16 U.S.C. 1, 3, 9a, 462(k).
The applicability of the regulations in this part is described in § 1.2 of this chapter. The regulations in this part also apply, regardless of land ownership, on all roadways and parking areas within a park area that are open to public traffic and that are under the legislative jurisdiction of the United States.
(a) Unless specifically addressed by regulations in this chapter, traffic and the use of vehicles within a park area are governed by State law. State law that is now or may later be in effect is adopted and made a part of the regulations in this part.
(b) Violating a provision of State law is prohibited.
(a) The operator of an authorized emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency or when pursuing or apprehending an actual or suspected violator of the law, may:
(1) Disregard traffic control devices;
(2) Exceed the speed limit; and
(3) Obstruct traffic.
(b) The provisions of paragraph (a) of this section do not relieve the operator from the duty to operate with due regard for the safety of persons and property.
(a) The operator of a motor vehicle involved in an accident resulting in property damage, personal injury or death shall report the accident to the superintendent as soon as practicable, but within 24 hours of the accident. If the operator is physically incapable of reporting the accident, an occupant of the vehicle shall report the accident to the superintendent.
(b) A person shall not tow or move a vehicle that has been involved in an accident without first notifying the superintendent unless the position of the vehicle constitutes a hazard or prior notification is not practicable, in which case notification shall be made before the vehicle is removed from the park area.
(c) Failure to comply with a reporting requirement specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section is prohibited.
(d) The notification requirements imposed by this section do not relieve the operator and occupants of a motor vehicle involved in an accident of the responsibility to satisfy reporting requirements imposed by State law.
(a) Operating a motor vehicle is prohibited except on park roads, in parking areas and on routes and areas designated for off-road motor vehicle use.
(b) Routes and areas designated for off-road motor vehicle use shall be promulgated as special regulations. The designation of routes and areas shall comply with § 1.5 of this chapter and E.O. 11644 (37 FR 2887). Routes and areas may be designated only in national recreation areas, national seashores, national lakeshores and national preserves.
(c) The following are prohibited:
(1) Operating a motor vehicle not equipped with pneumatic tires, except that a track-laying motor vehicle or a motor vehicle equipped with a similar traction device may be operated on a route designated for these vehicles by the superintendent.
(2) Operating a motor vehicle in a manner that causes unreasonable damage to the surface of a park road or route.
(3) Operating a motor vehicle on a route or area designated for off-road motor vehicle use, from
(a) Vehicle load, weight and size limits established by State law apply to a vehicle operated on a park road. However, the superintendent may designate more restrictive limits when appropriate for traffic safety or protection of the road surface. The superintendent may require a permit and establish conditions for the operation of a vehicle exceeding designated limits.
(b) The following are prohibited:
(1) Operating a vehicle that exceeds a load, weight or size limit designated by the superintendent.
(2) Failing to obtain a permit when required.
(3) Violating a term or condition of a permit.
(4) Operating a motor vehicle with an auxiliary detachable side mirror that extends more than 10 inches beyond the side fender line except when the motor vehicle is towing a second vehicle.
(c) Violating a term or condition of a permit may also result in the suspension or revocation of the permit by the superintendent.
Failure to comply with the directions of a traffic control device is prohibited unless otherwise directed by the superintendent.
The following are prohibited:
(a) Stopping or parking a vehicle upon a park road, except as authorized by the superintendent, or in the event of an accident or other condition beyond the control of the operator.
(b) Operating a vehicle so slowly as to interfere with the normal flow of traffic.
(a) Each person within a motor vehicle is responsible for complying with the provisions of this section that pertain to carrying an open container. The operator of a motor vehicle is the person responsible for complying with the provisions of this section that pertain to the storage of an open container.
(b) Carrying or storing a bottle, can or other receptacle containing an alcoholic beverage that is open, or has been opened, or whose seal is broken or the contents of which have been partially removed, within a motor vehicle in a park area is prohibited.
(c) This section does not apply to:
(1) An open container stored in the trunk of a motor vehicle or, if a motor vehicle is not equipped with a trunk, to an open container stored in some other portion of the motor vehicle designed for the storage of luggage and not normally occupied by or readily accessible to the operator or passengers; or
(2) An open container stored in the living quarters of a motor home or camper; or
(3) Unless otherwise prohibited, an open container carried or stored in a motor vehicle parked at an authorized campsite where the motor vehicle's occupant(s) are camping.
(d) For the purpose of paragraph (c)(1) of this section, a utility compartment or glove compartment is deemed to be readily accessible to the operator and passengers of a motor vehicle.
(a) Each operator and passenger occupying any seating position of a motor vehicle in a park area will have the safety belt or child restraint system properly fastened at all times when the vehicle is in motion. The safety belt and child restraint system will conform to applicable United States Department of Transportation standards.
(b) This section does not apply to an occupant in a seat that was not originally equipped by the manufacturer with a safety belt nor does it apply to a person who can demonstrate that a medical condition prevents restraint by a safety belt or other occupant restraining device.
An operator of a motor vehicle shall yield the right of way to pedestrians, saddle and pack animals and vehicles drawn by animals. Failure to yield the right of way is prohibited.
(a) Park area speed limits are as follows:
(1) 15 miles per hour: within all school zones, campgrounds, picnic areas, parking areas, utility areas, business or residential areas, other places of public assemblage and at emergency scenes.
(2) 25 miles per hour: upon sections of park road under repair or construction.
(3) 45 miles per hour: upon all other park roads.
(b) The superintendent may designate a different speed limit upon any park road when a speed limit set forth in paragraph (a) of this section is determined to be unreasonable, unsafe or inconsistent with the purposes for which the park area was established. Speed limits shall be posted by using standard traffic control devices.
(c) Operating a vehicle at a speed in excess of the speed limit is prohibited.
(d) An authorized person may utilize radiomicrowaves or other electrical devices to determine the speed of a vehicle on a park road. Signs indicating that vehicle speed is determined by the use of radiomicrowaves or other electrical devices are not required.
(a) The elements of this section constitute offenses that are less serious than reckless driving. The offense of reckless driving is defined by State law and violations are prosecuted pursuant to the provisions of section 4.2 of this chapter.
(b) The following are prohibited:
(1) Operating a motor vehicle without due care or at a speed greater than that which is reasonable and prudent considering wildlife, traffic, weather, road and light conditions and road character.
(2) Operating a motor vehicle in a manner which unnecessarily causes its tires to squeal, skid or break free of the road surface.
(3) Failing to maintain that degree of control of a motor vehicle necessary to avoid danger to persons, property or wildlife.
(4) Operating a motor vehicle while allowing a person to ride:
(i) On or within any vehicle, trailer or other mode of conveyance towed behind the motor vehicle unless specifically designed for carrying passengers while being towed; or
(ii) On any exterior portion of the motor vehicle not designed or intended for the use of a passenger. This restriction does not apply to a person seated
(a) Operating or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle is prohibited while:
(1) Under the influence of alcohol, or a drug, or drugs, or any combination thereof, to a degree that renders the operator incapable of safe operation; or
(2) The alcohol concentration in the operator's blood or breath is 0.10 grams or more of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood or 0.10 grams or more of alcohol per 210 liters of breath.
(b) The provisions of paragraph (a) of this section also apply to an operator who is or has been legally entitled to use alcohol or another drug.
(c)
(2) Refusal by an operator to submit to a test is prohibited and proof of refusal may be admissable in any related judicial proceeding.
(3) Any test or tests for the presence of alcohol and drugs shall be determined by and administered at the direction of an authorized person.
(4) Any test shall be conducted by using accepted scientific methods and equipment of proven accuracy and reliability operated by personnel certified in its use.
(d)
(2) The provisions of paragraph (d)(1) of this section are not intended to limit the introduction of any other competent evidence bearing upon the question of whether the operator, at the time of the alleged violation, was under the influence of alcohol, or a drug, or drugs, or any combination thereof.
(a) The use of a bicycle is prohibited except on park roads, in parking areas and on routes designated for bicycle use;
(b) Except for routes designated in developed areas and special use zones, routes designated for bicycle use shall be promulgated as special regulations.
(c) A person operating a bicycle is subject to all sections of this part that apply to an operator of a motor vehicle, except §§ 4.4, 4.10, 4.11 and 4.14.
(d) The following are prohibited:
(1) Possessing a bicycle in a wilderness area established by Federal statute.
(2) Operating a bicycle during periods of low visibility, or while traveling through a tunnel, or between sunset and sunrise, without exhibiting on the operator or bicycle a white light or reflector that is visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and with a red light or reflector visible from at least 200 feet to the rear.
(3) Operating a bicycle abreast of another bicycle except where authorized by the superintendent.
(4) Operating a bicycle while consuming an alcoholic beverage or carrying in hand an open container of an alcoholic beverage.
Hitchhiking or soliciting transportation is prohibited except in designated areas and under conditions established by the superintendent.