Marvin Mandel, Governor                        1543

§ 14-107. Trailers and towed vehicles.

(a)    When one vehicle is towing another the towbar or other
connection shall be of sufficient strength to pull all weight towed
thereby and the towbar or other connection shall not exceed 15 feet
from one vehicle to the other except the connection between any two
vehicles transporting poles, pipe, machinery, or other objects of
structural nature which cannot be readily dismembered.

(b)    Every full trailer shall be equipped with a towbar and means
of attaching the towbar to the towing and towed units which shall
be structurally adequate for any weight drawn, properly and securely
mounted, without excessive slack but with sufficient play to allow for
universal action of the connection, and provided with a suitable
locking means to prevent accidental separation of the towed and
towing vehicles. The mounting of the trailer hitch (pintle-eye or
equivalent mechanism) of the towing motor vehicle shall include
sufficient reinforcement or bracing of the frame to provide sufficient
strength and rigidity to prevent undue distortion of the frame.

(c)    Every trailer and semitrailer which is equipped with a tow
bar shall be coupled with a safety chain or chains (stay chains or
cables) directly to the frame of the motor vehicle by which it is to
be towed. Attachment to the pintle hook will not meet this require-
ment. No more slack shall be left in safety chains or cables than
necessary to permit proper turning. Chains or cables shall be con-
nected to the towed and towing vehicle and to the towbar to prevent
the towbar from dropping to the ground if the towbar fails.

(d)    Coupling devices shall be so designed, constructed, and in-
stalled, and the vehicles in the combination shall be designed and
constructed to insure that any motor vehicle being towed on level,
smooth, paved surface will follow in the path of the towing vehicle
without shifting or swerving from side to side over 6 inches to each
side of the path of the towing vehicle when it is moving in a straight
line.

(e)    When one vehicle is towing another and the connection con-
sists of a chain, rope, or cable, there shall be displayed upon the con-
nection a white flag or cloth not less than 12 inches square.

§ 14-108. Load limits of axles.

No axle load shall exceed 22,400 pounds, and with respect to any
vehicle equipped with coupled axles (commonly known as tandem
axles) spaced 48 inches or more apart measured horizontally between
their centerlines, the combined load of the coupled axles shall not
exceed 40,000 pounds; and with respect to any vehicle equipped with
coupled axles spaced less than 48 inches apart measured horizontally
between their centerlines, the combined weight of the coupled axles
shall not exceed 36,000 pounds.

§ 14-109. Gross weight of vehicles and loads.

(a) No vehicle or combination of vehicles shall have a gross
weight in pounds, including the load, in excess of that derived from
the table below in which the distance in feet shall be measured hori-
zontally between the center lines of the first and the last axles of the
vehicles or combination of vehicles: