Wis. Admin. Code Trans § Trans 305.05

Current through December 30, 2024

Section Trans 305.05 - Definitions

Words and phrases defined in chs. 340 and 341, Stats., are used in the same sense in this chapter unless a different definition is specified. In this chapter:

(1) "Adverse weather lamp" has the meaning provided in s. 340.01(1m), Stats.

(2) "Air pollution control equipment" has the meaning provided in s. 285.30(6), Stats.

(3) "Auxiliary lamp" means any lamp mounted on a vehicle with a bulb having wattage in excess of 10 watts and which is not required equipment under ch. 347, Stats., or this chapter, except a spot lamp. Auxiliary lamps may include adverse weather lamps, fog lamps, driving lamps and off-road lamps.

(4) "Back-up lamp" means any lamp designed to provide road illumination to the rear of a vehicle when the vehicle is in reverse gear.

(5) "Braking system" means the components required to stop a motor vehicle including the braking pedal, master cylinder, connecting hoses, lines, fluids, linkage, drums, shoes, rotors, pads, calipers and parking brake.

(6) "Bumper" means a device mounted at the front or rear of a vehicle for absorbing shock and providing a contact point that may reduce damage to the vehicle in a collision.

(7) "Designated seating position" has the meaning provided in 49 CFR 571.3.

(7m) "Door handle" means a device including a knob, latch release or lever that is used to open or close, or both, a door either from the interior or exterior of a vehicle.

(8) "Driver's compartment" means the interior part of the vehicle designed for use by the vehicle operator while controlling the movement of the vehicle.

(9) "Driving lamp" means an auxiliary lamp which projects a fixed narrow beam of light intended to illuminate objects beyond the normal distance illuminated by headlamps.

(10) "Exhaust system" means all components used on a motor vehicle for discharging exhaust fumes including mufflers.

(11) "Federal clean air act" has the meaning provided in s. 285.30(1) (a), Stats.

(12) "Fender" means a guard or covering over the wheels of a vehicle to prevent the splashing of water, mud or other materials which may be thrown by the wheels.

(13) "Firewall" means that portion of the vehicle separating the passenger compartment from the engine compartment.

(14) "Floor pan" means that portion of a vehicle separating the passenger and trunk compartments from the road beneath a vehicle.

(15) "Fog lamp" means an auxiliary lamp using a fluted lens which projects a wide-angle beam of light intended to illuminate objects 400 to 700 feet in front of a vehicle. This lamp is also referred to as an adverse weather lamp.

(16) "Frame" means the structure which supports the body, drive train, steering mechanism and axles of the vehicle. The frame includes the structural components of unibodies and may include chassis components if they are an integral part of the structural integrity of the vehicle.

(17) "Fuel system" includes the fuel tank, cap, filler pipe, pump, carburetor, injector systems and all accompanying components.

(18) "Hazard warning lamps" means lamps that flash simultaneously to the front and rear on both the right and left sides of a motor vehicle to warn motorists of a hazard.

(19) "Heavy truck" means a motor truck, truck tractor, or road tractor with a gross vehicle weight rating or actual gross weight of more than 10,000 pounds. The term also includes any combination vehicle where one of the vehicles in the combination is a motor truck, truck tractor or road tractor and the gross combination weight rating or actual weight of the combination exceeds 10,000 pounds.

(20) "High-mounted stop lamp" means an additional lamp of a stop lamp system giving a brake-actuated, steady warning light to the rear of the vehicle intended to provide a signal to both the operator of the next following vehicle and through intervening vehicles to the operators of the other following vehicles.

(21) "Homemade vehicle" has the meaning provided in s. 341.268(1) (b), Stats.

(22) "Horn" means a warning device, mounted on a motor vehicle, which produces audible sound.

(23) "Immediate family member" means a spouse, child, stepchild, foster child or other dependent if the spouse, child, stepchild, foster child or other dependent resides in the household of the owner of a motor vehicle.

(24) "Lash" means the condition in which the steering wheel may be turned through some part of a revolution without associated movement of the wheel or wheels that turn the vehicle.

(25) "Light truck" means a motor truck, truck tractor, road tractor or combination vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating or actual gross weight of 10,000 pounds or less.

(26) "Manufactured" means produced by a manufacturer of vehicles as defined in s. 340.01(28), Stats.

(27) "Nontransparent materials" means all materials, including those that may be sprayed or painted, on motor vehicle glazing, which reduce the amount of visible light passing through the motor vehicle glazing material or otherwise restrict or distort the clear view of any object or person. The term does not include tinted films applied to the interior or exterior surface of motor vehicle glazing material.

(28) "Parking lamps" means 2 lamps mounted on the front of a motor vehicle, one on each side, designed to mark the front of the vehicle when parked.

(29) "Reconstructed vehicle" has the meaning provided in s. 341.268(1) (d), Stats.

(30) "Registration plate lamp" means a lamp designed to illuminate the rear registration plate of a vehicle.

(31) "Replica vehicle" has the meaning provided in s. 341.268(1) (e), Stats.

(32) "Restraining device" means any device designed to secure persons in the seat of a motor vehicle, including safety belts and airbags, in order to mitigate the results of any accident.

(33) "Safety belt" has the meaning provided in s. Trans 310.02(3).

(34) "Shock absorbing device" means an energy dissipating device on a vehicle which increases vehicle stability and improves steering, handling and ride performance. It includes shock absorbers and struts.

(35) "Side marker lamps" means lamps used on each side of a vehicle to indicate its length and to make the vehicle visible when approaching from the side.

(36) "Semitrailer" and "trailer" have the meaning provided in s. 340.01(57) and (71), Stats., except that for purposes of this chapter, the terms include mobile homes.

(37) "SAE" means the society of automotive engineers.

(38) "Steering wheel" means a circular device mounted on the steering shaft in the driver's compartment of a motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, for use by the driver to maneuver the steering system of a motor vehicle.

(39) "Street modified vehicle" has the meaning provided in s. 341.268(1) (f), Stats.

(40) "Suspension system" means that portion of a vehicle between the frame and the axles including, but not limited to, springs, torsion bars, shackles, shock absorbers, cross stabilization bars, anti-sway bars, and all attachment parts.

(41) "Tire and rim" means the rubber tire and its mounting surface on which the vehicle is suspended. The component parts are defined as follows:

(a) "Bead" means the part of the tire which is shaped to fit the rim, made of high-tensile steel wire wrapped and reinforced by the plies.

(b) "Belt" means the layer or layers made of fabric or other material located under the tread area.

(c) "Cord" means the textile or steel wire strands, or the like, forming the plies or other structure of the tire.

(d) "Groove" means the space between 2 tread ribs.

(e) "Major tire groove" means the circular grooves where the wear indicator bars are located.

(f) "Ply" means the layer of rubber-coated parallel strands or cords forming the tire body.

(g) "Rib" means the tread section running around the circumference of the tire.

(h) "Rim" means the metal support for tire and tube assembly. Tire beads are seated on the rim.

(i) "Sidewall" means the portion of the tire between tread and bead.

(j) "Tread" means the portion of the tire that comes in contact with the road.

(42) "Windshield" means the transparent shield of safety glass mounted forward of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle other than a motor driven cycle.

(43) "Windshield critical area" means that portion of a motor vehicle windshield normally used by the driver for necessary observations to the front of the vehicle. This includes the areas normally swept by a factory installed windshield wiper system.

Wis. Admin. Code Department of Transportation Trans 305.05

Cr. Register, February, 1996, No. 482, eff. 3-1-96; am. (19), r. (24) and (25), renum. (26) to (36m) to be (24) to (36) and am. (25), Register, October, 1997, No. 502, eff. 11-1-97; corrections in (2) and (11) made under s. 13.93(2m) (b) 7, Stats., Register, April, 1999, No. 520, eff. 5-1-99; CR 01-120: Cr. (7m) Register May 2002 No. 557, eff. 6-1-02.