(a) Shall establish the various types of conditions under which vehicle traction tires or chains must be used.

(b) Shall define types of vehicle traction tires or chains that may be used under various road conditions. The commission rules under this paragraph shall comply with the following:

(A) Traction tire shall be defined to include any tire that meets traction standards established by the Department of Transportation.

(B) Retractable studded tires or tires with studs that are permitted under ORS 815.165 shall be allowed as traction tires under the rules.

(C) The department may require that traction tires without studs bear identifying marks, defined by the department, that indicate that the tire was manufactured specifically for adverse weather conditions.

(D) Chains shall be defined to include link chains, cable chains or any other device that attaches to the wheel, vehicle or outside of the tire and that augments the traction of a vehicle.

(E) Retractable studded tires shall be defined to include tires with embedded studs that project beyond the tread surface only when a vehicle operator extends the studs to augment the traction of the vehicle.

(c) Shall establish signs to be posted under conditions that require vehicle traction tires or chains.

(d) May establish types or classes of vehicles that are exempt from requirements to use vehicle traction tires or chains under certain conditions if the commission determines that the operation of the class or type of vehicle would be safe under those conditions.

(2) A road authority shall:

(a) Determine when conditions on a segment of highway require the use of vehicle traction tires or chains as defined by the commission;

(b) Determine which segments of a highway shall be posted as described under this section to require vehicle traction tires or chains; and

(c) Provide for the placement and removal of signs requiring the use of vehicle traction tires or chains. [1983 c.338 §441; 1985 c.16 §231; 1993 c.741 §86; 1997 c.493 §1; 2007 c.406 §1]