New Hampshire Revised Statutes 266:63 – Trailer Breakaway Safety Chains
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Every trailer or semi-trailer including farm and agricultural vehicles shall have, in addition to the tow-bar or coupling device, a safety chain or cable to prevent breakaway from the towing vehicle. Each chain or cable shall have an ultimate strength at least equal to the gross weight of the trailer and load being towed. Chains or cables shall be connected to the towed and towing vehicle to prevent the tow-bar from dropping to the ground in the event the tow-bar fails. This provision shall not apply to:
I. Truck-tractor and semi-trailer units equipped with fifth wheel mechanisms;
II. Full trailers being driven as part of a truck-tractor, semi-trailer, or full trailer unit when the full trailer is attached to the semi-trailer by means of a converter dolly or fifth wheel mechanism;
III. Trailers being towed by motorcycles; or
IV. Farm implements towed behind farm tractors, if the hitch pin used to connect such implement to the tractor has an ultimate strength at least equal to the gross weight of the implement and is fitted with a safety clip or lock mechanism to prevent dislodging of the pin by vibration or shock in conformance to standards of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers.
I. Truck-tractor and semi-trailer units equipped with fifth wheel mechanisms;
Terms Used In New Hampshire Revised Statutes 266:63
- farm: means any land, buildings, or structures on or in which agriculture and farming activities are carried out or conducted and shall include the residence or residences of owners, occupants, or employees located on such land. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 259:32
- Full trailer: shall mean any trailer being towed behind a semi-trailer as part of a combination vehicle also known as twin-trailers or "double bottoms. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 259:37-a
- Semi-trailer: shall mean a vehicle of the trailer type so designed and used in conjunction with a self-propelled vehicle that a considerable part of its own weight or that of its load rests upon and is carried by the towing vehicle, and not including a pair or set of wheels commonly used as an implement for other purposes than transportation, provided, however, that the word "semi-trailer" shall not include any vehicle as described in this section if used exclusively for agricultural purposes unless said vehicle be of the type constructed specifically to be towed by a tractor-type truck. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 259:98
- Tractor: shall mean : any self-propelled vehicle designed or used for agricultural purposes or as a traveling power plant or for drawing other vehicles, but having no provision for carrying a load other than attached implements such as snowplows, tool boxes, or bucket loaders, but shall not include vehicles used for recreational purposes or agricultural/industrial utility vehicles as defined in N. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 259:108
- Trailer: shall mean any vehicle without motive power designed for carrying property or passengers wholly on its own structure and for being drawn by a self-propelled vehicle, except those running exclusively on snow or on stationary tracks and vehicles used exclusively for agricultural purposes. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 259:113
- Truck-tractor: shall mean any vehicle designed and intended primarily for drawing other vehicles and not so constructed as to carry a load other than a part of the vehicle and load so drawn, except that a truck-tractor engaged in the transportation of automobiles may transport motor vehicles on a part of the power unit. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 259:116
- Vehicle: shall mean :
I. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 259:122
II. Full trailers being driven as part of a truck-tractor, semi-trailer, or full trailer unit when the full trailer is attached to the semi-trailer by means of a converter dolly or fifth wheel mechanism;
III. Trailers being towed by motorcycles; or
IV. Farm implements towed behind farm tractors, if the hitch pin used to connect such implement to the tractor has an ultimate strength at least equal to the gross weight of the implement and is fitted with a safety clip or lock mechanism to prevent dislodging of the pin by vibration or shock in conformance to standards of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers.