Pennsylvania § 3353 - Prohibitions in specified places.

§ 3353. Prohibitions in specified places.

(a) General rule.--Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or to protect the safety of any person or vehicle or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or official traffic-control device, no person shall:

(1) Stop, stand or park a vehicle:

(i) On the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street except that:

(A) A pedalcycle may be parked as provided in section 3509(b)(2) (relating to parking).

(B) Standing or parking for the purpose of loading or unloading persons or property may be authorized by local ordinance, but the ordinance shall not authorize standing or parking on State designated highways except during off-peak traffic-flow hours as determined by department regulations.

(ii) On a sidewalk except that a pedalcycle may be parked as provided in section 3509(b)(2).

(iii) Within an intersection.

(iv) On a crosswalk.

(v) Between a safety zone and the adjacent curb within 30 feet of points on the curb immediately opposite the ends of a safety zone, unless a different length is indicated by official traffic-control devices.

(vi) Alongside or opposite any street excavation or obstruction when stopping, standing or parking would obstruct traffic.

(vii) Upon any bridge or other elevated structure upon a highway or within a highway tunnel.

(viii) On any railroad tracks.

(ix) In the area between roadways of a divided highway, including crossovers.

(x) At any place where official signs prohibit stopping.

(2) Stand or park a vehicle:

(i) In front of a public or private driveway.

(ii) Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.

(iii) Within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.

(iv) Within 30 feet upon the approach to any flashing signal, stop sign, yield sign or traffic-control signal located at the site of a roadway.

(v) Within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to any fire station or, when properly sign posted, on the side of a street opposite the entrance to any fire station within 75 feet of the entrance.

(vi) Where the vehicle would prevent the free movement of a streetcar.

(vii) On a limited access highway unless authorized by official traffic-control devices.

(viii) At any place where official signs prohibit standing.

(ix) Within 30 feet upon the approach to a sign warning of the possible presence of a person with a disability in the vicinity of a roadway adjacent to the person's residence or the possible presence of a person with a disability frequently traversing the roadway at that location. This subparagraph shall not apply unless an enabling local ordinance has been passed. The ordinance may apply generally throughout the municipality or be site specific. The ordinance may specify the height of vehicles prohibited from parking in these locations. The enforcement of this subparagraph requires that a sign indicating the violation and amount of fine be posted at each applicable location. For purposes of this section, the term "disability" shall mean a hearing impairment or total or partial blindness.

(3) Park a vehicle:

(i) Within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing.

(ii) At any place where official signs prohibit parking.

(b) Unattended vehicle on private property.--

(1) No person shall park or leave unattended a vehicle on private property without the consent of the owner or other person in control or possession of the property except in the case of emergency or disablement of the vehicle, in which case the operator shall arrange for the removal of the vehicle as soon as possible.

(2) The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to private parking lots unless such lots are posted to notify the public of any parking restrictions and the operator of the vehicle violates such posted restrictions. For the purposes of this section "private parking lot" means a parking lot open to the public or used for parking without charge; or a parking lot used for parking with charge. The department shall define by regulation what constitutes adequate posting for public notice.

(c) Property owner may remove vehicle.--The owner or other person in charge or possession of any property on which a vehicle is parked or left unattended in violation of the provisions of subsection (b) may remove or have removed the vehicle at the reasonable expense of the owner of the vehicle. Such person who removes or has removed a vehicle left parked or unattended in violation of the provisions of subsection (b) shall have a lien against the owner of the vehicle, in the amount of the reasonable value of the costs of removing the vehicle plus the costs of storage. Any city, borough, incorporated town or township may, by ordinance, provide for rates to be charged for removal of vehicles and for municipal regulation of authorized towing services. If storage charges are not set by the municipality, a maximum of $25 per day may be charged for storage.

(d) Restrictions by appropriate authorities.--The department on State-designated highways and local authorities on any highway within their boundaries may by erection of official traffic-control devices prohibit, limit or restrict stopping, standing or parking of vehicles on any highway where engineering and traffic studies indicate that stopping, standing or parking would constitute a safety hazard or where the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles would unduly interfere with the free movement of traffic.

(e) Penalty.--Any person violating any provision of this section is guilty of a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $50.

(Nov. 9, 1977, P.L.226, No.69, eff. imd.; Nov. 10, 1979, P.L.460, No.95, eff. imd.; Oct. 10, 1980, P.L.791, No.147, eff. imd.; Dec. 9, 2002, P.L.1278, No.152, eff. 60 days; July 2, 2004, P.L.497, No.58, eff. imd.)

2004 Amendment. Act 58 amended subsecs. (a)(2) and (e).

2002 Amendment. Act 152 amended subsec. (c).

1980 Amendment. Act 147 amended subsec. (b).

1979 Amendment. Act 95 amended subsecs. (a)(1)(i) and (c).

Cross References. Section 3353 is referred to in sections 3351, 3352, 3356, 4572, 6109 of this title.