Section 305.18. Bumpers.

 

(1)  

(a) Every motor vehicle manufactured after September 1, 1972, and required by federal law to be equipped with bumpers or crash resistance protection, or both, shall be equipped with bumpers which shall be maintained in good condition and in conformity with this section. Replacement equipment shall be the same type as originally required or of equivalent size, strength and surface area. The bumpers may be mounted externally on the vehicle or installed within the front and rear extremes of the vehicle.

(b) Every homemade or reconstructed motor vehicle registered after January 1, 1975, shall be equipped with front and rear bumpers which provide damage protection that is equivalent to that provided by the bumpers of vehicles manufactured for sale in the year the homemade or reconstructed vehicle is first registered. Such bumpers may be mounted externally on the vehicle or installed within the front and rear extremes of the vehicle. Homemade and reconstructed vehicles registered in Wisconsin prior to March 1, 1996 may comply with either this section or the previous rules governing homemade vehicles.

(c) Light trucks manufactured on or after January 1, 1997 are required to have rear end protection in accordance with s. Trans 305.56 . Light trucks operated under s. 341.47 (1) , Stats., are exempt from the requirements of this paragraph.

(2)  

(a) All required bumpers shall be securely mounted to the vehicle and at a height that does not vary from the manufacturer's specifications by more than is permitted under s. 347.455 , Stats. In the absence of manufacturer's specifications, every required bumper shall provide a contact point no higher than 30 inches from the level surface on which the vehicle stands.

(b) No required bumper may be constructed of wood except that an additional wood bumper may be added to a legal metal bumper.

(c) No bumper may be damaged or distorted so that it projects away from the vehicle in a manner which creates a hazard.

History: Cr. Register, February, 1996, No. 482 , eff. 3-1-96; am. (1) (a), Register, October, 1997, No. 502 , eff. 11-1-97.