CONNECTICUT MOTORCYCLE LAWS

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CONNECTICUTMOTORCYCLE LAWS

• APPLICABLE TO RIDER COURSES

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• RIDERCOACH ACTIVITIES
• RiderCoaches will provide information
• About obtaining motorcycle training permit
• Regarding the states personal gear requirements
• Regarding the states motorcycle equipment
  requirements
• regarding the states insurance requirements

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DEFINITION

• MOTORCYCLE IS A MOTOR VEHICLE
• With or without a side car
• Having not more than three wheels in contact with
  the ground
• Has a saddle or seat on which the rider sits OR
  a platform on which the rider stands
• Vehicle having or designed to have a completely
  enclosed driver's seat and a motor which is not
  in the enclosed area
• Motor produces more than five brake horsepower

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• MOTORCYCLE TRAINING PERMIT
• 16 years of age or older
• Must possess a Connecticut motor vehicle drivers
  license
• Has not had such a license suspended or revoked
  
• Must pass vision and knowledge tests
• Must present a parental consent form if under 18
  years of age

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• PERMIT RESTRICTIONS
• Must have motorcycle permit and drivers license
  in possession while operating the motorcycle
• Must wear Helmet, Regardless of age
• U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT ) or
  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  (NHTSA) approved protective headgear
• Cannot operate motorcycle on a multiple lane
  limited access highway
• Cannot operate motorcycle at night
• Cannot operate motorcycle out-of-state
• Cannot carry passengers on motorcycle
• Violation of the above 1ST Offense 35-50
  subsequent offenses not greater than 100 /or no
  more than 30 days in Jail

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• VALID PERMIT PERIOD
• 1. 60 days
• May be renewed once in calendar year,
• Get a new permit issued, for an additional 60
  days

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• ENDORSEMENT
•  
• Applicant has not had an endorsement within the
  preceding 2 years
• An applicant for a motorcycle endorsement must
  successfully complete a novice motorcycle
  training course that is offered by DOT or any
  other firm or organization using MSF curriculum
  or that has developed a curriculum approved by
  the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles
• Has sufficient knowledge of the mechanism of a
  motorcycle to ensure its safe operation
• Applicant has satisfactory knowledge of the law
  concerning motorcycles and other motor vehicles
  and the rules of the road
• Must pass vision and knowledge tests, or possess
  a permit
• Prohibited from transport passengers for 90 days
  after obtaining a motorcycle endorsement
•   

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• ENDORSEMENT
•  
• Applicant has not had an endorsement within the
  preceding 2 years
• An applicant for a motorcycle endorsement must
  successfully complete a novice motorcycle
  training course that is approved by the
  Commissioner of Motor Vehicles
• Has sufficient knowledge of the mechanism of a
  motorcycle to ensure its safe operation
• Applicant has satisfactory knowledge of the law
  concerning motorcycles and other motor vehicles
  and the rules of the road
• Must pass vision and knowledge tests, or possess
  a permit
• Prohibited from transport passengers for 90 days
  after obtaining a motorcycle endorsement
•   

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• ENDORSEMENT POWERS
•  
• If applicant has license/endorsement from another
  state where a similar examination or course is
  required, the commissioner may waive part or all
  of any such requirement
• The commissioner may issue unlimited or limited
  endorsements based on satisfaction of applicants
  ability and competency
• Health problems which might affect person's
  ability to operate a motorcycle safely, may
  require personal demonstration of operating a
  motorcycle
• Commissioner may issue a limited endorsement
  requiring a designated medical authority signed
  certificate of the applicant's condition.
  Certificate is treated confidentially
• Commissioner can suspend or refuse an endorsement
  to anyone, deemed incapable of safely operating a
  motorcycle
• Violation of the above 1ST Offense 35-50
  subsequent offenses not greater than 100 /or no
  more than 30 days in Jail
•   

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• 16-17 YEAR OLD RESTRICTIONS
• Prohibited from carrying passengers for six
  months after obtaining a motorcycle endorsement
• Cannot operate a motorcycle at or after 1100
  p.m. until and including 500 a.m. of the
  following day unless
• Such person is traveling for his or her
  employment or school or religious
  activities
• There is a medical necessity for such travel

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• PERSONAL GEAR REQUIREMENTS
• MANDATORY
• HEADGEAR(conditional)
• VISION PROTECTION

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• PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR
• (On and after January 1, 1990)
• 16 17 years olds must wear to operate a
  motorcycle or a motor-driven cycle
• Passengers under 18 must wear
• Failure to meet above is an infraction and shall
  be fined not less than 90.00
• Operating under a permit must wear Helmet,
  Regardless of age
• Must meet U.S. Department of Transportation
  (USDOT ) or National Highway Traffic Safety
  Administration (NHTSA) approved standards
• Violation of the above 1ST Offense 35-50
  subsequent offenses not greater than 100 /or no
  more than 30 days in Jail

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• VISION-PROTECTING DEVICES
• Must wear vision protection such as goggles,
  glasses, face shields
• Does not apply to operators of motorcycles
  equipped with a wind screen or windshield which
  conforms to the minimum specifications
• DMV Commissioner regulates specifications for
  vision-protecting devices in accordance with
  nationally accepted standards

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• MOTORCYCLE EQUIPMENT
• Head lamps
• Fenders
• Handlebars
• Brakes
• Mufflers
• Tail Lights
• Reflectors
• Stop lamps
• Turn signals
•  

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• HEAD LAMPS
• Have at least one and not more than two head
  lamps
• Every head lamp shall be located at a mounted
  height of not less than 24 inches not more than
  54 inches
• Single-beam or Multiple-beam head lamps
• Sufficient intensity to reveal a person or
  vehicle at
• Not less than 100 feet at less than 25 MPH
• Not less than 200 feet at greater than 25 MPH
• Not less than 300 feet at greater than 35 MPH
• High Beam at least 500 FT
• Shall illuminate the head lamp at all times when
  operating a motorcycle manufactured after January
  1, 1980

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• HEAD LAMPS
• BEAM REQUIREMENTS
• For all conditions of loading. The uppermost
  distribution of light for high beam is aimed and
  of sufficient intensity to reveal a person or
  vehicle at least 500 FT
• When loaded, a low single-beam lamp is aimed that
  none of the high-intensity portion of light,
  projects higher than the level of the center of
  the lamp at a distance of 25 feet ahead.

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• FENDERS
• Equipped with fenders on all wheels which come
  into contact with the highway

• HANDLEBARS
• For motorcycles operating on highway or in any
  parking area for 10 or more motor vehicles
• No more than the height of the operator's
  shoulders

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• Brakes
• Model year 1974 or later shall be equipped with
  brakes on both the front and rear wheels. except
  the wheel or wheels on a sidecar
• Brakes shall be maintained in good working order
  at all times
• Capable of bringing the motorcycle to a
  controlled stop in distance and conditions
  prescribed by the DMV Commissioner
•  

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• MUFFLER
• Must have a muffler(s) with interior baffle
  plates or other effective muffling devices
• No gutted muffler, muffler cutout or a straight
  exhaust
• Except- When operated in a race, contest or
  demonstration of speed or skill as a public
  exhibition
• Cannot remove all or any part of a muffler except
  to repair or replace the muffler or replace a
  part that is more effective in noise prevention
• Cannot add any extension or device on an exhaust
  system or tail pipe which will cause excessive or
  unusual noise

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• Tail Lights Registration Light
• Have at least one tail lamp mounted on the rear
• When lighted shall emit a red light plainly
  visible from a distance of 1000 feet to the rear
• Shall be located at a mounted height not less
  than 15 inches and not more than 72 inches
• Rear registration plate shall be so illumined
  with a white light as to render it clearly
  legible from a distance of 50 feet to the rear
• Registration Light is wired as to be lighted
  whenever the head lamps or auxiliary driving
  lamps are lighted

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• REFLECTORS
• Have at least one reflector either as a part of
  the tail lamps or separate
• Mounted at a height not less than 15 inches and
  not more than 60 inches size
• Be of size to be visible at night from all
  distances within 350 feet
• Seen 100 feet from such vehicle when directly in
  front of upper beams of head lamps

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• STOP LAMPS
• Equipped with at least one stop lamp
• TURN SIGNALS
• Display a red or amber light, or any shade of
  color between red and amber
• Visible from a Distance of not less than 300 feet
  to the rear in normal sunlight
• Equipped with a turn signal lamp or lamps
  complying with the requirements of the Code of
  Federal Regulations, Title 49, Section 571.108,
  as amended

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INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
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• INSURANCE MINIMUMS
• 20/40/10 Personal/Accidental/Property
• Claim for damages
• By reason of personal injury to, or the death of,
  any one person, of 20,000
• By reason of personal injury to, or the death of,
  more than one person on account of any accident,
  of at least 40,000
• Damage to property of at least 10,000
• An exclusion in personal injury coverage for
  passengers
•  

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• INSURANCE DISCOUNT
• Minimum discount of 10 on premium charges for
  liability insurance policies for motorcycles
• Applicable for a period of five years from the
  original effective date of the discount

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• INSURANCE DISCOUNT ELIGIBILITY
•  Proof of successful completion of the novice or
  advanced motorcycle training course offered by
  the Department of Transportation
• Course shall be completed within one year prior
  to the initial application of the discount
• If proof of successful completion is submitted
  during the term of a policy, any premium
  modification shall become effective upon the next
  renewal
• Not be applicable to physical damage insurance
  coverage

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• INFRACTION FINES
• Riding without an endorsement or violation of
  permit restrictions
• 1ST Offense 35-50 subsequent offenses not
  greater than 100 /or no more than 30 days in
  Jail
• Under 18 year old helmet requirement violations
• fined not less than 90.00
• Judges of the Superior Court establish and
  maintain a schedule of fines deemed to be
  infractions by Connecticut General Statutes of
• NOT LESS THAN 35.00
• NOT GREATER THAN 90.00

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• PASSENGERS
• May not transport passengers for 90 days after
  obtaining endorsement
• 16 and 17-year-old drivers are prohibited from
  carrying passengers for six months after
  obtaining a motorcycle endorsement
• Motorcycle must be properly equipped to carry
  more than one person, a permanent or regular seat
• Motorcycle has another seat firmly attached to
  the rear or side of the operator
• Passengers are prohibited from riding sidesaddle
  on a motorcycle
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•  LANE OPERATION OF MOTORCYCLES
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• Motorcycle is entitled to the full use of any
  single traffic lane
• Prohibits the operation of more than two
  motorcycles abreast in any single traffic lane
• Shall not overtake and pass, in the same single
  traffic lane, any motor vehicle other than a
  motorcycle
• Shall not operate a motorcycle between lanes of
  traffic
• Permitted in a High Occupancy Vehicle(HOV) Lane

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CONNECTICUTMOTORCYCLE LAWS