Kansas · KS · Vehicles
Kansas: Is it legal to put a train horn on a car?
Allowed with limits
Kansas bans horns that make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or whistle, which a typical train horn likely fails.
Kansas requires a working horn audible from at least 200 feet, but no horn or warning device may emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or whistle. A separate subsection bars sirens, whistles, and bells except as the statute allows, such as on emergency vehicles. Air and train horns are not named, but a locomotive-style horn is likely to be treated as unreasonably loud.
Conditions
- Horn may not be unreasonably loud or harsh
- No siren, whistle, or bell on non-emergency vehicles
- Horn use only when reasonably necessary for safety
What the law says
but no horn or other warning device shall emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or whistle. ... No vehicle shall be equipped with nor shall any person use upon a vehicle any siren, whistle or bell, except as otherwise permitted in this section.
Sources
- K.S.A. 8-1738 Official · ksrevisor.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Kansas Highway Patrol
- Website
- kansashighwaypatrol.gov
How bordering states compare
- Colorado Allowed with limitsColorado has no named train horn ban, but horns may not be unreasonably loud or harsh, and extra audible devices are barred.
- Missouri Allowed with limitsMissouri allows a horn or whistle but bars unnecessary noise and any other sound-producing signaling device, which may cover an added train horn.
- Nebraska Allowed with limitsNebraska bans sirens and exhaust whistles on vehicles and bars unnecessary or unreasonably loud or harsh horn use, which likely covers train horns.
- Oklahoma Allowed with limitsOklahoma has no express train-horn ban, but no horn or warning device may emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound.