Live Free or Die Legal
This website is not an official source of law. This website does not provide legal advice. For official legal materials, verify against the relevant court, legislature, agency, or other official source. Legal information may be incomplete, outdated, or incorrectly processed. Consult a qualified attorney for advice about a specific legal matter.

This RSA section is an unofficial mirror, is not legal advice, and may be incomplete, outdated, or incorrectly processed.

RSA 266:72 · Spillage of Material

Title
XXI: MOTOR VEHICLES
Chapter
266 · EQUIPMENT OF VEHICLES
Status
current
Official source linked
Yes
Official source Copy section link

266:72 Spillage of Material. –

Copy link
I.

No vehicle shall be driven or moved on any way unless such vehicle is so constructed or loaded as to prevent any of its load from dropping, sifting, leaking or otherwise escaping therefrom, except that sand may be dropped for the purpose of securing traction, or water or other substance may be sprinkled on a way in cleaning or maintaining such way.

Copy link
II.

No person shall operate on any way any vehicle with any load unless said load and any covering thereon is securely fastened so as to prevent said covering or load from becoming loose, detached, or in any manner a hazard to other users of the way. Without limiting the foregoing provision, no person shall drive on any way any open vehicle loaded with earth, sand, asphalt, stone, gravel, or other particulate substance unless said vehicle is equipped with and said load is entirely covered and secured by a tarpaulin or similar covering which prevents the escape of any substance from said load onto the way. II-a. No person shall operate on any way any open vehicle loaded with light scrap metal, unless the load is covered with and secured by a close-fitting tarpaulin which prevents the escape of any light scrap metal from the load onto the way. For the purposes of this paragraph "light scrap metal" means any fragments less than 8 inches wide and no more than 1/8 inch thick of manufactured metal articles or shredded metal parts rejected or discarded and useful only as material for reprocessing. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to truck operators transporting crushed vehicles to shredding facilities or to transporters of heavy scrap metals to or from metal scrap dealers or remelting facilities.

Copy link
III.

Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a violation if a natural person, or guilty of a misdemeanor if any other person. Any person shall be liable to the state or town for any damage done to the way by spillage.

Copy link
IV.

The provisions of paragraphs I, II, II-a, and III of this section shall not apply to a local farmer transporting his or her own farm products or materials incidental to a local farming operation where such transporting requires incidental use of a way, provided that such farmer shall not thereby be relieved of his or her duty to exercise reasonable care to prevent hazardous spillage.

Copy link
V.

The provisions of paragraphs II and II-a shall not apply to:

Copy link
(a)

The operation of construction equipment as defined in RSA 259:42 and motor vehicles used in the construction of highways provided that such equipment or motor vehicle is used within a highway construction zone as prescribed by the commissioner of transportation, provided that the driver of any such vehicle shall not thereby be relieved of the duty to exercise reasonable care;

Copy link
(b)

The operation of municipal and state highway maintenance equipment;

Copy link
(c)

The driving of any vehicle on a way at speeds of less than 30 miles per hour. Source. RSA 249:51. 1965, 178:1. 1973, 530:32; 573:1, 2. 1981, 146:1. 1994, 373:1-3. 1995, 232:1. 2004, 257:33. 2006, 317:7. 2010, 251:5, eff. Sept. 4, 2010.

Copy link

Source note

Source. RSA 249:51. 1965, 178:1. 1973, 530:32; 573:1, 2. 1981, 146:1. 1994, 373:1-3. 1995, 232:1. 2004, 257:33. 2006, 317:7. 2010, 251:5, eff. Sept. 4, 2010.

Source history

  • 1965, 178:1
  • 1973, 530:32; 573:1, 2
  • 1981, 146:1
  • 1994, 373:1-3
  • 1995, 232:1
  • 2004, 257:33
  • 2006, 317:7
  • 2010, 251:5, eff. Sept. 4, 2010
  • RSA 249:51

Related materials

Bill relationships

  • 2026 HB1353 reference · effective 2027-01-01

    ent provisions for premium discounts on liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, specifically relating to motor vehicles that pass an annual safety inspection pursuant to RSA 266 and 263. The annual inspection shall verify major safety features including but not limited to headlights, taillights, tires, steering, and brakes. Insurers may also consider additional shop recommendations, provided th

  • 2026 HB1362 amend

    equipment specifications. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 New Section; Equipment of Vehicles; Tire Tread Depth. Amend RSA 266 by inserting after section 48 the following new section: 266:48-a Tire Tread Depth; Measurement Requirements. I. No person shall drive a motor vehicle upon any way unless each tire mounted thereon has a minimum tre

  • 2026 HB1560 reference · effective 2027-01-01

    oximately $492,000 Local Expenditures $0 $0 $0 $0 METHODOLOGY: This bill, effective January 1, 2027, reenacts and updates multiple sections of RSA 260 and RSA 266 relating to vehicle inspection requirements. Under the proposed language, most vehicles would remain subject to annual inspection, however, newly purchased vehicles would be exempt from inspection requirements for up to

  • 2026 HB1560-FN reference · effective 2027-01-01

    oximately $492,000 Local Expenditures $0 $0 $0 $0 METHODOLOGY: This bill, effective January 1, 2027, reenacts and updates multiple sections of RSA 260 and RSA 266 relating to vehicle inspection requirements. Under the proposed language, most vehicles would remain subject to annual inspection, however, newly purchased vehicles would be exempt from inspection requirements for up to

  • 2026 HB533 amend

    o fulfill his or her duties, and shall be assigned other enforcement duties as determined by the commissioner. 2 New Subparagraph; Motor Carriers; Equipment; Inspections. Amend RSA 266:72-a, V by inserting after subparagraph (c) the following new subparagraph: (d) Any officer of the department of safety or other law enforcement agent certified to conduct truck inspections may enter, during regular busine

  • 2026 HB649 amend

    of motor vehicle operators. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 69:1 New Section; Operation of Unsafe Motor Vehicle. Amend RSA 266 by inserting after section RSA 266:8-a the following new section: 266:8-b Operator Vehicle Maintenance. I. No person shall drive, or permit to be driven upon any way a motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer: (

  • 2026 HB649-FN amend

    of motor vehicle operators. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 69:1 New Section; Operation of Unsafe Motor Vehicle. Amend RSA 266 by inserting after section RSA 266:8-a the following new section: 266:8-b Operator Vehicle Maintenance. I. No person shall drive, or permit to be driven upon any way a motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer: (

  • 2025 HB2 reference

    ut only if the dealer presents to the customer at the time of sale a notice which states: This motor vehicle [will not pass a New Hampshire inspection and] is unsafe for operation upon the highways pursuant to RSA 266. The following defects must be corrected [before an inspection sticker will be issued]. The dealer shall list all [inspection] defects under this statement and specify the date on which the inspection was cond

Opinions and discipline decisions mentioning this RSA