Owners and operators shall have all the duties and responsibilities described in Article
III of this chapter and the regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, and no owner or operator shall be relieved from any such duty and responsibility nor be entitled to defend against any charge or violation thereof by reason of the fact that the occupant is also responsible therefor and in violation thereof.
Occupants shall have all the duties and responsibilities as prescribed in Article
III of this chapter and all the regulations promulgated thereto, and the occupant shall not be relieved from any such duty and responsibility and be entitled to defend against any charge of violation thereof by reason of the fact that the owner is also responsible therefor and in violation thereof.
Unless expressly provided to the contrary in this chapter, the
respective obligations and responsibilities of the owner and operator
on one hand and the occupant on the other shall not be altered or
affected by any agreement or contract by and between any of the aforesaid
or between them and other parties.