{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-47-47-12-301","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 47, § 47-12-301","heading":"Brake equipment required","body":"A. Every motor vehicle manufactured prior to September 1, 1961,\n\nwhen operated upon a highway shall be equipped with brakes adequate\n\nto control the movement of and to stop and hold such vehicle,\n\nincluding two separate means of applying the brakes, each of which\n\nmeans shall be effective to apply the brakes to at least two wheels.\n\nIf these two separate means of applying the brakes are connected in\n\nany way they shall be so constructed that failure of any one part of\n\nthe operating mechanism shall not leave the motor vehicle without\n\nbrakes on at least two wheels.\n\nB. 1. Every motor vehicle manufactured on or after September\n\n1, 1961, operated upon the highways shall be equipped with service\n\nbrakes upon all wheels.\n\n2. A truck or truck-tractor having three or more axles need not\n\nbe equipped with brakes on the front axle if:\n\na. the vehicle was manufactured on or before July 24,\n\n1980, or\n\nb. the vehicle was manufactured on or after July 25,\n\n1980, but no later than October 26, 1986, and the\n\nbrake components have not been removed. If the brake\n\ncomponents have been removed, the vehicle shall be\n\nretrofitted to meet the requirements of this section.\n\nC. 1. Every trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer of a gross\n\nvehicle weight rating of three thousand (3,000) pounds or more when\n\noperated upon a highway shall be equipped with brakes:\n\na. adequate to control the movement of and to stop and to\n\nhold such vehicle,\n\nb. so designated as to be applied by the driver of the\n\ntowing motor vehicle from its cab. Provided, braking\n\nsystems commonly known as “surge brakes” shall be\n\nlawful when used on a trailer which is towing or\n\ntransporting a vessel or vessels, and\n\nc. so designed and connected that in case of an\n\naccidental breakaway of the towed vehicle the brakes\n\nshall be automatically applied.\n\n2. Every trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer required to be\n\nequipped with brakes, except motor vehicles engaged in drive-away\n\ntow-away operations as provided in 49 C.F.R., Part 393.42, shall be\n\nequipped with brakes which are designed to be applied automatically\n\nand promptly upon break-away from the towing vehicle, and means\n\nshall be provided to maintain application of the brakes on the\n\ntrailer in such a case for at least fifteen (15) minutes.\n\n3. Any trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer having a gross\n\nvehicle weight rating of less than three thousand (3,000) pounds\n\nneed not be equipped with brakes; provided, the trailer,\n\nsemitrailer, or pole trailer shall be equipped with brakes if the\n\nweight of the towed vehicle exceeds forty percent (40%) of the gross\n\nvehicle weight rating of the towing vehicle.\n\nD. Every motor vehicle and every combination of vehicles shall\n\nbe equipped with a parking brake system adequate to hold the vehicle\n\nor combination on any grade on which it is operated under all\n\nconditions of loading, on a surface free from snow, ice, or loose\n\nmaterial.\n\nE. The braking system on the rear axle of any motor vehicle may\n\nbe used for both service brake and parking brake operation.\n\nF. 1. Air brake systems installed on towed vehicles\n\nmanufactured shall be designed as provided in 49 C.F.R., Section\n\n393.43.\n\n2. Every truck or truck-tractor, if used to tow a trailer\n\nequipped with brakes, shall be equipped with service brakes as\n\nprovided in 49 C.F.R., Section 393.43.\n\n3. Every truck or truck tractor equipped with air brakes, when\n\nused to tow another vehicle equipped with full air brakes, in\n\noperations other than drive-away or tow-away, shall, in addition to\n\nthe above, be equipped with two means of activating the emergency\n\nfeatures of the trailer brakes as provided in 49 C.F.R., Section\n\n393.43.\n\n4. Every motor vehicle which is equipped with power brakes,\n\nshall comply with 49 C.F.R., Section 393.49.\n\n5. Every truck tractor and truck used for towing other vehicles\n\nequipped with vacuum brakes, in operations other than drive-away\nhall, in addition to\n\nthe above, be equipped with two means of activating the emergency\n\nfeatures of the trailer brakes as provided in 49 C.F.R., Section\n\n393.43.\n\n4. Every motor vehicle which is equipped with power brakes,\n\nshall comply with 49 C.F.R., Section 393.49.\n\n5. Every truck tractor and truck used for towing other vehicles\n\nequipped with vacuum brakes, in operations other than drive-away\n\ntow-away, on and after September 1, 1961, shall, in addition to\n\nother requirements of state and federal law, comply with 49 C.F.R.,\n\nSection 393.43.\n\nG. Every bus, truck, and truck-tractor which is equipped with\n\nan air or vacuum brake system, shall be equipped with a reservoir as\n\nrequired by 49 C.F.R., Section 393.50, sufficient to insure a brake\n\napplication capable of stopping the vehicle within the stopping\n\ndistance requirements of Section 12-302 of this title in the event\n\nthe engine stops.\n\nH. Every bus, truck and truck-tractor shall be equipped with\n\nservice brake warning devices and signals as required by 49 C.F.R.,\n\nPart 393.51.\n\nI. All brakes shall be maintained in good working order and\n\nshall be so adjusted as to operate as equally as practicable with\n\nrespect to the wheels on opposite sides of the vehicle. The brakes\n\nshall be capable of stopping the vehicle, or a combination of\n\nvehicles, within the stopping distance requirements of Section 12-\n\n302 of this title.","path":["OK Code","Title 47"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os47.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"d3e3c839fd88beb9f129d61e988b0b55c833a96be52ad74fa2d53eeb95e0ca2d","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-47-47-12-233","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-47-47-12-302"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}