Stopping, Standing, and Parking

V.S.A. tit. 23, ch. 13, subch. 10

in effect

23 V.S.A. § 1101 Stopping, standing, or parking

1101. Stopping, standing, or parking (a) No person shall stop, park, or leave standing any vehicle, whether attended or unattended, upon the paved or main-traveled part of the highway or within that portion of a highway right of way that the Traffic Committee finds to be a dangerous location on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation and designates as a no-parking zone by suitable signs at each end, and by such additional signs as the Committee may determine. (b) Where parking is permitted, at all times an unobstructed width of the highway opposite a standing vehicle shall be left for the free passage of other vehicles and a clear view permitted of any stopped vehicles from a distance of 200 feet in each direction upon the highway. (c) This section does not apply to any vehicle that is disabled while on the paved or main-traveled portion of a highway in a manner and to the extent that it is impossible or impractical to avoid stopping and temporarily leaving the disabled vehicle in that position, nor to stopping at a railroad grade crossing. Added 1971, No. 258 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. March 1, 1973.

23 V.S.A. § 1102 Removal of stopped vehicles

1102. Removal of stopped vehicles (a) Subject to subsection (c) of this section, any enforcement officer is authorized to: (1) cause the removal of a vehicle stopped, parked, or standing contrary to section 1101 of this title or require the driver or other person in charge to move the vehicle to a safe position off the main-traveled part of the highway; (2) cause the removal of an unattended vehicle or cargo that is an obstruction to traffic or to maintenance of the highway to a garage or other place of safety; and (3) cause the removal of any vehicle found upon a highway, as defined in 19 V.S.A. § 1, to a garage or other place of safety when: (A) the officer is informed by a reliable source that the vehicle has been stolen or taken without the consent of its owner; (B) the person in charge of the vehicle is unable to provide for its removal; or (C) the person in charge of the vehicle has been arrested under circumstances that require his or her immediate removal from control of the vehicle. (b) In the case of a crash involving a serious bodily injury or fatality, clearance of the crash scene may be delayed until the crash investigation is completed. (c) A towing operator shall undertake removal of a vehicle or cargo under this section only if summoned to the scene by the vehicle owner or vehicle operator, or an enforcement officer, and is authorized to perform the removal as follows: (1) The owner or operator of the vehicle or cargo being removed shall summon to the scene the towing operator of the owner’s or operator’s choice in consultation with the enforcement officer and designate the location to where the vehicle or cargo is to be removed. (2) The provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection shall not apply when the owner or operator is incapacitated or otherwise unable to summon a towing operator, does not make a timely choice of a towing operator, or defers to the enforcement officer’s selection of the towing operator. (3) The authority provided to the owner or operator under subdivision (1) of this subsection may be superseded by the enforcement officer if the towing operator of choice cannot respond to the scene in a timely fashion and the vehicle or cargo is a hazard, impedes the flow of traffic, or may not legally remain in its location in the opinion of the enforcement officer. (d)(1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, the vehicle owner and the motor carrier, if any, shall be responsible to the law enforcement agency or towing operator for reasonable costs incurred solely in the removal and subsequent disposition of the vehicle or cargo under this section. (2) When applicable, the provisions of 10 V.S.A. § 6615 (liability for release of hazardous materials) shall apply in lieu of this subsection. (e) Except for intentionally inflicted damage or gross negligence, an enforcement officer or a person acting at the direction of an enforcement officer who removes from a highway a motor vehicle or cargo that is obstructing traffic or maintenance activities or creating a hazard to traffic shall not be liable for damage to the vehicle or cargo incurred during the removal. (f) Any enforcement officer causing the removal of a motor vehicle under this section shall notify the Department as to the location and date of discovery of the vehicle, date of removal of the vehicle, name of the towing service removing the vehicle, and place of storage. The officer shall record and remove from the vehicle, if possible, any information that might aid the Department in ascertaining the ownership of the vehicle and forward the information to the Department. A motor vehicle towed under authority of this section may qualify as an abandoned motor vehicle under chapter 21, subchapter 7 of this title. (g)(1) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, the operator of a vehicle involved in a crash who is required by law to stop the vehicle, or who elects to stop the vehicle, at the crash scene shall move and stop the vehicle at the nearest location where the vehicle will not impede traffic or jeopardize the safety of a person. (2) The duty to move a vehicle under subdivision (1) of this subsection shall not apply when: (A) the crash involved the death of or apparent injury to any person; (B) the vehicle to be moved was transporting hazardous material; (C) the vehicle cannot be operated under its own power without further damage to the vehicle or the highway; or (D) the movement cannot be made without endangering other highway users. (3) An operator required to move a vehicle under this subsection who fails to do so shall not be ticketed, assessed a civil penalty, or have points assessed against his or her driving record. Added 1971, No. 258 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. March 1, 1973; amended 1973, No. 164 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 1997, No. 144 (Adj. Sess.), § 14, eff. April 27, 1998; 2015, No. 50, § 23; 2017, No. 71, § 25, eff. June 8, 2017; 2025, No. 18, § 42, eff. May 13, 2025.

23 V.S.A. § 1104 Stopping prohibited

1104. Stopping prohibited (a) Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, or in compliance with law or the directions of an enforcement officer or official traffic-control device, no person may: (1) Stop, stand, or park a vehicle: (A) on the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street; (B) on a sidewalk; (C) within an intersection; (D) on a crosswalk; (E) alongside or opposite any street excavation or obstruction when stopping, standing, or parking would obstruct traffic; (F) upon any bridge or other elevated structure or within a highway tunnel; (G) on any railroad tracks; or (H) at any place where official signs prohibit stopping. (2) Stand or park a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except momentarily to pick up or discharge a passenger: (A) in front of a public or private driveway; (B) within six feet of a fire hydrant; (C) within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection; (D) within 30 feet upon the approach to any flashing signal, stop sign, or traffic control light located at the side of a roadway; (E) within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to any fire station and on the side of a street opposite and within 75 feet of the entrance to any fire station, when properly signposted; or (F) at any place where official signs prohibit standing. (3) Park a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading merchandise or a passenger: (A) within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing; (B) at any place where official signs prohibit parking; or (C) at any place where official signs restrict parking at an electric vehicle charging station and the vehicle violates the restrictions. (b) No person may move a vehicle not lawfully under his or her control into any prohibited area or an unlawful distance away from a curb. Added 1971, No. 258 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. March 1, 1973; amended 2017, No. 139 (Adj. Sess.), § 15; 2025, No. 18, § 42, eff. May 13, 2025.

23 V.S.A. § 1105 Additional parking ordinances

1105. Additional parking ordinances (a) Except as otherwise provided by local ordinance, every vehicle stopped or parked upon a two-way roadway shall be stopped or parked with the right-hand wheels parallel to and within 12 inches of the right-hand curb or if there is no curb, within 12 inches of the edge of the roadway. (b) Except when otherwise provided by local ordinance, every vehicle stopped or parked upon a one-way roadway shall be so stopped or parked parallel to and within 12 inches of a curb or, if there is no curb, within 12 inches of the edge of the roadway, in the direction of authorized traffic movement. Added 1971, No. 258 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. March 1, 1973; amended 2025, No. 18, § 42, eff. May 13, 2025.

23 V.S.A. § 1106 Limitations on use of State highway facilities

1106. Limitations on use of State highway facilities (a) As used in this section, “State highway facility” means a State highway rest area, picnic ground, parking area, or park-and-ride facility. (b) No individual shall enter or remain on any State highway facility for the purpose of overnight camping unless the particular facility has been designated for that purpose by the Traffic Committee. (c)(1) On the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation or findings as to adverse effects on the quiet enjoyment and property values of persons living adjacent to a State highway facility, the Traffic Committee may designate the size and types of vehicles allowed to park in a State highway facility or in particular areas of a State highway facility. (2) In addition, the Secretary may prescribe special restrictions related to parking of plug-in electric vehicles in designated areas of a State highway facility. (d) Notice of the prohibitions or restrictions under this section shall be posted at the affected facilities by regulatory signs conforming to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Added 2007, No. 164 (Adj. Sess.), § 32; amended 2017, No. 139 (Adj. Sess.), § 16; 2019, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 182.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/23/013Fetched: 10/21/2026