Chapter 346

346.94(13) (13) Abandoned motor vehicles. No person may cause a motor vehicle to be abandoned, within the meaning of s. 342.40 (1m) or (4) (b) 1., on or along any highway or on any public or private property.

346.94(14) (14) Use of flashing blue lights along highways. Except as provided in ss. 346.03 (3) and 347.25 (1m) and (1s), no person may maintain or operate any device equipped with a flashing, oscillating or rotating blue light within 100 feet of a highway if the light is visible from the highway and if the department or the local authority responsible for maintaining the highway determines that motorists would believe the light was the warning light of a police vehicle. This subsection does not apply to airport lights.

346.94(15) (15) Towing by human service vehicles. No person may operate a school bus that is not equipped with a side exit or side emergency exit windows suitable to provide an exit for pupils in an emergency or a human service vehicle over any public highway of this state with any trailer or semitrailer attached.

346.94(16) (16) Radios or other electric sound amplification devices.

346.94(16)(a) (a) Except as provided in s. 347.38 (1), no person may operate or park, stop or leave standing a motor vehicle while using a radio or other electric sound amplification device emitting sound from the vehicle that is audible under normal conditions from a distance of 75 or more feet, unless the electric sound amplification device is being used to request assistance or warn against an unsafe condition.

346.94(16)(b) (b) This subsection does not apply to any of the following:

346.94(16)(b)1. 1. The operator of an authorized emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency call or when in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law or when responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm.

346.94(16)(b)2. 2. The operator of a vehicle of a public utility. In this paragraph, public utility means any corporation, company, individual, or association which furnishes products or services to the public, and which is regulated under ch. 195 or 196, including railroads, telecommunications, or telegraph companies and any company furnishing or producing heat, light, power, or water.

346.94(16)(b)3. 3. The operator of a vehicle that is being used for advertising purposes.

346.94(16)(b)4. 4. The operator of a vehicle that is being used in a community event or celebration, procession or assemblage.

346.94(16)(b)5. 5. The activation of a theft alarm signal device.

346.94(16)(b)6. 6. The operator of a motorcycle being operated outside of a business or residence district.

346.94(16)(b)7. 7. A local authority that has enacted an ordinance in conformity with s. 349.135.

346.94(17) (17) In-line skates on roadway.

346.94(17)(a) (a) A person riding upon in-line skates may go upon any roadway under the jurisdiction of a local authority, subject to any restrictions specified by municipal ordinance enacted under s. 349.235.

346.94(17)(b) (b) Any person riding upon in-line skates upon any roadway shall ride in a careful and prudent manner and with due regard under the circumstances for the safety of all persons using the roadway.

346.94(17)(c) (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection or s. 349.235, no person riding upon in-line skates may attach the in-line skates or himself or herself to any vehicle upon a roadway or, except while crossing a roadway at a crosswalk, go upon any roadway under the jurisdiction of the department.

346.94(18) (18) Electric personal assistive mobility devices on roadways and sidewalks.

346.94(18)(a) (a)

346.94(18)(a)1. 1. Except as otherwise prohibited in this chapter, a person may operate an electric personal assistive mobility device upon any roadway or sidewalk that is under the jurisdiction of the department.

346.94(18)(a)2. 2. Except as provided in s. 349.236 (1) (c), the department may by rule prohibit electric personal assistive mobility devices upon any roadway under its jurisdiction for which the speed limit is more than 25 miles per hour, and may by rule prohibit such devices upon any sidewalk under its jurisdiction. This subdivision does not apply upon any sidewalk at a permanent or temporarily established driveway.

346.94(18)(b) (b) A person may operate an electric personal assistive mobility device upon any roadway under the jurisdiction of a local authority, subject to any prohibitions specified by municipal ordinance enacted under s. 349.236.

346.94(18m) (18m) Personal delivery devices on sidewalks and crosswalks.

346.94(18m)(a) (a)

346.94(18m)(a)1. 1. Except as otherwise prohibited in this chapter, a personal delivery device operator may operate a personal delivery device upon a sidewalk or crosswalk that is under the jurisdiction of the department.

346.94(18m)(a)2. 2. Except as provided in s. 349.236 (1) (c), the department may by rule prohibit personal delivery devices upon any sidewalk under its jurisdiction. This subdivision does not apply upon any sidewalk at a permanent or temporarily established driveway.

346.94(18m)(b) (b) A personal delivery device operator may operate a personal delivery device upon any sidewalk under the jurisdiction of a local authority, subject to any prohibitions specified by municipal ordinance enacted under s. 349.236.

346.94(18s) (18s) Electric scooters on roadways, sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and bicycle ways.

346.94(18s)(a) (a) Except as otherwise prohibited in this chapter, a person may operate an electric scooter upon any roadway, sidewalk, bicycle lane, or bicycle way that is under the jurisdiction of the department or that is open to operation of bicycles.

346.94(18s)(b) (b) A person may operate an electric scooter upon any roadway, sidewalk, bicycle lane, or bicycle way under the jurisdiction of a local authority, subject to any restrictions or prohibitions specified by municipal ordinance enacted under s. 349.237.

346.94(18s)(c) (c) No person may operate an electric scooter upon any roadway, sidewalk, bicycle lane, or bicycle way at a speed in excess of 15 miles per hour.

346.94(19) (19) Off-road utility vehicles on roadway.

346.94(19)(a) (a) A person may operate an off-road utility vehicle upon any roadway that has a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less. This paragraph applies only if the person operating the off-road utility vehicle is employed by, or under contract with, the state or a local governmental unit, as defined in s. 19.42 (7u), and the off-road utility vehicle is being used for the state or local governmental purpose of collecting residential or commercial solid waste, landscaping, or performing incidental street maintenance, and is operated on a highway for a distance not to exceed one half mile.

346.94(19)(b) (b) No person may operate an off-road utility vehicle upon any highway that has a speed limit of more than 35 miles per hour.

346.94(20) (20) Opening motor vehicle door on highway.

346.94(20)(a) (a) No person may open any door of a motor vehicle located on a highway without first taking due precaution to ensure that his or her act will not interfere with the movement of traffic or endanger any other person or vehicle.

346.94(20)(b) (b) The operator of a motor vehicle located on a highway may not permit any person under 16 years of age to open any door of the motor vehicle without the operator first taking due precaution to ensure that opening the door will not interfere with the movement of traffic or endanger any other person or vehicle.

346.94(21) (21) Lightweight utility vehicles on highways.

346.94(21)(a) (a) In this subsection:

346.94(21)(a)1. 1. “Agricultural operations” includes transporting farm implements, equipment, supplies, or products on a farm or between farms.

346.94(21)(a)2. 2. “Lightweight utility vehicle” has the meaning given in s. 23.33 (11m) (a) 2., except that the term does not include a device that is equipped with a seat designed to be straddled by the operator.

346.94 Note NOTE: Section 23.33 (11m) was repealed by 2009 Wis. Act 175.

346.94(21)(b) (b)

346.94(21)(b)1. 1. Notwithstanding s. 23.33 (11m), a person may operate in the conduct of agricultural operations a lightweight utility vehicle on a highway, including any roadway or, notwithstanding ss. 346.05 (1) and 346.08, any shoulder of a highway, to cross the highway or to travel on the highway.

346.94 Note NOTE: Section 23.33 (11m) was repealed by 2009 Wis. Act 175.

346.94(21)(b)2. 2. Any person operating a lightweight utility vehicle on a highway shall exercise due care and, as far as is practicable, avoid interfering with the movement of traffic.

346.94(21)(b)3. 3. Any person operating a lightweight utility vehicle upon any roadway shall operate as close as practicable to the right-hand edge or curb of the unobstructed roadway.

346.94(21)(c) (c) Except as provided in par. (b) and s. 23.33 (11m), no person may operate a lightweight utility vehicle on a highway.

346.94 Note NOTE: Section 23.33 (11m) was repealed by 2009 Wis. Act 175.

346.94(22) (22) Low-speed vehicles operated on highways.

346.94(22)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b) and s. 349.26, a person may operate a low-speed vehicle on any highway that has a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less and that is under the jurisdiction, for maintenance purposes, of a municipality or county.

346.94(22)(b) (b)

346.94(22)(b)1. 1. Paragraph (a) applies to the operation of a low-speed vehicle on a connecting highway only if the connecting highway has a speed limit of 25 miles per hour or less or the municipality or county with jurisdiction has adopted a valid ordinance under s. 349.26 (2).

346.94(22)(b)2. 2. Subject to subd. 3., par. (a) applies to an intersection where the highway under the jurisdiction of the municipality or county crosses a state trunk highway or connecting highway only if the state trunk highway or connecting highway has a speed limit at the intersection of 35 miles per hour or less and traffic at the intersection is controlled by traffic control signals.

346.94(22)(b)3. 3. Paragraph (a) does not apply to an intersection where the highway under the jurisdiction of the municipality or county crosses an expressway, as defined in s. 346.57 (1) (ag), or freeway, as defined in s. 346.57 (1) (am), or a controlled-access highway designated under s. 83.027 or 84.25.

346.94(22)(c) (c) No person may operate a low-speed vehicle on any highway except as authorized under this subsection or s. 349.26 (2).

346.94(22)(d) (d) No person may operate a low-speed vehicle at a speed in excess of 25 miles per hour.

346.94(23) (23) Commercial quadricycles.

346.94(23)(a) (a) In this subsection:

346.94(23)(a)1. 1. “Alcohol beverages” has the meaning given in s. 125.02 (1).

346.94(23)(a)2. 2. “Fermented malt beverages” has the meaning given in s. 125.02 (6).

346.94(23)(b) (b) No driver of a commercial quadricycle may consume alcohol while the commercial quadricycle is occupied by passengers.

346.94(23)(c) (c) No person may drive a commercial quadricycle while the person has an alcohol concentration of more than 0.02.

346.94(23)(d) (d) No person may drive a commercial quadricycle occupied by passengers after 10:30 p.m. or after any earlier time established by ordinance under s. 349.18 (1) (d).

346.94(23)(e) (e) No person may drive a commercial quadricycle on which any alcohol beverages other than fermented malt beverages are carried or consumed. No person may drive a commercial quadricycle on which any alcohol beverages are sold, including delivery on the commercial quadricycle of alcohol beverages previously sold by a caterer.

346.94(23)(f) (f) No person may possess on, or carry onto, a commercial quadricycle more than 36 fluid ounces of fermented malt beverages.

346.94(23)(g) (g) Upon conviction of a driver of a commercial quadricycle for a violation of this subsection, the court shall enter an order permanently prohibiting the person from driving a commercial quadricycle. No person may drive a commercial quadricycle in violation of such an order.

346.94 History History: 1973 c. 182, 314; 1975 c. 320; 1977 c. 68; 1983 a. 56, 175, 243, 538; 1989 a. 335; 1991 a. 83, 87; 1993 a. 260; 1995 a. 131, 138, 216, 373; 1997 a. 27; 2001 a. 90; 2003 a. 26, 192; 2005 a. 118, 250; 2007 a. 11; 2009 a. 22, 157, 311, 367; 2013 a. 106; 2015 a. 117, 170; 2017 a. 13; 2017 a. 365 s. 111; 2019 a. 11.

346.94 Annotation An ordinance adopting sub. (4) in its entirety violated the constitutional guarantee of free speech. Deida v. City of Milwaukee, 176 F. Supp. 2d 859 (2001).

346.945 346.945 Vehicle owner’s liability for radios or other electric sound amplification devices.

346.945(1) (1) 

346.945(1)(a) (a) Subject to s. 346.01 (2), the owner of a vehicle involved in a violation of s. 346.94 (16) shall be presumed liable for the violation as provided in this section.

346.945(1)(b) (b) Notwithstanding par. (a), no owner of a vehicle involved in a violation of s. 346.94 (16) may be convicted under this section if the person operating the vehicle or having the vehicle under his or her control at the time of the violation has been convicted for the violation under this section or under s. 346.94 (16).

346.945(2) (2) Any member of the public who observes a violation of s. 346.94 (16) may prepare a written report indicating that a violation has occurred. If possible, the report shall contain the following information:

346.945(2)(a) (a) The time and the approximate location at which the violation occurred.

346.945(2)(b) (b) The license number and color of the motor vehicle involved in the violation.

346.945(2)(c) (c) Identification of the motor vehicle as an automobile, motor truck, motor bus, motorcycle or other type of vehicle.

346.945(3) (3) 

346.945(3)(a) (a)

346.945(3)(a)1. 1. Within 24 hours after observing the violation, a member of the public may deliver a report containing all of the information in sub. (2) to a traffic officer of the county or municipality in which the violation occurred. A report which does not contain all of the information in sub. (2) shall nevertheless be delivered and shall be maintained by the county or municipality for statistical purposes.

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.