2009 Louisiana Laws TITLE 32 Motor vehicles and traffic regulation :: RS 32:851 Motor vehicle safety responsibility law

CHAPTER 5.  MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY RESPONSIBILITY LAW

PART I.  GENERAL PROVISIONS

§851.  Definitions

The following words and phrases, when used in this Chapter, shall, for the purposes of this Chapter, have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this Section, except in those instances where the context clearly indicates a different meaning.

(1)  "Commissioner"--The term "Commissioner" means the Department of Public Safety of Louisiana.

(2)  "Judgment"--Any judgment which shall have become final by expiration without appeal of the time within which a suspensive appeal might have been perfected or by final affirmation on appeal, rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction of any state or of the United States, upon a cause of action arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of any motor vehicle, for damages, including damages for care and loss of services, because of bodily injury to or death of any person, or for damages because of injury to or destruction of property including the loss of use thereof, or upon a cause of action on an agreement of settlement for such damages.

(3)  "License"--Any license, temporary instruction permit or temporary license issued under the laws of this state pertaining to the licensing of persons to operate motor vehicles.

(4)  "Motor vehicle"--Every self-propelled vehicle (except traction engines; road rollers, farm tractors, tractor cranes, power shovels and well drillers) and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead wires but not operated upon rails.

(5)  "Non-resident"--Every person who is not a resident of this state; but does not include persons dwelling outside of this state whose occupation or business requires them to spend one-half or more of their working hours in this state in pursuance of their business or employment.

(6)  "Non-resident's operating privileges"--The privilege conferred upon a non-resident by the laws of this state pertaining to the operation by him of a motor vehicle, or the use of a motor vehicle owned by him, in this state.

(7)  "Operator"--Every person who is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle.

(8)  "Owner"--Every person who holds the legal title to a motor vehicle or in the event a motor vehicle is the subject of an agreement for the conditional sale, lease or transfer of the possession, however, thereof, with the right of purchase upon performance of the condition stated in the agreement and with an immediate right of possession vested in the conditional vendee, lessee, possessor or in the event such or similar transaction is had by means of a mortgage, and the mortgagor of a vehicle is entitled to possession, then such conditional vendee, lessee, possessor or mortgagor shall be deemed the owner for the purpose of this Chapter.

(9)  "Person"--Every natural person, firm, co-partnership, association or corporation.

(10)  "Proof of financial responsibility" means proof of ability to respond in damages for liability, on account of accidents occurring subsequent to the effective date of the proof, arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle in the amounts specified in R.S. 32:872 in reference to the acceptable limits of a policy or bond.

(11)  "Registration"--Registration certificate or certificates and registration plates issued under the laws of this state pertaining to the registration of motor vehicles.

(12)  "State"--Any state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any province of the Dominion of Canada.

Acts 1952, No. 52, §1.  Acts 1984, No. 237, §1.