(a)  The registered owner of the motor vehicle shall be primarily responsible in all prosecutions brought pursuant to the provisions of this chapter except as otherwise provided in this section.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 31-41.2-6

  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Motor vehicle: means any vehicle driven or drawn by mechanical power for use on the public streets, roads, and highways;

    (2)  "Odometer" means an instrument for measuring and recording the actual distance a motor vehicle travels while in operation;

    (3)  "Person" means any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or business trust including, but not limited to, private individuals and motor vehicle dealers, both wholesale and retail, whether the private individual or dealer is a dealer in the ordinary course of business or not;

    (4)  "Repair and replacement" means to restore to a sound working condition by replacing the instrument or any part thereof or by correcting what is inoperative;

    (5)  "Transfer" means to acquire ownership by purchase, gift, bequest, or any other means. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-23.2-2

(b)  In all prosecutions of civil traffic violations based on evidence obtained from an automated traffic violation detection system, the registered owner of a vehicle which has been operated in violation of a civil traffic violation, may be liable for such violation. The registered owner of the vehicle may assume liability for the violation by paying the fine; or by defending the violation pursuant to the procedures in § 31-41.2-4.

(c)  The lessee of a leased vehicle shall be considered the owner of a motor vehicle for purposes of this section.

History of Section.
P.L. 2005, ch. 418, § 1.