§32-5-76. Spilling loads or litter; penalty.

(a) Whoever willfully and knowingly operates, owns, or causes to be operated on any public highway, road, street, or public right-of-way a motor vehicle so loaded with gravel, rock, slag, bricks, in such manner or in such condition that the contents of the vehicle spill out and cause it to be deposited upon the highway, road, street, or public right-of-way is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined not more than $500.00, pursuant to Section 13A-7-29, the criminal littering statute.

(b) No vehicle shall be driven or moved on any highway unless such vehicle is so constructed or loaded as to prevent any of its load from dropping, sifting, leaking or otherwise escaping therefrom, except that sand may be dropped for the purpose of securing traction, or water or other substance may be sprinkled on a roadway in cleaning or maintaining such roadway.

(c) Whoever willfully and knowingly operates, owns, or causes to be operated on a public highway, road, street, or public right-of-way, a motor vehicle in such manner or in such condition that litter is caused or allowed to be deposited upon the highway, road, or street or public right-of-way, is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined not more than $500.00, pursuant to Section 13A-7-29, the criminal littering statute. Any agricultural product in its natural state that is unintentionally deposited upon a highway, road, street, or public right-of-way does not constitute litter for purposes of this section or Section 13A-7-29.

(Acts 1927, No. 347, p. 348; Code 1940, T. 36, §39; Acts 1949, No. 517, p. 754, §9; Acts 1971, No. 1419, p. 2423; Acts 1989, No. 89-661, p. 1314, §1; Act 2001-469, p. 623, §1.)