection (c) shall be
6 determined from the following chart based on the period of
7 unauthorized use:
8 May 1 to May 31 $35
9 June 1 to June 30 45
10 July 1 to July 31 55
11 August 1 to August 31 55
12 September 1 to September 30 55
13 October 1 to October 31 55
14 November 1 to April 30 10
15 Section 2. Subsection (d) of section 8, act of June 17, 1976
16 (No.81), entitled "An act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the
17 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, adding revised, compiled and
18 codified provisions relating to vehicles and pedestrians," is
19 hereby repealed.
20 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 1977.
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