350.055(1)(1) The department shall establish a program of instruction on snowmobile laws, including the intoxicated snowmobiling law, regulations, safety and related subjects. The program shall be conducted by instructors certified by the department. The department may procure liability insurance coverage for certified instructors for work within the scope of their duties under this section. For each person who is under the age of 16 years, the program shall include 6 hours of classroom instruction, and the instructor may provide to the person up to 2 additional hours of instruction on a snowmobile as to how it is actually operated. Each person satisfactorily completing this program shall receive a snowmobile safety certificate from the department. The department shall establish by rule an instruction fee for this program. An instructor conducting a program of instruction under this section shall collect the instruction fee from each person who receives instruction. The department may determine the portion of this fee, which may not exceed 50 percent, that the instructor may retain to defray expenses incurred by the instructor in conducting the program. The instructor shall remit the remainder of the fee or, if nothing is retained, the entire fee to the department. The department shall issue a duplicate certificate of accomplishment to a person who is entitled to a duplicate certificate of accomplishment and who pays a fee of $2.75.

350.055(1m)(1m) An instructor certified by the department under sub. (1) who conducts a snowmobile program of instruction may not allow a person enrolled in that program to operate a snowmobile as part of a field training exercise unless the snowmobile, in addition to meeting the requirements that apply to snowmobiles under this chapter, is in good working order and is equipped with a device that limits the speed of the snowmobile to 15 miles per hour.

350.055(2)(2) A person who is required to hold a valid snowmobile safety certificate may operate a snowmobile in this state if the person holds a valid snowmobile safety certificate issued by another state or province of the Dominion of Canada and if the course content of the program in such other state or province substantially meets that established by the department under this section.

350.08350.08 Owner permitting operation. No owner or other person having charge or control of a snowmobile may knowingly authorize or permit any person to operate the snowmobile if the person is prohibited from operating a snowmobile under s. 350.05, if the person is incapable of operating a snowmobile because of physical or mental disability or if the person is under the influence of an intoxicant.

350.09(1)(1) Any snowmobile operated during the hours of darkness or operated during daylight hours on any highway right-of-way shall display a lighted head lamp and tail lamp. A person operating a snowmobile during the hours of darkness or adjacent to a roadway shall dim the snowmobile’s head lamp when an oncoming snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, utility terrain vehicle, or motor vehicle is within 500 feet.

350.09(2)(2) After February 12, 1970, the head lamp on a snowmobile may be of the single beam or multiple beam type, but in either case shall comply with the following requirements and limitations:

350.09(2)(a)(a) The head lamp shall be an electric head lamp and the current shall be supplied by a wet battery and electric generator, by a current-generating coil incorporated into the magneto or by a generator driven directly by the motor by means of gears, friction wheel, chain or belt.

350.09(2)(c)(c) If the snowmobile is equipped with a multiple beam head lamp, the upper beam shall meet the minimum requirements set forth in par. (b) and the lower most beam shall be so aimed and of sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of at least 100 feet ahead.

350.09(3)(3) After February 12, 1970, the tail lamp on a snowmobile must display a red light plainly visible during darkness from a distance of 500 feet to the rear.

350.09(4)(4) Every snowmobile shall be equipped with at least one brake operated either by hand or by foot, capable of bringing the snowmobile to a stop, under normal conditions, within 40 feet when traveling at a speed of 20 miles per hour with a 150 pound driver on a level, hard-packed snow surface, or capable of locking the track on a level, hard-packed snow surface. The design shall permit simple and easy adjustment to compensate for wear. There shall be no other control linked to the brake which impairs braking operation.

350.09(5)(5) All snowmobiles manufactured after July 1, 1972, and offered for sale or sold in this state shall be equipped with side marker reflectors meeting the visibility requirements of society of automotive engineers standards or reflex material standards in compliance with federal specifications.

350.09(8)(8) Section 350.095 does not apply to snowmobiles competing in a sanctioned race or derby or to snowmobiles being tested by manufacturers, distributors or dealers on lands under their control.

350.09(8m)(8m) No person may operate, offer for sale or sell a snowmobile that is manufactured after May 7, 1994, if the width of the snowmobile exceeds 48 inches.

350.09(9)(9) All snowmobiles competing in a sanctioned race or derby shall be equipped with a device wired into the motor’s electrical system that will shut off the motor if the operator falls from the snowmobile or otherwise leaves the operator’s position. The device shall be capable of being attached to the body of the operator, and shall be so attached when the snowmobile is being operated.

350.09 AnnotationOperation does not include the act of sitting on a parked snowmobile with its engine off. A person was not negligent per se for failing to have the head and tail lamps illuminated on a snowmobile that was not running at the time of an accident. Burg v. Cincinnati Casualty Insurance Co. 2002 WI 76, 254 Wis. 2d 36, 645 N.W.2d 880, 00-3258.

350.095(1)(1) Noise level standards; total vehicle noise.

350.095(1)(a)(a) Every snowmobile that is manufactured on or after July 2, 1975, and that is offered for sale or sold in this state as a new snowmobile shall be manufactured so as to limit total vehicle noise to not more than 78 decibels of A sound pressure, as measured by Society of Automotive Engineers standards.