625 ILCS 5/12-710
2021 Illinois Compiled Statutes|Chapter 625 - VEHICLES|625 ILCS 5/ - Illinois Vehicle Code.|Chapter 12 - Equipment Of Vehicles

 (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-710)Sec. 12-710.     Rear fender splash guards.     It is unlawful for any person to operate any vehicle of the second  division, except a truck tractor, to which this Section is applicable upon  any highway of this State unless such vehicle is  equipped with rear fender splash guards of either the contour type or the  flap type which comply with the specifications provided in this Section for  the type of splash guards used on the vehicle, and which are so attached as  to prevent the splashing of mud or water upon the windshield of other motor  vehicles.(a) Specifications for contour type splash guards. When contour type  rear fender splash guards are used, they shall contour the wheel in such a  manner that the relationship of the inside surface of any such splash guard  to the tread surface of the tire or wheel shall be relatively parallel,  both laterally and across the wheel, at least throughout the top 90 degrees  of the rear 180 degrees of the wheel surface; provided however, on vehicles  which have a clearance of less than 5 inches between the top of the tire or  wheel and that part of the body of the vehicle directly above the tire or  wheel when the vehicle is loaded to maximum legal capacity, the curved  portion of the splash guard need only extend from a point directly behind  the center of the rear axle and to the rear of the wheel surface upwards to  within at least 2 inches of the bottom line of the body when the vehicle is  loaded to maximum legal capacity. There shall be a downward extension of  the curved surface which shall end not more than 12 inches from the ground  when the vehicle is loaded to maximum legal capacity. This downward  extension shall be part of the curved surface or attached directly to such  curved surface, but it need not contour the wheel. Such contour type splash  guards shall be wide enough to cover the full tread width of the tire or  tires being protected and shall be installed not more than 6 inches from  the tread surface of the tire or wheel when the vehicle is loaded to  maximum legal capacity. The splash guard shall have a lip or flange on its  outside edge to minimize side throw and splash. The lip or flange shall  extend toward the center of the wheel, and shall be perpendicular to and  extend not less than 2 inches below the inside or bottom surface line or  plane of the guard. Such contour type splash guards may be constructed of  either a rigid or flexible material, but shall be attached in such a manner  that, regardless of movement either by the splash guards or the vehicle,  the splash guards will retain their general parallel relationship to the  tread surface of the tire or wheel under all ordinary operating conditions.(b) Specifications for flap type splash guards. When flap type splash  guards are used, they shall be wide enough to cover the full tread width of  the tire or tires being protected; shall be so installed that they extend  from the underside of the vehicle in a vertical plane behind the rear  wheels to within 12 inches of the ground,  when the vehicle is loaded to  maximum legal capacity; shall be so constructed and attached so that when  the vehicle is in forward motion such splash guard will not deviate or move  backward from the vertical plane by an angle of more than 30 degrees  measured from the vertical plane and so that when the forward motion of the  vehicle causes such splash guard to deviate from the vertical plane, the  bottom of such flap type splash guard will not be more than 15 inches from  the ground, when the vehicle is loaded to maximum legal capacity. Such flap  type splash guard may be constructed of either a rigid or flexible  material.(c) Exemptions. This Section shall not apply to vehicles the  construction or design of which does not require such splash guards, nor to  vehicles in-transit and capable only of using temporary splash guards  prescribed by the Department, nor to pole trailers.    (Source: P.A. 89-117, eff. 7-7-95.)