Chapter 346

346.945(3)(a)2. 2. Within 48 hours after receiving a report containing all of the information in sub. (2), the traffic officer shall investigate the violation and may prepare a uniform traffic citation under s. 345.11 and, within 72 hours after receiving such report, any traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation may personally serve it upon the owner of the vehicle.

346.945(3)(b) (b) If with reasonable diligence the owner cannot be served under par. (a), service may be made by leaving a copy of the citation at the owner’s usual place of abode within this state in the presence of a competent member of the family who is at least 14 years of age and who shall be informed of the contents thereof. Service under this paragraph may be made by any traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation and shall be performed within 72 hours after a report containing all of the information in sub. (2) was delivered to a traffic officer under par. (a) 1.

346.945(3)(c) (c) If with reasonable diligence the owner cannot be served under par. (a) or (b) or if the owner lives outside of the jurisdiction of the issuing authority, service may be made by certified mail addressed to the owner’s last-known address. Service under this paragraph shall be performed by posting the certified mail within 72 hours after a report containing all of the information in sub. (2) was delivered to a traffic officer under par. (a) 1. Except for owners who live outside of the jurisdiction of the issuing authority, service under this paragraph may not be performed unless service under pars. (a) and (b) has been attempted.

346.945(4) (4) Defenses to the imposition of liability under this section include:

346.945(4)(a) (a) That a report that the vehicle was stolen was given to a traffic officer before the violation occurred or within a reasonable time after the violation occurred.

346.945(4)(b) (b) If the owner of the vehicle provides a traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation with the name and address of the person operating the vehicle or having the vehicle under his or her control at the time of the violation and sufficient information for the officer to determine that probable cause does not exist to believe that the owner of the vehicle was operating the vehicle or having the vehicle under his or her control at the time of the violation, then the owner of the vehicle shall not be liable under this section or under s. 346.94 (16).

346.945(4)(c) (c) If the vehicle is owned by a lessor of vehicles and at the time of the violation the vehicle was in the possession of a lessee, and the lessor provides a traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation with the information required under s. 343.46 (3), then the lessee and not the lessor shall be liable under this section or under s. 346.94 (16).

346.945(4)(d) (d) If the vehicle is owned by a dealer, as defined in s. 340.01 (11) (intro.) but including the persons specified in s. 340.01 (11) (a) to (d), and at the time of the violation the vehicle was being operated by or was under the control of any person on a trial run, and if the dealer provides a traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation with the name, address and operator’s license number of the person operating the vehicle or having the vehicle under his or her control on a trial run, then that person, and not the dealer, shall be liable under this section or under the applicable provision of s. 346.94 (16).

346.945(5) (5) Notwithstanding s. 346.94 (16) (b) 6., this section does not apply to the operation of a motorcycle.

346.945 History History: 1995 a. 373; 1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 80.

346.95 346.95 Penalty for violating sections 346.87 to 346.94.

346.95(1) (1) Except as provided in sub. (13), any person violating s. 346.87, 346.88, 346.89 (4), (4m), or (5), 346.90 to 346.92, or 346.94 (1), (9), (10), (11), (12), or (15) may be required to forfeit not less than $20 nor more than $40 for the first offense and not less than $50 nor more than $100 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within a year.

346.95(2) (2) Any person violating s. 346.89 (1) or (3) (a) or 346.94 (2), (4), or (7) may be required to forfeit not less than $20 nor more than $400.

346.95(2m) (2m) Any person violating s. 346.935 may be required to forfeit not more than $100.

346.95(3) (3) Any person violating s. 346.94 (5) or (14) shall be required to forfeit $50 for each offense.

346.95(4) (4) Any person violating s. 346.923, 346.925, or 346.94 (8), (8m), or (8s) may be required to forfeit not more than $20 for the first offense and not more than $50 for each subsequent offense.

346.95(5) (5) Any person violating s. 346.94 (13) or (21) may be required to forfeit not more than $200.

346.95(5e) (5e) Any person violating s. 346.94 (16) may be required to forfeit not less than $40 nor more than $80 for the first offense and not less than $100 nor more than $200 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within a year.

346.95(5g) (5g) A vehicle owner or other person found liable under s. 346.945 may be required to forfeit not less than $40 nor more than $80 for the first offense and not less than $100 nor more than $200 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within a year. Imposition of liability under s. 346.945 shall not result in suspension or revocation of a person’s operating license under s. 343.30, nor shall it result in demerit points being recorded on a person’s driving record under s. 343.32 (2) (a).

346.95(6) (6) Any person violating s. 346.94 (17), (18), or (18m) may be required to forfeit not less than $10 nor more than $20 for the first offense and not less than $25 nor more than $50 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within a year.

346.95(7) (7) Any person violating s. 346.922 may be required to forfeit not less than $10 nor more than $25 for the first offense and not less than $25 nor more than $200 for a 2nd or subsequent conviction within 3 years.

346.95(8) (8) Any person violating s. 346.94 (19) may be required to forfeit not less than $30 nor more than $300.

346.95(9) (9) Any person violating s. 346.924 may be required to forfeit not less than $500 nor more than $5,000. Each violation constitutes a separate offense.

346.95(10) (10) 

346.95(10)(a) (a) Any person who violates s. 346.94 (20) (b) and any person 16 years of age or older who violates s. 346.94 (20) (a) may be required to forfeit not less than $20 nor more than $40 for the first offense and not less than $50 nor more than $100 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within a year.

346.95(10)(b) (b) No forfeiture may be assessed for a violation of s. 346.94 (20) (a) if the violator is less than 16 years of age when the offense occurs.

346.95(11) (11) Any person violating s. 346.94 (22) (c) or (d) may be required to forfeit not more than $200.

346.95(12) (12) 

346.95(12)(a) (a) Any person violating s. 346.94 (23) (b), (c), (d), (e), or (f) may be required to forfeit not less than $200 nor more than $500.

346.95(12)(b) (b) Any person violating s. 346.94 (23) (g) may be required to forfeit not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,000.

346.95(13) (13) 

346.95(13)(a) (a) If a person violates s. 346.87 and the violation results in great bodily harm, as defined in s. 939.22 (14), to another, the person shall forfeit $500.

346.95(13)(b) (b) If a person violates s. 346.87 and the violation results in death to another, the person shall forfeit $1,000.

346.95 History History: 1971 c. 278; 1973 c. 182, 314, 336; 1975 c. 297, 320; 1977 c. 68; 1983 a. 56, 175, 538; 1989 a. 335 s. 89; 1991 a. 83; 1993 a. 260, 455; 1995 a. 194, 373, 420; 1999 a. 109; 2001 a. 90; 2003 a. 192, 297, 327; 2005 a. 250; 2009 a. 22, 157, 220, 311; 2011 a. 164; 2013 a. 106, 350; 2015 a. 308; 2017 a. 13, 105.