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Utility Vehicles

 

 

There has always been a lot of talk over the years about ATVs and their operation on Missouri roadways.  But in 2008 the Missouri legislature passed legislation allowing the use of another type of Utility vehicle.  It is now legal to operate Utility vehicles on some Missouri roadways with similar restrictions as those required by the operators of ATVs. 

When we use the term Utility Vehicle, we are referring to those Four- or six-wheeled vehicles, such as those manufactured by John Deere, Polaris, Ranger etc...

 

Revised Missouri Statute, 301.010 defines Utility vehicles as follows:

 

A "Utility vehicle" is any motorized vehicle manufactured and used exclusively for off-highway use which is sixty-three inches or less in width, with an unladen dry weight of one thousand eight hundred fifty pounds or less, traveling on four or six wheels, to be used primarily for landscaping, lawn care, or maintenance purposes;

Now that we have defined what constitutes a Utility vehicle, let’s look at the law which governs the operation of those vehicles.

 

RSMo 304.032. 1. States that no person shall operate a utility vehicle, as defined in section 301.010, upon the highways of this state, except as follows:

 

(1) Utility vehicles owned and operated by a governmental entity for official use;

 

(2) Utility vehicles operated for agricultural purposes or industrial on-premises purposes between the official sunrise and sunset on the day of operation, unless equipped with proper lighting;

 

(3) Utility vehicles operated by handicapped persons for short distances occasionally only on the state's secondary roads when operated between the hours of sunrise and sunset;

 

(4) Governing bodies of cities may issue special permits for utility vehicles to be used on highways within the city limits by licensed drivers. Fees of fifteen dollars may be collected and retained by cities for such permits;

 

(5) Governing bodies of counties may issue special permits for utility vehicles to be used on county roads within the county by licensed drivers. Fees of fifteen dollars may be collected and retained by the counties for such permits.

 

2. No person shall operate a utility vehicle within any stream or river in this state, except that utility vehicles may be operated within waterways which flow within the boundaries of land which a utility vehicle operator owns, or for agricultural purposes within the boundaries of land which a utility vehicle operator owns or has permission to be upon, or for the purpose of fording such stream or river of this state at such road crossings as are customary or part of the highway system. All law enforcement officials or peace officers of this state and its political subdivisions or department of conservation agents or department of natural resources park rangers shall enforce the provisions of this subsection within the geographic area of their jurisdiction.

 

3. A person operating a utility vehicle on a highway pursuant to an exception covered in this section shall have a valid operator's or chauffeur's license, except that a handicapped person operating such vehicle under subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of this section, but shall not be required to have passed an examination for the operation of a motorcycle, and the vehicle shall be operated at speeds of less than forty-five miles per hour.

 

4. No persons shall operate a utility vehicle:

 

(1) In any careless way so as to endanger the person or property of another; or

 

(2) While under the influence of alcohol or any controlled substance.

 

5. No operator of a utility vehicle shall carry a passenger, except for agricultural purposes. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any utility vehicle in which the seat of such vehicle is designed to carry more than one person.

 

6. A violation of this section shall be a class C misdemeanor. In addition to other legal remedies, the attorney general or county prosecuting attorney may institute a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction for injunctive relief to prevent such violation or future violations and for the assessment of a civil penalty not to exceed one thousand dollars per day of violation.

 

Now we know the definition of a Utility vehicle and what its operating restrictions are, but what about that question we receive once in a while here at the Patrol about golf carts and their use on Missouri streets and roadways.  Below you will see the state statute that gives cities the authority to allow the operation of golf carts on city streets, and prohibits their use on state and federal highways.

 

RSMo 304.034. 1. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the governing body of any municipality may by resolution or ordinance allow persons to operate golf carts or motorized wheelchairs upon any street or highway under the governing body's jurisdiction. A golf cart or motorized wheelchair shall not be operated at any time on any state or federal highway, but may be operated upon such highway in order to cross a portion of the state highway system which intersects a municipal street. No golf cart or motorized wheelchair shall cross any highway at an intersection where the highway being crossed has a posted speed limit of more than forty-five miles per hour.

 

2. Golf carts operated on city streets shall be equipped with adequate brakes and shall meet any other safety requirements imposed by the governing body. Golf carts are not subject to the registration provisions of chapter 301.

 

3. As used in this section, a "golf cart" means a motor vehicle that is designed and manufactured for operation on a golf course for sporting or recreational purposes and that is not capable of exceeding speeds of twenty miles per hour.

 

Today more than ever, with over 5 million licensed vehicles and nearly 4 1/2 million licensed drivers in the state of Missouri, drivers must give their full attention to the full-time job of driving, and make sure everyone in their vehicle is seat belted in or in an approved child restraint seat appropriate for that child.