{"data":{"id":"us-ri/r.i.-gen.-laws-31-23-51","jurisdiction":"us-ri","citation":"R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-23-51","heading":"Earphones and headsets prohibited.","body":"(a) No person shall operate a bicycle or motor vehicle upon any highway while wearing earphones, a headset, headphone, or other listening device. Any person who violates this section shall be fined: (1) one hundred dollars ($100) for the first offense, (2) one hundred ten dollars ($110) for the second offense, and (3) one hundred forty dollars ($140) for the third and each subsequent offense.\n(b) This section shall not apply to:\n(1) Any emergency vehicle operator using an integrated intercom system;\n(2) Any person operating a motorcycle who is using a headset installed in a helmet and worn so as to prevent the speakers from making direct contact with the user’s ears so that the user can hear surrounding sounds;\n(3) Any person using a headset in conjunction with a cellular telephone that only provides sound through one ear and allows surrounding sounds to be heard with the other ear;\n(4) Any person using a headset in conjunction with the communicating with the central base operation that only provides sound through one ear and allows surrounding sounds to be heard with the other ear;\n(5) Any person using a hearing aid(s) or instrument for the improvement of hearing.\n(c) The department of motor vehicles shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this section.","path":["Title 31 Motor and Other Vehicles","Chapter 23 Equipment and Accessories Generally"],"source_url":"https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE31/31-23/31-23-51.htm","current_through":"site files published 2025-08-13","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T19:58:23Z","sha256":"c67eb318112aa8c48c7c78d496acf863124d6b26a65d4accfb7b35569f237882","source_id":"us-ri","stale":true,"prev":"us-ri/r.i.-gen.-laws-31-23-50","next":"us-ri/r.i.-gen.-laws-31-23-52"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}