Maine Revised Statutes
Subchapter 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS
29-A §1902. Brakes

§1902. Brakes
1. General rule. A motor vehicle must have adequate brakes in good working order that are sufficient to control the vehicle.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
2. Specific standards. Brakes must be adjusted so as to stop:
A. A 2-wheel brake vehicle, within a distance of 45 feet, from a speed of 20 miles per hour; [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
B. A 4-wheel brake vehicle, within 30 feet, from a speed of 20 miles per hour; or [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
C. A motorcycle, within 30 feet, from a speed of 20 miles per hour. [PL 2005, c. 577, §22 (AMD).]
[PL 2005, c. 577, §22 (AMD).]
3. Parking brakes. A vehicle, except a 2-wheel motorcycle, must be equipped with parking brakes adequate to hold the vehicle on any grade on which it is operated, under all conditions of loading, on a surface free from snow, ice or loose material. Parking brakes:
A. Must be capable of being applied by the driver's muscular effort, spring action or equivalent means; [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
B. May be operated with assistance of the service brakes or other source of power, provided that failure of the service brake actuation system or other power assisting mechanism does not prevent the parking brakes from being applied; [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
C. Must be designed so that, once applied, they remain applied with the required effectiveness despite leakage or exhaustion of any source of energy; [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
D. May share the same brake drums, brake shoes and lining assemblies, brake shoe anchors and mechanical brake shoe actuation mechanisms associated with the wheel brake assemblies used for service brakes; and [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
E. If the means of applying the parking and service brakes are connected, must be constructed so that failure of one part does not leave the vehicle without operative brakes. [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
[PL 2005, c. 577, §23 (AMD).]
4. Trucks; specific requirements. Special mobile equipment or a truck, truck tractor, tiny home, trailer or semitrailer must be equipped with adequate brakes acting on all wheels of all axles, except that the following need not meet this requirement:
A. A trailer or semitrailer not exceeding a gross weight of 3,000 pounds; [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
B. A vehicle towed by use of a wrecker; [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
C. A vehicle meeting braking requirements of the motor carrier safety regulations of the United States Department of Transportation; [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
D. A semitrailer with a gross weight of semitrailer and load not to exceed 12,000 pounds, designed and used exclusively:
(1) For the dispensing of cable from attached reels, commonly called a reel trailer; or
(2) To support the end of poles while being transported, commonly called a pole dolly; and [PL 1999, c. 183, §5 (AMD).]
F. A dolly axle, so-called, on a farm truck transporting agricultural products and supplies.
A dolly axle may not be considered in determining the gross weight or axle limits permitted on the vehicle.
A 2-axle or 3-axle farm truck equipped with a dolly axle is considered a 2-axle or 3-axle vehicle. [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
[PL 2019, c. 650, §12 (AMD).]
5. Multiple axles. If equipped with 3 or more axles, a truck, tractor or truck tractor manufactured prior to August 1, 1980 need not have brakes on the front wheels; if the vehicle is equipped with 2 or more steerable axles, the wheels of one such axle need not have brakes.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
6. Rules. The Chief of the State Police may adopt rules governing the sufficiency and adjustment of brakes.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1993, c. 683, §A2 (NEW). PL 1993, c. 683, §B5 (AFF). PL 1999, c. 183, §5 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 577, §§22,23 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 650, §12 (AMD).