JEFFERSON CITY—Several new traffic laws that will affect area motorists are set to go into effect Friday.
The legislation, included in the omnibus crime bill House Bill 62, was passed earlier this year and signed by Gov. Jay Nixon. Though some provisions had attached emergency clauses and became effective the day the governor signed the bill, many more don’t start until Friday.
Among the new laws is a new definition in All Terrain Vehicles, the towing of abandoned vehicles, motor vehicle inspection, and several revisions related to intoxicated drivers.
ATV’s
Under this new wording, an ATV defined as a vehicle with an unladen dry weight of 1,500 pounds, with four or more non-highway tires. It also creates a new class of vehicle by defining a “recreational off-highway vehicle” as any motorized vehicle used exclusively for off-highway use, with four or more non-highway tires and an unladen dry weight of 1,850 pounds or less.
Abandoned vehicles
This change lowers the time requirement a vehicle must be sitting on the right of way of any highway or freeway outside an urbanized area to 24 hours. Previously, the law was 48 hours. It also allows officers to remove the vehicle immediately if it is creating a traffic hazard.
Safety inspections
Vehicles will no longer need to be inspected for a five-year period following their vehicle’s manufacture year. The new provision does not apply to prior salvage vehicles immediately following a rebuilding process or to a vehicle required to have an inspection after being involved in an accident. Vehicles in excess of 24,000 pounds and registered for less than 12 months are also exempt. This law, unlike the others, does not become effective until Jan. 1, 2010.
Intoxicated drivers
n A person convicted of two intoxication-related traffic offenses within a five-year period will be denied all driving privileges for five years.
n A judge can now order a person who pleads guilty or is found guilty of an intoxication-related traffic offense to abstain from consuming alcohol and may require continuous alcohol monitoring or verifiable breath alcohol testing as a probation condition. This law, which contained an emergency clause, became active July 9.
n A person under 21 years old who purchases, attempts to purchase or has in their possession intoxicating liquor or who is in a visibly intoxicated condition is now considered to have given consent to chemical tests or breath, blood, saliva and urine tests for the purpose of determining blood alcohol or drug content.
Source: Missouri State Highway Patrol
