(a) The operation of neighborhood electric vehicles shall be permitted only upon streets and alleys which are subject to a speed limit of 30 miles per hour or less and which are under the sole jurisdiction of the city.
(b) It shall be unlawful to operate a neighborhood electric vehicle upon any street in the city where the posted speed limit is more than 30 miles per hour. This subsection does not prohibit a neighborhood electric vehicle from crossing a street at an intersection where the street being crossed has a posted speed limit of not more than 45 miles per hour. A neighborhood electric vehicle shall not cross a street with a speed limit in excess of 45 miles per hour unless it is crossing at an intersection controlled by a traffic light or 4-way stop sign.
(c) No person shall operate a neighborhood electric vehicle that (i) does not conform to the requirements of Section 11-1426.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, codified at 625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1, as amended, for safety equipment and lighting; and (ii) does not have doors in place. When operated on a street or roadway, a neighborhood electric vehicle shall have its headlights and tail lamps lighted as required by Section 12-201 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, codified at 625 ILCS 5/12-201, as amended, and its doors closed.
(d) Drivers of neighborhood electric vehicles must be licensed to drive motor vehicles.
(e) If the Illinois Secretary of State issues registration plates for neighborhood electric vehicles, it shall be unlawful to operate or park on any public way a neighborhood electric vehicle that is not fitted with front and rear registration plates. The city clerk is authorized to issue a wheel tax license emblem for neighborhood electric vehicles in essentially the same form as the emblem issued to motor bicycles, motor tricycles, motor scooters or mopeds. Neighborhood electric vehicles must display wheel tax license emblems. Until such time as the Illinois Secretary of State issues registration plates for such vehicles, (i) the city is authorized to enforce any law applicable to neighborhood electric vehicles by using a vehicle identification number in lieu of a registration plate number; and (ii) for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this Code applicable to neighborhood electric vehicles, including Sections 3-56-145, 4-232-080, 4-236-060, 9-56-020, 9-56-030, 9-64-220, 9-100-030, 9-100-050, 9-100-060 and 9-100-120, the terms "registration plate number", "license plate number", "license plate" or "state registration number" shall instead be read to mean "vehicle identification number".
(f) Except as otherwise provided in this section, neighborhood electric vehicles shall be subject to all of the requirements of this Code applicable to motor vehicles of the first division. Neighborhood electric vehicles shall be operated in accordance with the rules of the road applicable to other motor vehicles. No person shall operate a neighborhood electric vehicle on a sidewalk, on foot paths or on any other surface where motor vehicle operation is otherwise prohibited. It shall be unlawful to operate or to cause to be operated a neighborhood electric vehicle on the public ways of the city unless such vehicle is covered by a liability insurance policy as required by Section 7-601 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, codified at 625 ILCS 5/7-601, as amended.
(g) The department of police shall have the authority to impound a neighborhood electric vehicle for such violations of this Code which specify vehicle impoundment as a consequence of such violation. Before or at the time a neighborhood electric vehicle is impounded, the City shall notify any person identifying himself as the owner of the neighborhood electric vehicle at the time of the alleged violation or any person who is found to be in control of the neighborhood electric vehicle at the time of the alleged violation, if there is such person, of the fact of the impoundment and the neighborhood electric vehicle owner's right to request a preliminary hearing to be conducted under Section 2-14-132 of this Code by serving such person with a copy of the vehicle impoundment seizure report. Section 2-14-132 shall apply whenever a neighborhood electric vehicle is impounded pursuant to this section.
(h) The commissioner may designate portions of streets to be unsuitable for neighborhood electric vehicle operation and may prohibit such operation if, after considering the volume, speed and character of traffic on the street, the commissioner determines that public safety will be jeopardized by the operation of neighborhood electric vehicles on that street or portion thereof.
(i) It shall be unlawful to operate or cause to be operated any neighborhood electric vehicle on the public ways of the city, unless signs or decals permanently and conspicuously affixed to the rear of the vehicle and the dashboard of the vehicle stating "This Vehicle May Not Be Operated on Streets With Speed Limits in Excess of 30 m.p.h." The lettering of the sign or decal on the dashboard shall not be less than one-half inch in height. The sign on the rear window shall face the outside of the vehicle, and the lettering of the sign shall be in prominent type, not less than two inches in height, clearly visible to and readable by the public, and in a color that contrasts with the background color of the sign. No such sign shall be affixed more than 6 inches down from the top of the rear window.
(j) Any person who sells neighborhood electric vehicles in the city shall post the following durable sign in a conspicuous place near all vehicle-accessible exits from the premises where such vehicles are sold:
Neighborhood Electric Vehicles Shall Not Be Operated On Streets Subject To A Speed Limit Of More Than 30 Miles Per Hour
The lettering of the sign shall be in prominent type, not less than two inches in height, clearly visible to and readable by the public, and in a color that contrasts with the background color of the sign.
(l) The commissioner is authorized to adopt such rules and regulations as he may deem appropriate for the proper administration and enforcement of the provisions of this section.
(Added Coun. J. 2-11-09, p. 55024, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 7-22-20, p. 18957, § 6)