1522                             Laws of Maryland                       Ch. 534

§ 12-404-1. Display of emblems and signs.

It shall be unlawful for any person to display upon a motor vehicle
the insignia or emblem of any motor vehicle club or similar organiza-
tion, or of a fire company, unless he shall be entitled to use the same
under the constitution, by-laws, rules, or regulations of the club or
organization, or to display any sign which in the judgment of the
department may tend to create a hazard to safety.

§ 12-404.2. Display of State Seal on vehicle.

It shall be unlawful for any person to display in any manner upon
a motor vehicle the great seal or emblem of the State of Maryland, or
any facsimile thereof, in any form, unless the person is the Governor,
the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the Treasurer, the
Secretary of State, the head of a State department, or an elected
official.

§ 12-405. Tires.

(a)    It shall be unlawful to operate a motor vehicle or trailer
upon the public highways unless the motor vehicle or trailer is
equipped with tires in safe operating condition in accordance with
requirements approved by the commissioner.

(b)    The commissioner shall promulgate rules of safe operating
conditions capable of being employed by a law enforcement officer
for visual inspection of tires maintained on vehicles including visual
comparisons with simple measuring devices. The requirements shall
encompass effects on tread wear and depth of tread.

(c)    Any law enforcement officer, at any time, upon reasonable
cause to believe that a vehicle is unsafe or equipped with tires in
violation of the provisions of this section, may require the operator

of the vehicle to stop and submit the vehicle tire to an inspection. If
the inspection discloses the vehicle to be in violation, the officer may
issue a summons for the violation.

§ 12-405.1. Sale of regrooved tires.

No person shall sell, or offer for sale or have in his possession with
intent to sell, any motor vehicle tire, or motorcycle tire which has
had its tread regrooved without the fact being plainly shown by a
marking or label in the English language on the shoulder sidewall of
the tire. Violation of this section shall be deemed a misdemeanor.

§ 12-405.2. Metal and other nonrubber material in contact with
road surface.

(a)    No person shall operate or move on any highway any motor
vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer having any metal tire in contact with
the roadway.

(b)    Except as permitted by the commissioner no tire on a vehicle
moved on a highway shall have on its periphery any block, stud,
flange, cleat, or spike or any other protuberance of any material
other than rubber which projects beyond the tread of the traction
surface of the tire, except that (1) it shall be permissible to use farm
machinery with tires having protuberances which will not injure the
highway, and (2) it shall be permissible to use tire chains of reason-