Montana: Is it legal to put a train horn on a car?
Montana bars any horn from making an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle, which a train horn likely breaks.
Every car needs a horn audible from 200 feet, but no horn may make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle. Sirens, whistles and bells are banned on vehicles except emergency vehicles. Air horns and train horns aren't named, so this is not an express ban, but a typical train horn likely fails the loudness rule.
Conditions
- Horn must not emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle
- Horn may be used only when reasonably necessary for safe operation
What the law says
(1) A motor vehicle when operated upon a highway must be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than 200 feet. A horn or other warning device may not emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle. ... (2) A vehicle may not be equipped with and a person may not use upon a vehicle a siren, whistle, or bell, except as otherwise permitted in this section.
Sources
- MCA 61-9-401 Official · mca.legmt.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Montana Highway Patrol
- Website
- dojmt.gov
How bordering states compare
- Idaho Allowed with limitsIdaho bans horns that make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle, which a typical train horn likely fails.
- North Dakota Allowed with limitsNorth Dakota has no express train-horn ban, but no horn may make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle.
- South Dakota Allowed with limitsSouth Dakota bans exhaust horns, sirens and harsh whistles, and forbids unreasonably loud or harsh horn sounds, but does not name air horns.
- Wyoming Allowed with limitsWyoming says no horn may make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle, and bans sirens, whistles and bells on ordinary vehicles.