§ 1F — Low-speed motor vehicles; express state highway and public way restrictions; additional municipality restrictions

Section 1F. Every person lawfully operating a low-speed motor vehicle shall have the right to use all public ways in the commonwealth except limited access or express state highways or any public way with a speed limit of more than 30 miles per hour, and shall be subject to the traffic laws and regulations of the commonwealth and the provisions of this section. This shall not prohibit a low-speed motor vehicle from crossing a public way at an intersection where the public way to be crossed has a posted speed limit between 30 and 45 miles per hour, provided the public way the low-speed vehicle is traveling on and the public way the low-speed vehicle is crossing the intersection to both have a speed limit no higher than 30 miles per hour and the intersection is controlled by traffic signals or stop signs. A municipality may, by ordinance, prohibit the operation of low-speed vehicles on a way or a portion of a way within its jurisdiction and under its control, regardless of posted speeds, where it finds that use of the way or a particular portion of the way by low-speed motor vehicles would represent an unreasonable risk of death or serious injury to occupants of low-speed vehicles because of general traffic conditions which shall include, but not be limited to, excessive speeds of other vehicles, traffic volumes, use of the way by heavy trucks or other large vehicles or if the established speed limit on the way increases above 30 miles per hour beyond the point where a low-speed vehicle could safely exit the way. The municipality shall post signs where necessary to provide notice to the public of such prohibited access. A low-speed vehicle shall not be operated by a person under 16 years of age nor by any person not possessing a valid driver's license, except that a person who is at least 16 years of age who possesses a valid learner's permit may operate a low-speed vehicle on those ways, or portions of ways, where such operation is lawful, if accompanied by an operator duly licensed by his state of residence who is 21 years of age or over, who has had at least 1 year of driving experience and who is occupying a seat beside the driver. The holder of a junior operator's license shall be subject to the same license restrictions applicable to that license classification in the operation of a low-speed vehicle as if the license holder were operating any other motor vehicle. A low-speed vehicle shall not be operated upon any public way unless such vehicle is registered in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, displays the registration number as provided in section 6, displays a slow moving vehicle emblem on the rear of the vehicle as required by section 7 and by 540 C.M.R. § 22.11, is equipped as required by 49 C.F.R. § 571.500, as amended, and as required by this chapter, meets the insurance certificate requirements of section 34B and is titled under chapter 90D. Low-speed vehicles shall be subject to annual inspection as required by section 7A, except that low-speed vehicles whose sole source of power is generated electrically shall not be subject to the test for emissions. The registrar may issue registration plates displaying the International Symbol of Access for a low-speed vehicle upon the same terms and conditions applicable to registrants of other motor vehicles and may issue a special parking identification placard bearing the same designation upon the same terms and conditions applicable to persons seeking a placard for a motor vehicle. A person convicted of a violation of this section, the penalty for which is not otherwise provided by this chapter, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $75 for the first offense, not less than $75 nor more than $150 for a second and each subsequent offense.