Interpretation ID: nht87-2.24

TYPE: INTERPRETATION-NHTSA

DATE: 06/26/87

FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; Erika Z. Jones; NHTSA

TO: The Honorable Bill Schuette

TITLE: FMVSS INTERPRETATION

TEXT:

The Honorable Bill Schuette U.S. House of Representatives P.O. BOX 631 Midland, MI 48640

Dear Mr. Schuette:

Thank you for your June 4, 1987, letter on behalf of your constituent, Mr. Dale Lighthill of Owosso. Mr. Lighthill owns a semi-trailer which he has converted into a travel home. He wishes to know whether there is any law which prohibits him from carrying persons in his travel trailer.

Our agency is responsible for promulgating safety standards for the manufacture and sale of new motor vehicles. We have no jurisdiction over the use of motor vehicles and thus have no regulation prohibiting Mr. Lighthill from carrying people in his trave l home trailer. However, many states have enacted provisions in their vehicle codes for occupying moving trailers. Some states prohibit persons from occupying a moving trailer or operating a motor vehicle which is towing an occupied trailer, and some per mit occupying a moving trailer only under certain circumstances. I am certain that the officials of the states your constituent plans to visit will be happy to provide information on their laws for transporting persons in moving trailers. In addition, Mr . Lighthill night find it helpful to contact the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) for general information on state requirements. The AAMVA may be reached at: Suite 910, 1201 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20036. T elephone: (202) 296-1955.

Thank you for contacting our office. Please contact me if you or your constituent have any questions.

Sincerely,

Erika Z. Jones Chief Counsel

Erika Jones Chief Counsel NHTSA 400 7th Street, SW Room 5219 Washington, D.C. 20590

Dear Erika:

I am writing with a request from my constituent, Dale Lighthill, of Owosso, Michigan. Mr. Lighthill owns a semi-trailer which has been converted into a travel home. He would like to know if there are any laws prohibiting carrying someone in the trailer s ection of this travel home anywhere in the continental U.S.

I would appreciate it if you could research this question and advise me at my Midland District Office of your findings. Thank you very much for your time and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Bill Schuette Member of Congress