[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 50, Volume 5]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 50CFR27.31]

[Page 159-160]
 
                    TITLE 50--WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES
 
 CHAPTER I--UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE 
                          INTERIOR--(Continued)
 
PART 27_PROHIBITED ACTS--Table of Contents
 
             Subpart C_Disturbing Violations: With Vehicles
 
Sec. 27.31  General provisions regarding vehicles.


    Travel in or use of any motorized or other vehicles, including those 
used on air, water, ice, snow, is prohibited on national wildlife 
refuges except on designated routes of travel, as indicated by the 
appropriate traffic control signs or signals and in designated areas 
posted or delineated on maps by the refuge manager and subject to the 
following requirements and limitations:
    (a) Unless specifically covered by the general and special 
regulations set forth in this chapter, the laws and regulations of the 
State within whose exterior boundaries a national wildlife refuge or 
portion thereof is located shall govern traffic and the operation and 
use of vehicles. Such State laws and regulations which are now or may 
hereafter be in effect are hereby adopted and made a part of the 
regulations in this part.
    (b) No operator of a vehicle shall be under the influence of 
intoxicating beverages or controlled substances.
    (c) Driving or operating any vehicle carelessly or heedlessly, or in 
willful or wanton disregard for the rights or safety of other persons, 
or without due care or at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent 
under prevailing conditions, having regard to traffic, weather, 
wildlife, road, and light conditions, and surface, width, and character 
of the travel way is prohibited. Every operator shall maintain such 
control of the vehicle as may be necessary to avoid danger to persons or 
property or wildlife.
    (d) The vehicle speed limit shall not exceed 25 m.p.h. except as 
otherwise legally posted.
    (e)(1) Every motor vehicle shall at all time be equipped with a 
muffler in good working order, and which cannot be removed or otherwise 
altered while the vehicle is being operated on a national wildlife 
refuge. To prevent excessive or unusual noise no person shall use a 
muffler cut-out, bypass, or similar device upon a motor vehicle. A

[[Page 160]]

vehicle that produces unusual or excessive noise or visible pollutants 
is prohibited.
    (2) A refuge manager, by posting of appropriate signs or by marking 
on a map which shall be available at the refuge headquarters, may 
require that any motor vehicle operating in the designated area shall be 
equipped with a spark arrestor that meets Standard 5100-1a of the U.S. 
Forest Service, Department of Agriculture which standard includes the 
requirements that such spark arrestor shall have an efficiency to retain 
or destroy at least 80 percent of carbon particles, for all flow rates, 
and that such spark arrestor has been warranted by its manufacturer as 
meeting the above mentioned efficiency requirement for at least 1,000 
hours, subject to normal use, with maintenance and mounting in 
accordance with the manufacturers recommendations.
    (f) The operation of a vehicle which does not bear valid license 
plates and is not properly certified, registered, or inspected in 
accordance with applicable State laws is prohibited.
    (g) Driving or permitting another person to drive a vehicle without 
valid license is prohibited. A valid driver's or operator's license must 
be displayed upon the request of any authorized official.
    (h) Stopping, parking or leaving any vehicle, whether attended or 
unattended, upon any road, trail, or fire lane so as to obstruct the 
free movement of other vehicles is prohibited, except in the event of 
accident or other conditions beyond the immediate control of the 
operator, or as otherwise directed by an authorized official.
    (i) All persons shall obey the lawful order or signal of any 
authorized official directing, controlling, or regulating the movement 
of traffic.
    (j) Load, weight and width limitations, as may be necessary, shall 
be prescribed and the public advised under provisions of Sec. 25.31. 
Such limitations must be complied with by the operators of all vehicles.
    (k) A motor vehicle involved in an accident is not to be moved until 
an authorized official arrives at the scene of the accident, unless such 
vehicle constitutes a traffic or safety hazard.
    (l) A motor vehicle shall not be operated at anytime without proper 
brakes and brake lights, or from sunset to sunrise without working 
headlights and taillights which comply with the regulations for 
operation on the roads of the State within whose boundaries the refuge 
is located.
    (m) Such other requirements which are established under the 
provisions of this subchapter C.