Bill Text: VA SB871 | 2011 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Golf carts; clarifies existing law pertaining to crossing highways.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-03-15 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0140) [SB871 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2011-SB871-Chaptered.html
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1. That § 46.2-916.3 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows: § 46.2-916.3. Limitations on golf cart and utility vehicle operations on designated public highways. A. Golf cart and utility vehicle operations on designated public highways shall be in accordance with the following limitations: 1. A golf cart or utility vehicle may be operated only on
designated public highways where the posted speed limit is 25 miles per hour or
less. 2. In towns with a population of 2,000 or less, a golf cart or utility vehicle may cross a highway at an intersection conspicuously marked as a golf cart crossing by signs posted by the Virginia Department of Transportation if the highway has a posted speed limit of no more than 35 miles per hour and the crossing is required as the only means to provide golf cart access from one part of the town to another part of the town; 3. No person shall operate any golf cart or utility vehicle on any public highway unless he has in his possession a valid driver's license; 4. Every golf cart or utility vehicle, whenever operated on a public highway, shall display a slow-moving vehicle emblem in conformity with § 46.2-1081; and 5. Golf carts and utility vehicles shall be operated upon the public highways only between sunrise and sunset, unless equipped with such lights as are required in Article 3 (§ 46.2-1010 et seq.) of Chapter 10 of this title, for different classes of vehicles. B. The limitations of subdivision A 1 shall not apply to golf carts and utility vehicles being operated as follows: 1. To cross a highway from one portion of a golf course to another portion thereof or to another adjacent golf course; or to travel between a person's home and golf course if (i) the trip would not be longer than one-half mile in either direction, and (ii) the speed limit on the road is no more than 35 miles per hour; 2. To the extent necessary for local government employees, operating only upon highways located within the locality, to fulfill a governmental purpose, provided the golf cart or utility vehicle is being operated on highways with speed limits of 35 miles per hour or less; 3. As necessary by employees of public or private two-year or four-year institutions of higher education if operating on highways within the property limits of such institutions, provided the golf cart or utility vehicle is being operated on highways with speed limits of 35 miles per hour or less; and 4. On a secondary highway system component that has a posted speed limit of no more than 35 miles per hour and is within three miles of a motor speedway with a seating capacity of at least 25,000 but less than 90,000 on the same day as any race or race-related event conducted on that speedway. C. The governing body of any county, city, or town may by ordinance impose additional restrictions or limitations on operations of golf carts, utility vehicles, or both, on public highways within its boundaries, provided that the restrictions or limitations imposed by any such ordinance are no less stringent than the restrictions and limitations contained in this article. In the event that any provision of any such ordinance conflicts with any provision of this section, the provision of the ordinance shall be controlling. |
