46.2-1102 - Size limitations inapplicable to farm machinery, agricultural multipurpose drying units, and fire-fighting equipment; amber warning lights.
§ 46.2-1102. Size limitations inapplicable to farm machinery, agriculturalmultipurpose drying units, and fire-fighting equipment; amber warning lights.
A. The vehicle size limitations contained in Articles 14 through 17 (§46.2-1101 et seq.) of this chapter shall not apply to any farm machinery oragricultural multipurpose drying unit when such farm machinery oragricultural multipurpose drying unit is temporarily propelled, hauled,transported, or moved on the highway by a farm machinery distributor ordealer, fertilizer distributor, or farmer in the ordinary course of business.Nor shall those limitations apply to fire-fighting equipment of any county,city, town, or fire-fighting company or association. Any farm tractor oragricultural multipurpose drying unit wider than 108 inches, however, whichis so propelled, hauled, transported, or moved on the highway shall beequipped with a safety light of a type approved by the Superintendent ofState Police. The light shall be plainly visible from the rear of the tractoror agricultural multipurpose drying unit.
B. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, any farm tractor or otherfarm, agricultural, or horticultural vehicle wider than 108 inches may beequipped with an amber flashing, blinking, or alternating warning light asprovided in § 46.2-1025. Any such light may be installed in lieu of or inaddition to the safety light described in subsection A of this section. Theabsence of amber flashing, blinking, or alternating warning lights on anyfarm tractor or other farm, agricultural, or horticultural vehicle, asauthorized under this subsection, shall not constitute negligence, beconsidered in mitigation of damages of whatever nature, be admissible inevidence or be the subject of comment by counsel in any action for therecovery of damages arising out of the operation, ownership, or maintenanceof any motor vehicle or farm tractor, nor shall anything in this sectionchange any existing law, rule, or procedure pertaining to any such civilaction.
(Code 1950, § 46-326; 1950, p. 982; 1952, c. 403; 1956, c. 483; 1958, c. 541,§ 46.1-332; 1962, c. 197; 1973, c. 183; 1974, c. 361; 1989, c. 727; 1993, c.151; 1997, c. 149.)