2023 Maine Revised Statutes › TITLE 29-A: MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC › Chapter 17: EQUIPMENT › Subchapter 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS › 29-A §1922. Advertisements on motor vehicles

§1922. Advertisements on motor vehicles
1.  Prohibition.
Except as provided in this section, an owner or operator may not operate on a public way a motor vehicle to which is affixed an illuminated advertisement.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
2.  Display rules.
For purposes of vehicle identification, in addition to the provisions of section 1951, a motor truck, truck tractor or semitrailer may display an illuminated sign in accordance with rules adopted by the Commissioner of Public Safety according to the Maine Administrative Procedure Act.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
3.  Standards.
Among other standards determined by the Commissioner of Public Safety to be necessary to protect the welfare and safety of the general public, an illuminated sign:
A. Must bear the name of the owner of the vehicle, the lessee of the vehicle or the person for which the operator is transporting property or goods; and   [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
B. May identify the cargo in transit.   [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
4.  Location of sign.
An illuminated sign may only be displayed as follows:
A. On truck tractors, on the wind deflector on the roof of the truck tractor;   [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
B. On a semitrailer, on the front portion of the semitrailer;   [PL 2021, c. 368, §1 (AMD).]
C. On a truck, on the front portion of the storage compartment above and behind the cab; and   [PL 2021, c. 368, §2 (AMD).]
D. On a delivery vehicle, on the roof of the vehicle as long as the only information on the illuminated sign is the name and telephone number of the company providing the delivery. The sign may be illuminated only when making a delivery, as determined by the Department of Public Safety by rule. The sign may not have words that scroll or change messages while the vehicle is in transit and a vehicle is limited to one sign. The sign must be securely fastened to the vehicle to prevent it from falling off the vehicle. For the purposes of this paragraph, "delivery vehicle" means a motor vehicle used to transport customers or property. Rules adopted pursuant to this paragraph are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.   [PL 2021, c. 368, §3 (NEW).]
[PL 2021, c. 368, §§1-3 (AMD).]
5.  Lights prohibited.
An illuminated sign may not be lighted by a flashing, blinking or neon light.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
6.  Form, size and light of sign.
An illuminated sign must be in a form, size and light so as not to distract or impair the vision of the operator of another motor vehicle.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
7.  Exception.
This section does not apply to the illuminated name and telephone number identification affixed to vehicles, including the illuminated name and telephone number identification affixed to the roof, for the conveyance of passengers.
[PL 2021, c. 368, §4 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1993, c. 683, §A2 (NEW). PL 1993, c. 683, §B5 (AFF). PL 2021, c. 368, §§1-4 (AMD).