It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter 31-18 of the General Laws entitled "Motor and Other Vehicles" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

{ADD 31-18-20.1. Operation of wheelchairs. -- Lamps and other equipment required. -- ADD} {ADD (a) Any wheelchair, motorized or manual, operating upon roadways, when in use at nighttime, shall be equipped with: a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred (500) feet to the front.

(b) Every wheelchair shall be equipped with a red reflector of a type approved by the registry which shall be visible from six hundred (600) feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle.

(c) Side Reflectors--(1) Every wheelchair operating upon roadways, when in use at nighttime, shall be equipped with a minimum of twenty (20) square inches on each side of the wheelchair of white reflective material on the wheels or tires to indicate as nearly as possible the continuous circular shape and size of the wheels or tires of each wheelchair. All reflective material shall be visible during the hours of darkness from five hundred (500) feet when viewed under lawful low beam headlights under normal atmospheric conditions on straight, level, unlighted roadway, and shall meet the requirements as prescribed by the registry of motor vehicles.

(d) No person shall sell a wheelchair, new or used, that is not equipped with side reflectors, rear reflectors and front white light as required by this section. Wheelchairs sold to institutions for the exclusive use inside facilities shall be exempt from this section, provided that no such exempt wheelchair shall be used upon roadways. ADD}

{ADD 31-18-20.2. Wheeling in street prohibited. -- ADD} {ADD Where sidewalks with curbcuts and at least thirty-two (32) inches of unobstructed clear width are provided it shall be unlawful for any user of a manual or motorized wheelchair to wheel along and upon an adjacent roadway. ADD}

SECTION 2. Section 31-18-20 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-18 entitled "Motor and Other Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:

31-18-20. Motorized wheelchairs -- Rights and duties. -- {ADD Wheelchairs. -- Rights and duties. -- ADD} Every person operating a motorized wheelchair upon a sidewalk or roadway shall be granted all the rights and shall be subject to all the duties applicable to a pedestrian.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on January 1, 1997.