(1) Vehicles used for the behind-the-wheel driving phase of traffic
education may be procured through a loan, lease, or purchase arrangement. Regardless of the method, it is essential
that a sufficient number of vehicles be available for instructional use.
(2) Each
traffic education vehicle must be equipped, maintained, repaired, identified,
insured, stored, and used according to the following:
(a) Required
equipment:
(i) dual-control
brake capable of bringing the vehicle to a complete emergency stop;
(ii) all
current federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) ;
(iii) two exterior mirrors and a teacher's rearview
mirror;
(iv) first
aid kit with contents appropriate for possible minor injuries sustained during
instruction;
(v) flares
or reflector warning devices;
(vi) periodically
inspected and operable fire extinguisher located in the passenger compartment;
(vii) accident
report forms; and
(viii) operable
safety belts for each occupant. All
occupants shall utilize a safety belt at any time the vehicle is in motion.
(b) Recommended
equipment:
(i) power
steering and power brakes;
(ii) split
or bucket type front seat;
(iii) four-door
sedan;
(iv) air
conditioning;
(v) tow
cable;
(vi) shovel,
ax and bucket;
(vii) flashlight;
(viii) rear
window defogger; and
(ix) ignition
cut-off switch.
(c) The
vehicles assigned for use in the traffic education program shall be kept in a
safe operating condition. Maintenance
and repair practices shall be in conformance with manufacturer's
recommendations and with the policy established by the school district and
participating dealer. Vehicles shall be
given a periodic safety inspection by a knowledgeable person. The periodic inspection shall be conducted a
minimum of once a year and prior to the annual commencement of behind-the-wheel
instruction. The district shall
maintain and make available for review by the office of public instruction, or
its designee, a record of the safety inspections, which include:
(i) the
date of the inspection;
(ii) items
inspected;
(iii) condition
of items inspected; and
(iv) repairs
made.
(d) All
vehicles used in the traffic education program are to be identified by either
an overhead sign, a rear sign, or both.
When the rear sign is used, it must not be so large as to obstruct a
driver's rear vision. Decals provided
by the dealers are used only in conjunction with one or both types of signs.
(e) Vehicles
provided by dealers on a loan basis shall be used for traffic education
purposes only unless the dealer(s) gives written authorization to use the
vehicle(s) for other purposes.
(f) "Exempt"
license plates shall be obtained for a traffic education vehicle owned by, or
provided to the district by a dealer.
"Dealer" license plates are not to be used on these vehicles. Responsibility for securing exempt license
plates rests with the school district.
The school must obtain the appropriate application from the county
treasurer. In the space provided for
registered owner, type the name and telephone number of the school district and
the name of the dealer providing the vehicle.
(g) Each
practice-driving vehicle (including motorcycles) must be covered by an amount
of insurance that meets or exceeds minimum requirements of local and state
financial responsibility statutes.
(h) A common method for procuring practice driving
vehicles is a school/dealer use agreement between the school or school district
and a cooperative automobile dealer or dealer group. Each school district must use the form entitled "School/Dealer
Vehicle Use Agreement" (form TE02) or its equivalent. This agreement form is self-explanatory and
can be obtained by writing to Traffic Education Programs, Office of Public
Instruction, P.O. Box 202501, Helena, MT 59620-2501.
(i) If several dealers
express a desire to provide practice-driving vehicles on a loan basis, the
school district should either accept an equal number of vehicles from each
dealer or should apply an annual rotation plan worked out with the dealer group
or the local vehicle dealers association.
(j) Vehicles assigned for
use in the traffic education program must be readily available for this use.
Use of vehicles for other purposes must not conflict with the traffic education
instructional program. If a traffic education vehicle is being used for
purposes other than driving instruction, all identification as a traffic
education vehicle must be removed.