Except as otherwise provided in § 199-47, a passenger vehicle or a pickup truck shall not be driven upon a highway drawing or having attached to the passenger vehicle or pickup truck more than one vehicle or trailer.
The drawbar or other connection between two vehicles, one of which is
towing or drawing the other on a highway, shall not exceed 15 feet in length
from one vehicle to the other. If the connection consists of a chain, rope
or cable, there shall be displayed upon the connection a red flag or other
signal or cloth not less than 12 inches in both length and width.
A vehicle or trailer towed or drawn by a vehicle shall be attached to
the vehicle with forms of coupling devices in a manner so that when the combination
is operated in a linear alignment on a level, smooth, paved surface, the movement
of the towed or drawn vehicle or trailer does not deviate more than three
inches to either side of the path of the towing vehicle that tows or draws
it. The vehicle or trailer shall also be connected to the towing vehicle,
by suitable safety chains or devices, one on each side of the coupling and
at the extreme outer edge of the vehicle or trailer, and each chain or device
and connection used shall be of sufficient strength to haul the vehicle or
trailer when loaded.
A pickup truck with a fifth-wheel assembly shall not tow a semitrailer
unless the fifth-wheel assembly conforms to motor carrier safety rule R 460.16442
of the Michigan Administrative Code.
Notwithstanding § 199-43, a pickup truck with a towing rating equal to or greater than the weight being towed equipped with a fifth-wheel assembly which conforms with motor carrier safety rules promulgated by the Department of State Police pursuant to the Motor Carrier Safety Act of 1963, Act No. 181 of the Public Acts of 1963, being §§ 480.11 to 480.21 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, towing attached with a semitrailer designed for recreational living purposes may tow an additional trailer or semitrailer under to following conditions:
A.
The additional trailer or semitrailer shall be attached pursuant to § 199-45. The safety chains described in § 199-45 shall be securely attached at the extreme outer edge of the attached trailer or semitrailer with a locking mechanism. The towing vehicle hitch shall be of substantial material and shall be attached in a proper and skillful manner to the frame of the towing vehicle.
B.
The total length of the pickup truck, semitrailer designed
for recreational living purposes and additional trailer or semitrailer shall
not exceed 59 feet.
C.
The gross weight of the additional trailer or semitrailer
towed or drawn shall not exceed the empty weight of the pickup truck or the
empty weight of the semitrailer.
For the purposes of this section, a pickup truck towing a semitrailer
and additional trailer shall be considered a passenger vehicle and shall comply
with the speed limit requirement of MCL § 257.627(5).
A person who violates this article is responsible for a civil infraction.
