Terms Used In Vermont Statutes Title 23 Sec. 1118

  • Motor vehicle: includes all vehicles propelled or drawn by power other than muscular power, except farm tractors, vehicles running only upon stationary rails or tracks, motorized highway building equipment, road making appliances, snowmobiles, tracked vehicles, motor-assisted bicycles, electric bicycles, or electric personal assistive mobility devices. See
  • Operator: shall include all persons 18 years of age or over properly licensed to operate motor vehicles. See
  • Person: includes any natural person, corporation, association, co-partnership, company, firm, or other aggregation of individuals. See

§ 1118. Obstruction to driver’s view

(a) A person shall not operate or attempt to operate a motor vehicle when more than three persons over two years of age, including the operator, are occupying the front seat or seats or are in the front or driving compartment of the motor vehicle. However, this provision does not apply to any motor vehicle the front seat of which was designed by the manufacturer for occupancy by more than three persons, or to any vehicle that has a front seating area that is at least 76 inches in width, as received from the manufacturer. In no case shall a vehicle be operated with more than four persons over two years of age occupying the front seat or seats or who are in the front or driving compartment of the motor vehicle.

(b) In any event, a person may not operate a motor vehicle when it is so loaded as to obstruct the view of the driver to the front or sides of the vehicle or as to interfere with the driver’s control over the driving mechanism of the vehicle.

(c) No passenger in a vehicle shall ride in such position as to interfere with the driver’s view ahead or to the sides, or to interfere with his or her control over the driving mechanism of the vehicle. (Added 1971, No. 258 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. March 1, 1973; amended 1975, No. 234 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)