A. 1. Any vehicle or combination of vehicles with an outside width that exceeds twelve (12) feet operating on highways in the state, including the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, shall, in addition to being in compliance with provisions of Section 14-101 et seq. of this title, be accompanied by an escort vehicle or vehicles, as prescribed by the Department of Public Safety.
2. Escort vehicle requirements shall not apply to retail implement dealers transporting farm implements from a retail distribution point to a farm or other location within a one hundred fifty (150) air-mile radius from the distribution point. For the purposes of this subsection, "retail implement dealers" shall mean a business engaged primarily in the sale of farm tractors as defined in Section 1-118 of this title or implements of husbandry as defined in Section 1-125 of this title or a combination thereof.
B. No person shall operate an escort vehicle for hire, as required by this section, unless the person has been certified by the Department of Public Safety as an escort vehicle operator.
C. Any person not required to be certified by the Department of Public Safety as an escort vehicle operator may tow a trailer when escorting a manufactured home. Such trailer shall not exceed eight and one-half (8 1/2) feet in width and twenty (20) feet in length with siding not to exceed four (4) feet in height measured from the bed of the trailer.
The trailer may only be used to transport supplies and equipment necessary to carry out the mission of escort vehicle operators.
D. The Commissioner of Public Safety shall promulgate rules for the certification of operators of escort vehicles and the use of escort vehicles, as required by this section.
E. The Commissioner of Public Safety is hereby authorized to enter into reciprocal compacts and agreements with other states for the purpose of recognizing escort vehicle operator certifications issued by those states.
Added by Laws 1998, c. 423, § 2. Amended by Laws 2001, c. 130, § 1, emerg. eff. April 24, 2001; Laws 2011, c. 330, § 1; Laws 2021, c. 389, § 1, emerg. eff. May 3, 2021.