TITLE 21

Motor Vehicles

Operation and Equipment

CHAPTER 41. Rules of the Road

Subchapter III-A. Controlled-Access Highways

§ 4126. Unlawful use of controlled-access highways; penalties.

(a) On any state highway designated by the Department of Transportation as a “controlled-access highway,” no person shall:

(1) Drive a vehicle over, upon or across any curb, central dividing section or other separation or dividing line;

(2) Make a left turn or a semicircular or U-turn except through an opening provided for that purpose in the dividing curb section, separation or line;

(3) Drive any vehicle except in the proper lane provided for that purpose in the proper direction in said lane;

(4) Drive any vehicle from a local service road except through an opening provided for that purpose in the dividing curb or dividing section or dividing line which separates such service road from the controlled-access facility proper;

(5) Drive a vehicle onto or from any controlled-access roadway except at such entrances and exits as are established;

(6) Back a vehicle upon any shoulder or roadway;

(7) Operate or drive a bicycle, except where appropriately marked by the Department of Transportation;

(8) Operate or drive any nonmotorized vehicle or wagon;

(9) Lead or participate in a parade;

(10) Lead or participate in a convoy or procession, either walking or riding, except a riding funeral procession which proceeds at the prevailing rate of speed and which does not prevent or interfere with the entrance into or exit off of the controlled access highway by others;

(11) Walk as a pedestrian except to contact aid in the event of an accident, breakdown or other emergency;

(12) Operate a vehicle of any type or kind prohibited by traffic-control devices at the entrances;

(13) Disobey the restriction stated on any traffic-control device erected at the entrances.

(b) Whoever violates subsection (a) of this section shall for the first offense be fined not less than $25 nor more than $75. For each subsequent like offense, the person shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $95. Justices of the peace shall have original jurisdiction to hear, try and finally determine alleged violations of this section.

21 Del. C. 1953, §  4126;  54 Del. Laws, c. 160, §  157 Del. Laws, c. 670, §  13A58 Del. Laws, c. 38160 Del. Laws, c. 700, §  460 Del. Laws, c. 701, §  2665 Del. Laws, c. 503, §  1567 Del. Laws, c. 90, §  168 Del. Laws, c. 9, §  2569 Del. Laws, c. 243, §  170 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  178 Del. Laws, c. 208, §§  4-6

§ 4127. Unlawful evasion of Delaware Turnpike and the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway; harassment of toll collectors; penalty; appeal; jurisdiction; payment of minimum fine before trial.

(a) No vehicle shall be used on any part of the Delaware Turnpike, the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway or any other State toll road except upon payment of such tolls as may from time to time be prescribed by the Department of Transportation of this State.

(b) It is unlawful for any person to refuse to pay, to evade or attempt to evade the payment of such toll. Any such violation regarding the payment of tolls shall be an unclassified misdemeanor, and shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $100, or imprisonment for not less than 10 nor more than 30 days, or both.

(c) Any person convicted under this section shall have the right of an appeal as prescribed in § 708 of this title.

(d) In the event of an arrest for the violation of this section, the person arrested shall be taken before a justice of the peace whose regular office is nearest to the place where such person was arrested. The person so arrested shall have the privilege of electing to have the case tried and determined in the Court of Common Pleas as provided in § 5901 of Title 11.

(e) Any peace officer may stop and arrest, with or without a warrant, any person abroad who the police officer has reasonable ground to suspect is committing, has committed or is attempting to commit a violation of this section.

(f) Any person arrested for violations of this section shall have the right to appear before the committing justice of the peace on or before the date and time set for trial and pay the minimum fine for each such offense or to mail the minimum fine to the committing justice of the peace provided that such remittance is mailed at least 2 days before the date set for the trial. Court costs shall not be assessed if the fine is paid pursuant to this subsection, any statute or court rule of this State notwithstanding. The Court shall mail a receipt indicating the payment of a fine pursuant to this subsection if the person paying such fine makes a written request for a receipt and encloses a self-addressed envelope with postage affixed thereon.

(g) If any vehicle is witnessed by a police officer, toll collector or video surveillance device, to be in violation of subsection (b) of this section, and the identity of the operator is not otherwise apparent, it shall be a rebuttable presumption that the person in whose name the vehicle is registered committed such violation of subsection (b) of this section.

(h) Any person who commits an act of offensive touching, presents payment in the form of an obviously unsanitary piece of United States currency, or who commits any act knowing that one is thereby likely to cause offense or alarm to an on duty toll collector, will be guilty of an unclassified misdemeanor.

21 Del. C. 1953, §  4127;  57 Del. Laws, c. 45658 Del. Laws, c. 19860 Del. Laws, c. 701, §  2668 Del. Laws, c. 9, §  2670 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  170 Del. Laws, c. 342, §§  1-471 Del. Laws, c. 13, §  377 Del. Laws, c. 60, §  10

§ 4128. Delaware Memorial Bridge; toll evasion; payment of minimum fine before trial.

(a) No vehicle shall use any part of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, except upon payment of such tolls as may from time to time be prescribed by the Delaware River and Bay Authority.

(b) No person shall refuse to pay, evade or attempt to evade the payment of any such toll. Any such violation regarding the payment of tolls shall be an unclassified misdemeanor, and shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $100, or imprisonment for not less than 10 nor more than 30 days, or both.

(c) Any person convicted under this section shall have the right of appeal as set forth in § 708 of this title.

(d) In the event of an arrest for a violation of this section, the person arrested shall be taken before a justice of the peace whose regular office is nearest to the place where such person was arrested. The person so arrested may elect to have the case tried and determined in the Court of Common Pleas and shall be advised of this privilege as set forth in § 5901 of Title 11.

(e) Any peace officer may stop and arrest, with or without a warrant, any person abroad who the police officer has reasonable grounds to suspect is committing, has committed or is attempting to commit a violation of this section.

(f) Any person arrested for violations of this section shall have the right to appear before the committing justice of the peace on or before the date and time set for trial and pay the minimum fine for each such offense or to mail the minimum fine to the committing justice of the peace provided that such remittance is mailed at least 2 days before the date set for trial. Court costs shall not be assessed if the fine is paid pursuant to this subsection, any statute or court rule of this State notwithstanding. The Court shall mail a receipt indicating the payment of a fine pursuant to this subsection if the person paying such fine makes a written request for a receipt and encloses a self-addressed envelope with postage affixed thereon.

(g) If any vehicle is witnessed by a police officer, toll collector or video surveillance device to be in violation of subsection (b) of this section and the identity of the operator is not apparent, it shall be a rebuttable presumption that the person in whose name the vehicle is registered committed the violation.

(h) Any person who commits an act of offensive touching against a toll collector who is on duty, presents payment in the form of obviously unsanitary United States currency, or commits any act knowing that such act is likely to cause offense or alarm to a toll collector on duty is guilty of an unclassified misdemeanor.

60 Del. Laws, c. 555, §  262 Del. Laws, c. 403, §  165 Del. Laws, c. 503, §  1670 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  173 Del. Laws, c. 174, §  177 Del. Laws, c. 60, §  11

§ 4129. Civil penalty for evasion of tolls.

(a) In addition to the provisions of §§ 4127 and 4128 of this title, any person who refuses to pay, evades or attempts to evade the payment of a toll in connection with the use of the Delaware Turnpike, the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, any other state toll road or the Delaware Memorial Bridge shall be liable for the payment of one toll, a $25 administrative fee, and for a civil penalty of $25 per violation payable to the Department of Transportation or its designee or, in the case of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Delaware River & Bay Authority or its designee.

(b) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, an owner of a vehicle shall be jointly and severally liable for failure of an operator thereof to comply with subsection (a) of this section. The owner of a vehicle shall be liable pursuant to this section if such vehicle was used or operated with the permission of the owner, express or implied, in violation of this section, and such violation is evidenced by information obtained from visual observation, video surveillance device or other method of identifying the vehicle; provided however, that no owner of a vehicle shall be liable where the operator of the vehicle has been identified and charged with a violation of this section for the same incident.

(c) In the event of nonpayment of the proper toll, as evidenced by visual observation, a video surveillance device or other method of identifying the vehicle, the Department of Transportation or its designee or, in the case of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Delaware River & Bay Authority or its designee may send an advisory and payment request to the owner of the vehicle by regular mail at the address of record with the Division of Motor Vehicles, or, if applicable, the licensing authority of another jurisdiction, providing the owner with the opportunity to resolve the matter prior to the issuance of a summons and complaint that charges a violation of this section. The advisory and payment request shall contain sufficient information to inform the owner of the nature, date, time and location of the alleged violation. In addition to the payment of the proper toll, the Department of Transportation or, in the case of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Delaware River and Bay Authority or its designee may require as part of the advisory and payment request that the owner pay a reasonable administrative fee of $25 to the entity processing the violation. If the owner fails to pay the required toll and fee, the owner shall be subject to liability on the thirty-first day following the date of the violation, for the violation of this section by the vehicle owner or operator.

(d) An owner of a vehicle who is a lessor of a vehicle operated in violation of this section shall not be liable for such violation if the lessor submits a copy of the rental, lease or other contract document covering that vehicle on the date of the violation, with the name and address of the lessee clearly legible, to the Department of Transportation or its designee or, in the case of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Delaware River and Bay Authority or its designee within 10 days of the receipt of the notice of violation. Failure to provide such information in the timeframe required shall render the lessor liable for the penalty prescribed by this section. Where the lessor complies with this subsection, the lessee of such vehicle shall be deemed the owner of the vehicle for the purposes of this section and shall be subject to liability for the violation hereunder, as if the lessee were the owner and/or operator at the time of the violation.

(e) Enhanced civil enforcement authority. — If a vehicle owner has been issued advisory and payment requests for nonpayment of tolls under subsection (c) of this section, and the combined total of outstanding and unpaid tolls, applicable administrative fees and associated penalties exceeds $1,000, the vehicle shall be subject to a civil administrative stop pursuant to Chapter 8 of this title, and the vehicle owner shall be subject to enhanced civil enforcement, as follows:

(1) Such vehicle shall be immobilized in such manner as to prevent its operation, or removed to an official pound by authority of any police officer of this State, a county or municipality therein, or the Delaware River and Bay Authority. Any vehicle so immobilized or impounded shall not be released to its lawful owner until all unpaid tolls and applicable administrative fees issued to such owner have been discharged by payment in full, together with payment for the costs of immobilizing, releasing, and storing such vehicle. The owner shall sign a receipt for such vehicle. Payment for any such towing shall be in accordance with the towing costs outlined in the current agreement between police agency and the towing operator. If the vehicle is a tractor-trailer combination, the trailer may be released to an authorized agent if the tractor is immobilized pursuant to this section.

(2) In any case involving immobilization of a vehicle pursuant to this section, the police officer shall place on such vehicle, in a conspicuous manner, notice sufficient to warn any individual that such vehicle has been immobilized and that any attempt to move such vehicle might result in damage to such vehicle.

(3) Any vehicle remaining immobilized and not released for 48 hours may be towed and impounded at the direction of a police officer.

71 Del. Laws, c. 13, §  273 Del. Laws, c. 174, §§  2-676 Del. Laws, c. 400, §  1