Section 312IAC8-2-8. Vehicles, trails, boats, and aircraft

   (a) A person must not operate a vehicle:

(1) at a speed greater than:

(A) thirty (30) miles per hour on straight, open stretches of road; or

(B) fifteen (15) miles per hour on steep grades or curves or where posted; or

(2) except as provided in section 17 of this rule, other than on a public road.

  (b) A person must not park:

(1) a vehicle;

(2) a boat; or

(3) associated equipment;

except at a site designated by the department.

  (c) A person must not operate a motorized cart on a DNR property except as follows:

(1) The person must demonstrate both of the following:

(A) The person holds a valid driver's license.

(B) The person:

(i) is at least sixty-five (65) years of age that is evidenced by the valid driver's license; or

(ii) has a disability, as defined by the federal Social Security Administration guidelines (42 U.S.C. 416), that is evidenced by documentation from the Social Security Administration.

(2) A person must not operate a motorized cart other than within a campground.

(3) A motorized cart must, if operated between the hours of sunset and sunrise, have a lamp on the:

(A) front exhibiting a white light visible at least five hundred (500) feet ahead of the motorized cart; and

(B) rear exhibiting a red light visible at least five hundred (500) feet behind the motorized cart.

(4) A restriction applicable to the operation, parking, or other use of a vehicle under this section also applies to a motorized cart.

(5) As used in this subsection, "motorized cart" has the meaning set forth in IC 14-19-1-0.5.

  (d) Unless an activity is licensed or exempted from licensure under this rule, a person must not do the following:

(1) Leave the designated pathway for a trail while moving cross-country.

(2) Except on a trail designated for the purpose:

(A) hike;

(B) bike;

(C) ski;

(D) horseback ride; or

(E) operate an off-road vehicle or snowmobile.

(3) Except where designated by the department, ride, lead, drive, or hitch an animal.

  (e) A person must not launch, dock, or moor a boat, except:

(1) for approved periods; and

(2) at sites designated by the department for those purposes.

  (f) A person must not:

(1) leave a boat unattended in a courtesy dock provided by the department; or

(2) moor a boat at a designated group dock or mooring post unless the boat exhibits a valid mooring permit.

  (g) A person must not operate or maintain a boat on a lake unless the person does each of the following:

(1) Operates the boat according to any horsepower or speed restrictions applicable to the lake.

(2) Except as provided in subdivisions (3) and (6), obtains and displays a valid annual boat lake permit as follows:

(A) Purchase from the department a boat lake permit under a fee schedule approved by the commission.

(B) Affix the permit in a visible location on the forward half of the boat.

(3) Except as provided in subdivision (6), for a motorboat, obtains and displays a valid annual motorboat lake permit as follows:

(A) Purchase from the department a motorboat lake permit under a fee scheduled approved by the commission.

(B) Affix the permit in a visible location on the port (left) side immediately following the excise tax decal or registration number.

(4) For a lake containing fewer than three hundred (300) acres, operates a motorboat only if the motorboat is either of the following:

(A) Powered by an electric trolling motor with not more than:

(i) two (2) 12-volt batteries; or

(ii) one (1) 24-volt battery.

(B) Operated on Loon Lake, Otter Lake, or Blue Grass Pit in the Blue Grass Fish and Wildlife Area at not greater than idle speed.

(5) Removes a boat from the lake before the expiration of fourteen (14) consecutive days, unless the boat is moored in an area where the department has approved mooring for a longer duration.

(6) A lake located on a DNR property administered by the division of fish and wildlife is exempted from subdivisions (2) and (3).

  (h) A person must not leave a vehicle, boat, or associated equipment at a DNR property unless the person is actively engaged in the use of:

(1) a DNR property; or

(2) an adjacent:

(A) public freshwater lake; or

(B) navigable waterway.

  (i) A person must not land, taxi, take off, park, or moor:

(1) an airborne human transportation device; or

(2) a motor-driven airborne device;

except at a site designated for that purpose or pursuant to a license. (Natural Resources Commission; 312 IAC 8-2-8; filed Oct 28, 1998, 3:32 p.m.: 22 IR 741, eff Jan 1, 1999; filed Nov 5, 1999, 10:14 a.m.: 23 IR 555, eff Jan 1, 2000; filed Jun 17, 2002, 4:13 p.m.: 25 IR 3715; readopted filed Nov 17, 2004, 11:00 a.m.: 28 IR 1315; filed Sep 14, 2005, 2:45 p.m.: 29 IR 463, eff Jan 1, 2006; filed Jun 9, 2006, 3:40 p.m.: 20060705-IR-312050344FRA; filed Jun 29, 2007, 2:32 p.m.: 20070725-IR-312060333FRA; readopted filed Mar 25, 2010, 2:58 p.m.: 20100421-IR-312100037RFA; filed Aug 18, 2011, 11:38 a.m.: 20110914-IR-312100668FRA; filed Feb 6, 2012, 3:07 p.m.: 20120307-IR-312110442FRA, eff Jan 1, 2013; filed Feb 11, 2014, 3:12 p.m.: 20140312-IR-312130294FRA; readopted filed Sep 27, 2016, 1:57 p.m.: 20161026-IR-312160151RFA)