A. Every trailer, semitrailer, manufactured home, or towed motor vehicle shall be equipped with a coupling device which shall be designed, constructed, and used so that the trailer, semitrailer, manufactured home, or towed motor vehicle will follow substantially in the path of the vehicle drawing it without whipping or swerving from side to side. In addition, every such trailer, semitrailer, manufactured home, or towed motor vehicle, except a semitrailer drawn by a truck-tractor type designed to draw or support the front end of a semitrailer, shall be coupled with:
1. Stay chains or cables to the vehicle by which it is being drawn, which chains or cable shall be of sufficient size and strength to prevent parting from the drawing vehicle, should the regular coupling device break or become otherwise disengaged; or
2. Chains, cables or a safety device which provides strength, security of attachment and directional stability equal to or greater than that provided by safety chains and which prevent parting from the drawing vehicle should the regular coupling device break or otherwise become disengaged. The safety device shall be designed, constructed, and installed so that if the coupling device fails or becomes disconnected the coupling device will not drop to the ground.
B. Nothing in this section shall be construed as excepting commercial vehicles subject to the provisions of 49 C.F.R., Subpart F, Coupling Devices and Towing Methods, from complying with the provisions thereof.
C. No person shall tow any vehicle by sole use of a chain, cable, ropes, or any combination thereof.
Added by Laws 2003, c. 411, § 55, eff. Nov. 1, 2003.