(A) (1) No person shall operate upon a public street or highway any motor vehicle registered or required to be registered in this state if it has been modified by alteration of its bumper mounting on the frame more than four inches from the lower edge of the original manufactured bumper configuration for that vehicle. The bumper must be at least three inches in vertical width, centered on the center line of the motor vehicle, and not less than the width of the wheel track distance. The maximum distance between the vehicle body to the vehicle frame shall not exceed three inches. The distance from the vehicle body to the vehicle frame shall be measured from the vehicle body mount seat to the vehicle frame mount seat.
(2) No vehicle shall be modified to cause the vehicle body or chassis to come in contact with the ground, expose the fuel tank to damage from collision, or cause the wheels to come in contact with the body under normal operation.
(3) No part of the original suspension system shall be disconnected to defeat the safe operation of the suspension system. Front end suspension by the use of lift blocks is expressly prohibited. However, nothing contained in this section prevents the installation of heavy-duty equipment, including shock absorbers and overload springs. Nothing contained in this section prohibits the operation on a public street or highway of a motor vehicle with normal wear to the suspension system if such normal wear does not adversely affect the control of the vehicle.
(B) No person shall operate upon a public street or highway any motor vehicle registered in this state if it has been modified by alteration of its altitude from the ground to the extent that its bumpers, measured to any point on the lower edge of the main horizontal bumper bar, exclusive of any bumper guards, do not fall within the limits specified herein for its gross vehicle weight rating category. The front and rear bumper height of trucks whose gross vehicle weight rating is 10,000 pounds or less may be no less than six inches and no more than 31 inches. The provisions of this section do not apply to trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating in excess of 10,000 pounds. For the purpose of this section, the term GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATINGS means the manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight ratings established for that vehicle.
(C) In the absence of bumpers, and in cases where bumper heights have been lowered or modified more than four inches, height measurements under division (A) or (B) above shall be made to the bottom of the frame rail.
(D) This section does not apply to specially designed or modified motor vehicles when operated off the public streets or highways in races and similar events. Such motor vehicles may be lawfully towed on the highways of this state.
(E) No person shall operate upon a public street or highway any motor vehicle registered or required to be registered in this state if it has been modified by alteration as set out in the provisions of this section unless the tires on the altered motor vehicle meet specifications approved by the United States Department of Transportation. In addition, neither the motor vehicle nor the chassis shall come in contact with the tires under normal operation.
(F) Modified vehicles must have a special inspection sticker which must be inspected by July 31, 1990. The Municipal Police Department shall record on accident report forms whether a modified vehicle was involved in the accident.
(Ord. passed 5-11-2021) Penalty, see § 71.999
Statutory reference:
W. Va. Code 17C-15-48