(a) The board of county commissioners are authorized to regulate the weight and speed of trucks, tractors, machines and road engines or other vehicles of any kind passing over any bridges or culverts included in the county roads system, by posting and maintaining conspicuously, at both ends of the bridges or culverts, signboards with lettering not less than three (3) inches in height, setting forth the weight and speed allowed. The county commissioners, with respect to any roads included in the county road system, may by resolution impose regulations as to the weight of vehicles to be operated upon any roads for a period not to exceed six (6) months, whenever any such road, by reason of deterioration, rain, snow or other condition, will be seriously damaged or destroyed unless the permissible weights are reduced. Additional six (6) month periods may be imposed by a like resolution.
(b) The board of county commissioners, upon enacting any such resolution, shall erect or cause to be erected, posted and maintained, at each end of that portion of any road affected thereby, signboards with lettering not less than three (3) inches in height, setting forth the weight limits allowed. The resolution shall not be effective unless and until such signboards are erected and posted.
(c) Any person, whether the owner, the person in charge of such vehicles or an employee or agent of such person, who shall draw, drive, propel or in any other manner take or cause to be taken, drawn, driven or propelled over any such bridge, culvert or road any of the aforementioned vehicles weighing more than the maximum weight allowed upon the posted sign without a written permit from the county commissioners shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each such offense. In addition to such penalty, the owner or person in control of such vehicle shall be liable to the county commissioners for all damage which may be caused by the violation of any such regulation.
(Code 1955, Chapter 346, § 1; Code 1959, § 13-5)