39:3C-17 Operational limitations.

17. a. No person shall operate a snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, or dirt bike upon limited access highways or within the right-of-way limits thereof.

b. No person shall operate a snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, or dirt bike upon the main traveled portion or the plowed snowbanks of any public street or highway or within the right-of-way limits thereof except as follows:

(1) Properly registered snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, and dirt bikes may cross, as directly as possible, public streets or highways, except limited access highways, provided that such crossing can be made in safety and that it does not interfere with the free movement of vehicular traffic approaching from either direction on the public street or highway. Prior to making any such crossing, the operator shall bring the snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, or dirt bike to a complete stop. It shall be the responsibility of the operator of a snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, or dirt bike to yield the right-of-way to all vehicular traffic upon any public street or highway before crossing the public street or highway.

(2) Whenever it is impracticable to gain immediate access to an area adjacent to a public highway where a snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, or dirt bike is to be operated, the snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, or dirt bike may be operated adjacent and parallel to the public highway for the purpose of gaining access to the area of operation. This subsection shall apply to the operation of a snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, or dirt bike from the point where the snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, or dirt bike is unloaded from a motorized conveyance to the area where it is to be operated, or from the area where operated to a motorized conveyance, when the loading or unloading cannot be effected in the immediate vicinity of the area of operation without causing a hazard to vehicular traffic approaching from either direction on the public highway. The loading or unloading must be accomplished with due regard to safety, at the nearest possible point to the area of operation.

L.1973, c.307, s.17; amended 1985, c.375, s.17; 2009, c.275, s.17.