Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 39, March 25, 2024
Subpart
1.
Safety standards.
A vehicle used for driver education instruction must comply
with federal and state motor vehicle safety standards for the model year of the
vehicle.
A. A vehicle must be
maintained in a safe operating condition.
B. The vehicle age limits specified in this
part do not relieve a program of its responsibility to ensure that a vehicle
used by the program is maintained in a safe operating condition.
C. An instructor shall report in writing to
the program and the commissioner a mechanical problem affecting the safe
operation of a vehicle.
D. The
program must correct the problem before again using the vehicle for driver
education instruction.
E. If a
vehicle used for driver education instruction is not maintained in a safe
operating condition, the commissioner shall prohibit the program from using the
vehicle for instruction until the unsafe condition has been
corrected.
F. The commissioner
shall suspend or revoke the license or certificate of approval of a program or
an instructor license, or both, if the commissioner determines that the unsafe
condition could foreseeably be the cause of serious personal injury or property
damage and that the program or instructor had notice, or should have had notice
through the ordinary discharge of duties, of the unsafe condition of the
vehicle.
Subp. 2.
Vehicle inspection.
A vehicle inspection form must be completed:
A. for all training vehicles after a
reportable accident;
B. annually
for any motorcycle or class D motor vehicle over six years of age;
and
C. annually for any class A, B,
or C vehicle over ten years of age. For class A, B, and C motor vehicles, the
commissioner shall accept a state patrol motor vehicle inspection
report.
Subp. 3.
Equipment required on vehicles.
A class A, B, C, or D vehicle used for driver education
instruction must have an outside rearview mirror on each side of the vehicle, a
separate inside rearview mirror for the instructor's use, and seat belts for
each occupant of the vehicle as required by state law. In addition:
A. a class D vehicle, other than one used on
a driving range, must have dual control brakes and, when applicable, a dual
control clutch pedal; and
B. a
class A vehicle must have a parabolic mirror not less than five inches in
diameter on each side of the motor vehicle.
Subp. 4.
Class A, B, or C motor vehicle
age limit.
A class A, B, or C motor vehicle may be used for more than
ten years from the date it was first put into service, only if:
A. the motor vehicle has been inspected
during the previous six months by a mechanic for a licensed truck dealer, or by
a person certified to inspect commercial motor vehicles under Minnesota
Statutes, section
169.781;
B. all repairs and replacements of parts
indicated by the inspection have been made; and
C. records are available to show the
inspection, repair, and replacement of parts.
Subp. 5.
Age limit for
semitrailers.
Semitrailers are exempt from age limitation provided there is
a record of current inspection and repair.
Subp. 6.
Age limit for
motorcycles.
A motorcycle may be used for more than six years from the
date first put into service, only if:
A. the tires, tubes, control cables, fuel
line, spark plugs, front and rear brake pads and shoes, hydraulic brake hoses,
wheel bearings, drive chain, battery, fork oil, brake and clutch cables, and
steering and suspension have been inspected during the previous 12 months and
each part not meeting operating specifications contained in the manufacturer's
factory repair manual has been replaced;
B. a record is available to show the
inspection and replacement of parts; and
C. the motorcycle has been inspected during
the previous 12 months by a manufacturer's service representative or certified
mechanic, by a motorcycle mechanic for a licensed motorcycle dealer, or by a
certified technical college mechanic instructor.
Subp. 7.
Age limit for class D motor
vehicles.
A class D motor vehicle may be used for more than six years
from the date first put into service, only if:
A. the following parts have been inspected
during the previous 12 months and each part not meeting operating
specifications contained in the manufacturer's factory repair manual has been
replaced:
(1) accelerator, to ensure it is not
damaged or loose;
(2) belts to fan
and power assist units;
(3) dual
and parking brakes, to ensure they are not damaged and the lines or linings are
not worn;
(4) clutch;
(5) door latches, locks, hinges, and
handles;
(6) drive train, to ensure
it is not damaged or loose;
(7)
hood latches, locks, hinges, and handle;
(8) horn;
(9) head, tail, parking, and brake
lights;
(10) rearview, inside,
outside, right, and left mirrors;
(11) motor, transmission, and body
mountings;
(12) exhaust system and
muffler;
(13) license plates, to
ensure they are attached and unobstructed;
(14) signs required by this subpart, to
ensure they are visible and attached;
(15) assembly sheeting, to ensure it is not
damaged, worn, or loose;
(16) seat
belts, to ensure they are not damaged or loose;
(17) steering assembly, to ensure it is not
damaged or loose;
(18) tires, to
ensure they are not cut or damaged and have a minimum tread depth of 1/16
inch;
(19) turn signals;
and
(20) unobstructed windshield
with wipers and washers;
B. a record is available to show the
inspection and replacement of parts; and
C. the motor vehicle was inspected during the
previous 12 months by a manufacturer's service representative, a mechanic for a
licensed dealer for the vehicle, a certified technical or vocational college
mechanics instructor, or an automotive service excellence mechanic fully
certified by a vocational or technical school or college in all areas of
vehicle inspection.
Subp.
8.
Vehicle markings.
While being used for on-street laboratory instruction, class
A, B, C, and D program vehicles must have signs conspicuously and legally
displayed on the rear of the vehicle, with background and letters of
contrasting colors stating "Student Driver."
A. On vehicles used for class D driver
education, the "Student Driver" lettering must be at least two but not more
than five inches in height.
B. On
vehicles used for class A, B, and C driver education, the "Student Driver"
lettering must be at least ten inches in height.
C. No other signs or advertising may be
displayed on the vehicle without the approval of the commissioner.
D. When on a vehicle owned or used by a
public program, the sign must be removed when the vehicle is used for purposes
other than driver education instruction.
Subp. 9.
Tax-exempt plates.
Any vehicle owned or used by a driver education program and
used exclusively for instruction may display tax-exempt license plates.
A. A letter stating that the vehicle is used
for instruction in the driver education program and a copy of the program
license or certificate of approval must be submitted to the commissioner when
applying for tax-exempt license plates.
B. Any class D vehicle licensed under this
subpart must have the name of the driver education program displayed on both
sides of the vehicle in letters not less than 2-1/2 inches high and one-half
inch wide.
C. Any class A, B, or C
vehicle licensed under this subpart must have the name of the driver education
program displayed on both sides of the vehicle in letters comparable to the
marking requirements in Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, section
390.21. The
color of the letters must contrast with the area on which they are
placed.
Subp. 10.
Good cause vehicle inspections.
When the commissioner has good cause to believe a vehicle
used for driver education purposes does not meet the requirements of this
chapter, the commissioner shall inspect or require the inspection of the
vehicle.
Subp. 11.
Commercial use of driver education program vehicle.
A class A, B, or C vehicle used in a driver education program
may not be used for commercial purposes during driver education unless each
condition in this subpart is met:
A.
hazardous materials, hazardous substances, and hazardous waste are not
transported;
B. an instructor
accompanies the student in the motor vehicle while it is being used for
commercial purposes; and
C. the
student is covered by the program's insurance as required in part
7411.0270.
Subp. 12.
Vehicle supplied by
instructor or student.
If the instructor or the student supplies the vehicle to be
used for driver education, the program must verify that the vehicle meets the
requirements in this part and the program insurance requirements under part
7411.0270 before the vehicle may
be used for driver education. If the student is already in possession of a
license to operate the vehicle, the vehicle is exempt from the:
A. age requirements under subparts
4 to
7;
B. requirements of dual control brakes and
dual control clutch pedal under subpart
3; and
C. program insurance requirements under part
7411.0270 for that vehicle,
provided the program verifies that the vehicle used by the student during the
instruction has at least the minimum amount of insurance required under
Minnesota Statutes, chapter 65B.
Statutory Authority: MS s
14.06;
169.26;
169.446;
169.974;
171.02;
171.05;
171.055;
171.0701;
171.33
to
171.41;
299A.01