Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:299.3 – A.(1) For purposes of this Section, “utility terrain vehicle” shall mean any recreational motor vehicle designed for and capable of travel over designated roads, with a minimum width
Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:299.3
- Department: means the Department of Transportation and Development. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Divided highway: means any highway divided into roadways by a median, physical barrier, or clearly indicated dividing section so constructed as to impede vehicular traffic. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Driver: means every person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Highway: means the entire width between the boundary lines of every way or place of whatever nature publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for the purpose of vehicular travel, including bridges, causeways, tunnels and ferries; synonymous with the word "street". See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Intersection: means : The area embraced within the prolongation or connection of the lateral curb lines, or, if none, then the lateral boundary lines of the roadways of two highways which join one another at, or approximately at, right angles, or the area within which vehicles traveling upon different highways joining at any other angle may come in conflict. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Motor vehicle: means every vehicle which is self-propelled, and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails, but excluding a motorized bicycle and an electric-assisted bicycle. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Municipality: means an incorporated village, town, or city created under the authority of the constitution or laws of this state. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
- parking: means the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading merchandise or passengers. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- person: includes a body of persons, whether incorporated or not. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 1:10
- Roadway: means that portion of a highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular traffic, exclusive of the berm or shoulder. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Seat belt: means the manual restraint system installed by the manufacturer as required by Federal Motor Vehicle Standard No. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Stop: means , when required, the complete cessation from movement. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Street: means the entire width between the boundary lines of every way or place of whatever nature publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for the purpose of vehicular travel, including bridges, causeways, tunnels, and ferries; synonymous with the word "highway". See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Vehicle: means every device by which persons or things may be transported upon a public highway or bridge, except devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Width: means the total outside transverse dimension of a vehicle including any load or load holding devices thereon but excluding approved safety devices and tire bulge due to load. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
A.(1) For purposes of this Section, “utility terrain vehicle” shall mean any recreational motor vehicle designed for and capable of travel over designated roads, with a minimum width of fifty inches but not exceeding seventy-four inches and a minimum weight of at least seven hundred pounds but not exceeding three thousand five hundred pounds. “Utility terrain vehicle” shall include those vehicles not equipped with a certification label as required by 49 C.F.R. part 567.4.
(2) “Utility terrain vehicle” does not include golf carts, vehicles specially designed to carry a disabled person, or vehicles otherwise registered under La. Rev. Stat. 32:299. A “utility terrain vehicle” or “UTV” also means a recreational off-highway vehicle or ROV.
B. Notwithstanding the provisions in La. Rev. Stat. 32:299, the operation of a utility terrain vehicle upon the public roads or streets of this state is prohibited, except as follows:
(1) A utility terrain vehicle may be operated only upon a parish road that has been designated by a parish or a municipal street that has been designated by a municipality for use by a utility terrain vehicle. Upon a designation that a utility terrain vehicle may be operated on a designated road or street, the responsible governmental entity shall post appropriate signage indicating that the operation is authorized.
(2) A utility terrain vehicle may cross any divided highway, highway, roadway, or street with a posted speed limit in excess of thirty-five miles per hour at an intersection.
C. A utility terrain vehicle operated on any roadway or street shall be equipped with the minimum motor vehicle equipment appropriate for motor vehicle safety including, headlamps, front and rear turn signal lamps, tail lamps, stop lamps, reflex reflectors, including one on each side as far to the rear as practicable and one red reflector on the rear of the vehicle, an exterior mirror mounted on the driver‘s side of the vehicle and either an exterior mirror mounted on the passenger’s side of the vehicle or an interior mirror, a parking brake, an adequate windshield, a windshield wiper, speedometer, odometer, braking for each wheel, a seat belt assembly installed at each designated seating position, and a vehicle identification or serial number.
D. Any utility terrain vehicle operated upon a parish road or municipal street shall be registered with the state of Louisiana through the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of motor vehicles, as an off-road vehicle and shall display a decal issued by the office of motor vehicles.
E. A person operating a utility terrain vehicle shall be at least twenty-one years of age and possess a valid driver’s license.
F. Any utility terrain vehicle operated upon a highway of this state shall have liability insurance with the same minimum limits as required by the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 32:900(B).
G.(1) No person shall be a passenger in the open bed of a utility terrain vehicle while traveling upon a parish road or municipal street. The provisions of this Subsection shall not apply in an emergency situation.
(2) The number of persons permitted to travel in a utility terrain vehicle is limited to the number of available seat belts.
H. Nothing contained in this Section shall be construed to prevent parish or municipal governments from prohibiting the operation of any utility terrain vehicle on any parish road or municipal street under its jurisdiction if the parish or municipal government determines that the prohibition is necessary for the safety of the motoring public.
I. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections, public safety services, shall promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, subject to oversight by the House and Senate committees on transportation, highways, and public works, as necessary to implement the provisions of this Section. The rules and regulations shall become effective no later than January 15, 2016.
Acts 2015, No. 122, §1; Acts 2022, No. 667, §1, eff. June 18, 2022.