Sections 9-3-101 to 199, inclusive. Vehicle equipment - general provisions.
Section 9-3-101. Unlawful to operate vehicle without license plate or to allow plate to become unreadable - failure to display.
No person shall operate or drive a motor vehicle or pull a trailer within the city without having conspicuously displayed thereon a number plate or plates as required by the statutes of the state, securely fastened and kept free from mud, dirt or other obstructions so that said number plate or plates shall be clearly legible by other persons upon said highway.
Source: R.O. Pierre, 1957, 14.0301, Ord. No. 1021, 1979; Rev. of Ord., 1990.
Statutory reference: SDCL 9-30-2, use of public places - obstructions and encroachments; and 9-30-4, traffic in public places.
Section 9-3-102. Headlight required.
A. Every motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, road trailer, road machinery or farm tractor shall be equipped with at least two headlamps in working condition with at least one on each side of the front of the motor vehicle.
B. Every motorcycle or moped shall be equipped with at least one and not more than two headlights in working condition.
Source: R.O. Pierre, 1957, 14.0302; Ord. no. 857, 1972; 1036, 1980; 1146, 1985; Rev. of Ord., 1990.
Section 9-3-103. Operation of a vehicle with parking lights only unlawful.
No person shall operate a vehicle on any roadway with only parking lights illuminated.
Source: R.O. Pierre, 1957, 14.0303; Ord. No. 1231, 1989; Rev. of Ord., 1990.
Section 9-3-104. Taillights required.
Every motor vehicle, trailer, semi-trailer, and pole trailer and any other vehicle which is being drawn at the end of a combination of vehicles shall be equipped with at least two taillights in working condition mounted on the rear, one on each side of the unit, capable of emitting a plainly visible red light. Motorcycles and mopeds shall have at least one tail-lamp mounted on the rear capable of emitting a plainly visible red light.
Source: R.O. Pierre, 1957, 14.0311; repealed by Ord. no. 857, 1972; Rev. of Ord., 1990.
Section 9-3-105. Periods during which headlights and taillights must be lighted.
Every vehicle operated during the period from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise and at any other time when there is not sufficient light to render clearly discernible any person on the roadway at a distance of two hundred (200) feet ahead, must display lighted headlights and tail lights.
Source: R.O. Pierre, 1957, 14.0310; repealed by Ord. No. 1006, 1978; Rev. of Ord., 1990.
Section 9-3-106. Turn light requirements.
Whenever a motor vehicle is equipped with a signal lamp, the signal lamp shall be constructed and located on the vehicle as to give a signal yellow or red in color which shall be plainly visible, front and rear in normal sunlight for a distance of one hundred (100) feet.
Source: R.O. Pierre, 1957, 14.0304; Rev. of Ord., 1990.
Section 9-3-107. Brake lights required.
Except for vehicles equipped with slow moving vehicle emblems, every motor vehicle, trailer, semi-trailer and pole trailer shall be equipped with two or more brake lights. Motorcycle and mopeds shall be equipped with at least one brake light. The brake light shall be mounted on the rear of the vehicle and shall display a red light visible of not less than three hundred (300) feet to the rear in normal sun light, and which shall be activated upon application of the foot brake.
Source: R.O. Pierre, 1957, 14.0305; Rev. of Ord., 1990.
Section 9-3-108. White light to rear of vehicle unlawful.
It shall be unlawful to operate any vehicle on any roadway with any white light showing to the rear of said vehicle, except for the light used to illuminate the rear license plate on the vehicle.
Source: R.O. Pierre, 14.0306; Rev. of Ord., 1990.
Section 9-3-109. Brakes required.
Every motor vehicle operated on any roadway shall be provided with brakes sufficient to control such motor vehicle at all times.
Source: R.O. Pierre, 1957, 14.0307; Rev. of Ord., 1990.
Section 9-3-110. Horn required.
Every motor vehicle when operated upon a roadway shall be equipped with a horn in good working order capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of at least two hundred (200) feet.
Source: R.O. Pierre, 1957, 14.0308; Rev. of Ord., 1990.
Section 9-3-111. Unsafe tires.
No person shall operate on any roadway a motor vehicle which has on it a mounted tire having a cut in the fabric, or worn so that the fabric is visible, having knots or bulges in the sidewall or tread, or having a minimum tread depth less than two thirty seconds of one inch on any two adjacent tread grooves.
Source: R.O. Pierre, 1957, 14.0309; Rev. of Ord., 1990.
Section 9-3-112. Illegal exhaust.
A. No person shall drive a vehicle on any roadway unless such vehicle is equipped with an exhaust system and a muffler both in good working condition and in constant operation to prevent excessive noise, unusual noise or annoying and excessive smoke.
B. Exhaust systems on passenger or passenger carrying vehicles used on any roadway shall discharge the exhaust fumes at a location to the rear of the vehicle body or direct the exhaust fumes outward from the side of vehicle at a location rearward of any operable windows.
C. No person shall use a muffler cutout on any vehicle upon a roadway.
Source: R.O. Pierre, 1957, 14.0811; Rev. of Ord., 1990.
Section 9-3-113. Operation of vehicle with extended load without warning flag or light - unlawful.
Whenever the load on any vehicle shall extend more than four feet beyond the rear of the bed or body thereof, there shall be displayed at the end of such load in such position as to be clearly visible at all times from the rear of the vehicle a red flag not less than twelve inches in length and width, provided that, between one half hour after sunset and one half hour before sunrise there shall be displayed at the end of such load a yellow or red light plainly visible under normal atmospheric conditions at least two hundred (200) feet from the rear of the vehicle.
Source: R.O. Pierre, 1957, 14.0601; Ord. no. 981, 1977; Rev. of Ord., 1990.
Section 9-3-114. Safety chains required.
A. Every trailer which shall be towed on any roadway at a speed in excess of 20 MPH shall be coupled to the towing vehicle by means of a safety chain, chains, cables or equivalent devices in addition to the regular trailer hitch or coupling.
B. No more slack shall be left in safety chains, cables, or equivalent devices than shall be necessary to permit proper turning and the safety chains, cables, or equivalent devices shall be so connected to the towed and towing vehicle and to the draw bar to prevent the draw bar from dropping to the ground if the draw bar fails and shall be of sufficient strength to control the trailer in event of failure of the regular hitch or coupling.
Source: R.O. Pierre, 1957, 14.0602; Rev. of Ord., 1990.
Section 9-3-115. Windshield and glass required.
No glass shall be broken, shattered, distorted or missing from any vehicle operated on any roadway. Replacement of windshield glass shall be with laminated safety glass and any other window glass shall be safety glass.
Source: R.O. Pierre, 1957, 14.0603; Rev. of Ord., 1990.
Section 9-3-116. Operation of unrepaired vehicle.
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any vehicle on a roadway unless the equipment on such vehicle is in good working order and such vehicle is in safe mechanical condition as not to endanger the driver, or other occupants of vehicle or any other person on the roadway.
Source: R.O. Pierre, 1957, 14.0604; Rev. of Ord., 1990.
Sections 9-3-117 to 199, inclusive. Reserved.