Wis. Stat. § 346.49 — WI Code / Chapter 346 / Section 346.49
Penalty for violating ss. 346.44 to 346.485.
Status: in_force

(1)

(a) Except as provided in par. (b) or (c) or sub. (5) , any person violating s. 346.46 (1) , (2m) or (4) or 346.47 may be required to forfeit not less than $20 nor more than $40 for the first offense and not less than $50 nor more than $100 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within a year.

(b) Any operator of a bicycle, electric scooter, or electric personal assistive mobility device violating s. 346.46 (1) , (2m) or (4) may be required to forfeit not more than $20.

(c)

1. Except as provided in subd. 2. , if an operator of a vehicle violates s. 346.46 (1) where persons engaged in work in a highway maintenance or construction area, railroad maintenance or construction area, utility work area, or emergency or roadside response area are at risk from traffic, any applicable minimum and maximum forfeiture specified in par. (a) for the violation shall be doubled.

2. If an operator of a vehicle violates s. 346.46 (1) where persons engaged in work in a highway maintenance or construction area, railroad maintenance or construction area, utility work area, or emergency or roadside response area are at risk from traffic and the violation results in bodily harm, as defined in s. 939.22 (4) , to another, the operator may be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than 9 months, or both. In addition to the penalties specified under this subdivision, a court may also order a person convicted under this subdivision to perform not fewer than 100 nor more than 200 hours of community service work and attend traffic safety school, as provided under s. 345.60 .

(1g)

(a) Unless otherwise provided in par. (b) , any person violating s. 346.46 (3) shall forfeit not less than $40 nor more than $80 for the first offense and not less than $100 nor more than $200 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within a year.

(b) Any operator of a bicycle, electric scooter, or electric personal assistive mobility device violating s. 346.46 (3) shall forfeit not more than $40.

(1m) A vehicle owner or other person found liable under s. 346.465 may be required to forfeit not less than $20 nor more than $40 for the first offense and not less than $50 nor more than $100 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within a year. Imposition of liability under s. 346.465 shall not result in suspension or revocation of a person’s operating license under s. 343.30 , nor shall it result in demerit points being recorded on a person’s driving record under s. 343.32 (2) (a) .

(2) Any person violating s. 346.455 may be required to forfeit not less than $30 nor more than $300.

(2g) Any person violating s. 346.48 may be required to forfeit not less than $500 nor more than $1,000.

(2m)

(a) Unless otherwise provided in par. (b) , any person violating s. 346.44 may be required to forfeit not more than $1,000 for the first offense and not more than $3,000 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within 3 years.

(am) Any person violating s. 346.45 shall forfeit not less than $60 nor more than $600 for the first offense and not less than $180 nor more than $1,800 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within 3 years.

(b) Any operator of a bicycle, electric scooter, or electric personal assistive mobility device violating s. 346.44 may be required to forfeit not less than $100 nor more than $250 for the first offense and not less than $225 nor more than $750 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within 3 years.

(c) Any person violating s. 346.445 may be required to forfeit not less than $100 nor more than $250 for the first offense and not less than $225 nor more than $750 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within 3 years.

(2r)

(a) A vehicle owner or other person found liable under s. 346.452 with respect to a violation of s. 346.44 may be required to forfeit not more than $1,000 for the first offense and not more than $3,000 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within 3 years, except that, if the vehicle involved in the violation was a bicycle, the bicycle owner or other person may be required to forfeit not less than $100 nor more than $250 for the first offense and not less than $225 nor more than $750 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within 3 years.

(b) A vehicle owner or other person found liable under s. 346.452 with respect to a violation of s. 346.45 shall forfeit not less than $60 nor more than $600 for the first conviction and not less than $180 nor more than $1,800 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within 3 years.

(c) Imposition of liability under s. 346.452 shall not result in suspension or revocation of a person’s operating license under s. 343.30 or 343.31 , nor shall it result in demerit points being recorded on a person’s driving record under s. 343.32 (2) (a) .

(3) A vehicle owner or other person found liable under s. 346.485 or 346.457 may be required to forfeit not less than $30 nor more than $300. Imposition of liability under s. 346.485 or 346.457 shall not result in suspension or revocation of a person’s operating license under s. 343.30 , nor shall it result in demerit points being recorded on a person’s driving record under s. 343.32 (2) (a) .

(4) Any person violating s. 346.475 may be required to forfeit not less than $50 nor more than $200.

(5)

(a) Except as provided in sub. (1) (c) 2. , if a person violates s. 346.46 (1) or (4) (a) or 346.47 (1) or (2) and the violation results in great bodily harm, as defined in s. 939.22 (14) , to another, the person shall forfeit $500.

(b) Except as provided in sub. (1) (c) 2. , if a person violates s. 346.46 (1) or (4) (a) or 346.47 (1) or (2) and the violation results in death to another, the person shall forfeit $1,000.

History: 1971 c. 278 ; 1973 c. 182 ; 1981 c. 168 ; 1983 a. 27 , 175 ; 1985 a. 186 ; 1993 a. 198 ; 1995 a. 424 ; 1997 a. 135 , 237 , 277 ; 2001 a. 90 ; 2003 a. 209 ; 2013 a. 219 ; 2017 a. 105 ; 2019 a. 11 ; 2021 a. 115 ; 2023 a. 154 , 159 .