MT Vehicle Codes affecting 4x4s
61-9-407. Fenders, splash aprons,
or flaps required on certain vehicles -- dimension and location.
(1) A person may not move, or permit to be moved, a vehicle, except a motorcycle,
quadricycle, motor-driven cycle, or farm tractor, as defined in this title,
upon the public highways without having first equipped the rearmost wheels
or set of wheels of the vehicle with fenders, splash aprons, or flaps. The
fenders, splash aprons, or flaps must be designed, constructed, and attached
to the vehicle in a manner that arrests and deflects dirt, mud, water, rocks,
and other substances that may be picked up by the rear wheels of the vehicle
and thrown into the air, as follows:
(a) If the vehicle is equipped with fenders, the fenders must extend in full
width from a point above and forward of the center of the tire or tires over
and to the rear of the tires.
(b) If the vehicle is equipped with splash aprons or flaps, the splash aprons
or flaps must extend downward in full width from a point not lower than halfway
between the center of the tire or tires and the top of the tire or tires and
to the rear of the tires.
(c) If the vehicle is in excess of 8,000 pounds gross vehicle weight or rating,
the fenders, splash aprons, or flaps must extend downward to a point that
is not more than 10 inches above the surface of the highway when the vehicle
is empty.
(d) If the vehicle is 8,000 pounds or less gross vehicle weight or rating,
the fenders, splash aprons, or flaps must extend downward to a point that
is not more than 20 inches above the surface of the highway when the vehicle
is empty.
(2) Fenders, splash aprons, or flaps, as used in subsection (1), must be constructed
as follows:
(a) when measured on the cross-sections of the tread of the wheel or on the
combined cross-sections of the treads of multiple wheels, the fender, splash
apron, or flap extends at least to each side of the width of the tire or of
the combined width of the multiple tires; and
(b) the fender, splash apron, or flap is capable at all times of arresting
and deflecting dirt, mud, water, or other substance that may be picked up
and carried by the wheel or wheels.
(3) This section does not apply to street rod vehicles; motor vehicles not
originally equipped with fenders, splash aprons, or flaps; or motor vehicles
for which fenders, splash aprons, or flaps were not required by federal law
or regulation at the time of manufacture.
(4) For purposes of 61-9-430 and this section, "street rod" means
a vehicle manufactured before 1949 that has been modified in body style or
design.
61-9-515. Violations of provisions relating to fenders, splash aprons, or flaps -- penalty. Any person violating any of the provisions of 61-9-407 is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not less than $10 or more than $25.
61-9-404. Mirrors. A motor vehicle must be equipped with a mirror that reflects to the driver a view of the highway for a distance of at least 200 feet to the rear of the motor vehicle.
61-9-217. Spot lamps, fog lamps, and auxiliary lamps.
(1) A motor vehicle may not be equipped with more than two spot lamps and
a lighted spot lamp must be turned off upon approaching another moving vehicle
from either direction.
(2) A motor vehicle may not be equipped with more than two fog lamps that
provide a low, wide-angle light pattern to increase short-range visibility.
Fog lamps must be mounted on the front at a height not more than 30 inches
above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands and so aimed that when
the vehicle is not loaded none of the high-intensity portion of the light
to the left of the center of the vehicle at a distance of 25 feet ahead projects
higher than a level of 4 inches below the level of the center of the lamp
from which it comes. Lighted fog lamps meeting the requirements of this subsection
may be used with lower headlamp beams as specified in 61-9-220(2). A fog lamp
may not be used as a substitute for headlamps.
(3) A motor vehicle may not be equipped with more than two auxiliary driving
lamps that produce a long-range, pencil-shaped light pattern and that are
used to supplement the upper beams of headlamps. Auxiliary driving lamps must
be mounted on the front at a height not less than 16 inches or more than 42
inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands. The provisions
of 61-9-220 apply to a combination of headlamps and auxiliary driving lamps.
An auxiliary driving lamp may not be used as a substitute for headlamps or
lighted at any time the headlamps are required to be on in the low-beam position.
(4) An auxiliary off-road lamp mounted more than 42 inches above the level
surface upon which the vehicle stands may not be lighted while the vehicle
is operated or parked on a highway.