About 20% of all civil lawsuits in the U.S. have to do with automobile accidents. Every day, people get speeding tickets, have fender benders, or break traffic laws in a myriad of other ways — some of which may be stranger than you’d think.
Here are some of the weirdest traffic laws our legislative history research dug up.
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road in Quitman, Georgia? It didn’t.
In Quitman, Georgia, there’s a legal statute that forbids chickens from crossing the road. Whether that law was created by a legislator who was sick and tired of hearing that particular joke or if it was created to keep lackadaisical farmers-in line is unknown.
It Is Illegal to Drive Blindfolded in Alabama.
Yep, you read that right. Alabama has a legal statute on the books that explicitly and expressly forbids motorists from driving with a blindfold. Now, just because this legal statute is unique to the Heart of Dixie doesn’t mean you can drive blindfolded in other states. It’s just an all around bad idea (but you probably didn’t need a law to tell you that).
Keep the Poultry Off Your Head When Crossing From Minnesota to Wisconsin or Vice Versa.
If you’re going to Minnesota, you’d better not have a duck on your head, since it’s illegal to cross into the Gopher State that way. Although, it is perfectly acceptable to drive with a chicken on your head. That is, unless you’re going to Wisconsin, which has a similar legal statute forbidding drivers from using a chicken like a hat.
Hopefully, you’ll never find yourself breaking one of these kooky legal statutes that seem devoid of legislative intent, but if you do, don’t worry. According to recent legislative research, defendants win the majority of civil lawsuits and jury trials in the United States.
If you know of any other zany traffic laws, feel free to share in the comments.