(1) It is unlawful for any person to drive, propel, or operate, or to have driven, propelled or operated, over the hard-surfaced public roads or parts of roads of this state any vehicle or implement having wheels that will carry more than 200 pounds per wheel for every vehicle having tires of 1 inch in width, or 500 pounds per wheel for every vehicle having tires of 2 inches in width, or 800 pounds per wheel for every vehicle having tires of 3 inches in width, or 1200 pounds per wheel for every vehicle having tires of 4 inches in width, or 1500 pounds per wheel for every vehicle having tires 5 inches in width, or that will carry any load greater than 6,000 pounds without first providing 1 inch of tire width per wheel for each additional 2,000 pounds, or fraction thereof, or to permit any vehicle or implement or any load or portion of load thereof to drag upon the surface of any hard-surfaced public road or parts of roads; provided, that nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the use of roughened surfaces on rubber tires or on the wheels of farm implements weighing less than 1,000 pounds.
(2) “Hard-surfaced public roads or parts of roads” as used in this section shall be construed to be brick, concrete, asphaltic, sand clay, sand, or bituminous surfaced roads which are maintained by county or state funds.
(3) Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
History.—ss. 1, 2, 3, ch. 7329, 1917; ss. 1, 2, ch. 7898, 1919; RGS 5617, 5618; CGL 7806, 7807; s. 1108, ch. 71-136.