(a) Definitions. As used in this section:
(1) BOAT TRAILER. Means any vehicle designed and used exclusively to transport a boat between a place of storage and a marina, or in and around a marina, when drawn or towed on a street or highway for a distance of no more than ten miles and at a speed of twenty-five miles per hour or less.
(2) SLOW-MOVING VEHICLE and SMV. Mean a boat trailer, unit of farm machinery, road construction machinery, or other machinery designed by the manufacturer to operate at a speed of twenty-five miles per hour or less. The term does not include a bicycle, motorized bicycle, electric bicycle, or animal-drawn vehicle. (ORC 4513.11)
(b) Generally.
(1) At the times specified in Ohio R.C. 4513.03, no person shall operate either of the following vehicles unless it is equipped with and displays the lamps described in subsection (b)(2) of this section.
A. A vehicle not specifically required to be equipped with lamps or other lighting devices by Ohio R.C. 4513.03 to 4513.10;
B. A vehicle referred to in Ohio R.C. 4513.02(G).
(2) Vehicles described in subsection (b)(1) of this section shall be equipped with both of the following:
A. At least one lamp displaying a white light visible from a distance of not less than 1,000 feet to the front of the vehicle;
B. Two lamps displaying red light visible from a distance of not less than 1,000 feet to the rear of the vehicle, or as an alternative, one lamp displaying a red light visible from a distance of not less than 1,000 feet to the rear and two red reflectors visible from all distances of 600 feet to 100 feet to the rear when illuminated by the lawful lower beams of headlamps.
(3) A. At the times specified in Ohio R.C. 4513.03, no person shall operate a multi-wheel agricultural tractor model year 2001 or earlier on a street or highway unless it is equipped with and displays reflectors and illuminated amber lamps so that the extreme left and right projections of the tractor are indicated by all of the following:
1. Flashing lamps displaying amber light, visible to the front and the rear. The lamps need not flash simultaneously and need not flash in conjunction with any directional signals of the tractor;
2. Amber reflectors, all visible to the front;
3. Red reflectors, all visible to the rear.
B. Rules adopted by the Ohio Director of Public Safety under Ohio R.C. 4513.111 governing the lamps and reflectors described in subsection (b)(3)A. of this section and their placement correlate with and, as far as possible, conform with paragraphs 4.1.4.1, 4.1.7.1 and 4.1.7.2 respectively of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers Standard ANSI/ASAE S279.10 OCT98, Lighting and Marking of Agricultural Equipment on Highways.
(4) At the times specified in Ohio R.C. 4513.03, no person shall operate a unit of farm machinery model year 2002 or later on a street or highway unless it is equipped with and displays markings and illuminated lamps that meet or exceed the lighting, illumination and marking standards and specifications that are applicable to that type of farm machinery for the unit’s model year specified in the American Society of Agricultural Engineers Standard ANSI/ASAE S279.10 OCT 98, lighting and marking of agricultural equipment on highways.
(5) Any unit of farm machinery designed by its manufacturer to operate at a speed of twenty-five miles per hour or greater or any SMV may be equipped with and display a red flashing light that is visible from a distance of not less than 1,000 feet to the rear at all times specified in Ohio R.C. 4513.03. When a double-faced light is used, it shall display amber light to the front and red light to the rear.
(6) Lights and reflectors required under subsections (b)(3) and (b)(4) of this section and authorized under subsection (b)(5) of this section are in addition to other lights required or permitted by this subsection (b) or Ohio R.C. 4513.17.
(7) The Ohio Director of Public Safety shall adopt rules in accordance with Ohio R.C. Chapter 119 Code that establish standards and specifications for lamps and reflectors required or authorized by this section. Lamps and reflectors required or authorized by this section shall meet those standards and specifications.
(8) This subsection (b) does not apply to a bicycle, motorized bicycle, electric bicycle, or animal-drawn vehicle.
(9) Whoever violates this subsection (b) is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(ORC 4513.111)
(c) Slow-Moving Vehicles.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, no person shall operate an SMV on a street or highway as follows:
A. At a speed exceeding twenty-five miles per hour;
B. Without displaying the triangular SMV emblem mounted in accordance with subsection (c)(2) of this section.
(2) The SMV emblem shall be mounted so as to be visible from a distance of not less than 500 feet to the rear. In accordance with Ohio R.C. Chapter 119, the Ohio Director of Public Safety shall adopt standards and specifications for the design and position of mounting the SMV emblem. The standards and specifications for the SMV emblem correlate with and, so far as possible, conform with those approved by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers.
(3) A person may operate an SMV on a street or highway without displaying the triangular SMV emblem when any of the following apply:
A. The SMV is being used in actual construction and maintenance work in an area guarded by a flagperson, or where flares are used;
B. The SMV is operating or traveling within the limits of a construction area designated by the Ohio Director of Transportation, a city engineer, or the county engineer of the several counties, when such construction area is marked in accordance with requirements of the Ohio Director of Transportation and the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, as set forth in Ohio R.C. 4511.09.
(4) No person shall display an SMV emblem on any of the following:
A. Any vehicle not required to use the SMV emblem by this subsection (c) or Ohio R.C. 4513.113 or 4513.114;
B. An SMV being transported upon any other vehicle;
C. Any stationary object on the highway.
(5) No person shall sell, lease, rent or operate an SMV, except a unit designed to be completely mounted on a primary power unit that is manufactured or assembled on or after April 1, 1966, unless it is equipped with an SMV emblem mounting device.
(6) Whoever violates subsection (c) is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(ORC 4513.112)
(d) Farm Machinery and Agricultural Tractors.
(1) No person shall sell, lease, rent or operate on a street or highway any unit of farm machinery that is designed by its manufacturer to operate at a speed greater than twenty-five miles per hour unless the unit displays both of the following:
A. The SMV emblem mounted in accordance with Ohio R.C. 4513.112(B);
B. A speed identification symbol that does both of the following:
1. Meets the specifications contained in the American Society of Agricultural Engineers Standard ANSI/ASAE S584 JAN2005, Agricultural Equipment: Speed Identification Symbol (SIS);
2. Indicates the maximum speed in miles per hour at which the unit of farm machinery is designed by its manufacturer to operate;
(2) No person operating a tractor on a street or highway that is designed by its manufacturer to operate at a speed greater than twenty-five miles per hour and that is towing, pulling or otherwise drawing a unit of farm machinery while operating at a speed greater than twenty-five milers per hour shall fail to display both of the following on the unit of farm machinery;
A. The SMV emblem;
B. The speed identification symbol that matches the speed identification symbol required to be displayed on the agricultural tractor;
(3) No person shall operate an agricultural tractor that is designed by its manufacturer to operate at a speed greater than twenty-five miles per hour unless the person possesses documentation published or provided by the manufacturer indicating the maximum speed in miles per hour at which the manufacturer designed the agricultural tractor to operate;
(4) Whoever violates this subsection (d) is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(ORC 4513.113)
(e) Animal-Drawn Vehicles.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (e)(4) of this section, no person shall operate an animal-drawn vehicle on a street or highway unless it is equipped with and displays, at the times specified in Ohio R.C. 4513.03, both of the following:
A. At least one lamp displaying a white light visible from a distance of not less than 1,000 feet to the front of the animal-drawn vehicle;
B. Two lamps displaying red light visible from a distance of not less than 1,000 feet to the rear of the animal-drawn vehicle, or as an alternative, one lamp displaying a red light visible from a distance of not less than 1,000 feet to the rear and two red reflectors visible from all distances of 600 feet to one hundred feet to the rear when illuminated by the lawful lower beams of headlamps.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (e)(4) of this section, no person shall operate an animal-drawn vehicle on a street or highway unless it is equipped with and displays, at all times, all of the following:
A. One yellow flashing lamp displaying yellow light that is visible from a distance of not less than 1,000 feet and that is mounted in either of the following positions:
1. On the top most portion of the rear of the animal-drawn vehicle;
2. On the top of the animal-drawn vehicle;
B. At least one of the following:
1. An SMV emblem mounted in accordance with Ohio R.C. 4513.112(B);
2. Micro-prism reflective tape that is visible from a distance of not less than 500 feet to the rear when illuminated by the lawful lower beams of headlamps;
3. Both an SMV emblem and micro-prism reflective tape, as specified in this division.
C. Lamps and micro-prism reflective tape required by this section shall meet standards and specifications adopted by the Ohio Director of Public Safety under Ohio R.C. 4513.114.
(3) The Ohio Director of Public Safety, in accordance with Ohio R.C. Chapter 119, shall adopt rules establishing standards and specifications for the position and mounting of the lamps and micro-prism reflective tape required by Ohio R.C. 4513.114. The rules permit the micro-prism reflective tape to be red, amber, white, or silver in color.
(4) A. Subsections (e)(1) and (e)(2) of this section do not apply to the operator of animal-drawn agricultural equipment who is not transporting any livestock or a person other than the operator.
B. No operator described in subsection (e)(4)A. of this section shall operate animal-drawn agricultural equipment unless it is equipped with and displays, at all times, the SMV emblem mounted in accordance with Ohio R.C. 4513.112(B).
C. As used in subsection (e)(4) of this section, “animal-drawn agricultural equipment” means equipment drawn by the muscular power of an animal that is used solely for agricultural purposes. “Animal-drawn agricultural equipment” includes any of the following:
1. A plow;
2. A manure spreader;
3. A thresher.
(5) Whoever violates this subsection (e) is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(ORC 4513.114)
(f) Strict Liability Offenses. The offenses established under this section are strict liability offenses, and Ohio R.C. 2901.20 does not apply. The designation of these offenses as strict liability offenses shall not be construed to imply that any other offense, for which there is no specified degree of culpability, is not a strict liability offense.
(ORC 4513.115)