Section 54-3-108 - Traffic laws - Failure to pay user fee(a) The traffic laws of this state, including the applicable traffic laws of a municipality through which a user fee facility passes, and user fees and use restrictions established by the commissioner, govern the use of a user fee facility authorized under this chapter. State and local law enforcement authorities may enforce the traffic laws and use restrictions.(b) Except as provided in subsection (c), the operator of a vehicle that is driven through a user fee facility shall pay the user fee as established under this chapter.(c) The following vehicles are exempt from payment of a user fee:(1) Law enforcement or other authorized emergency vehicles as defined by § 55-8-101, regardless of whether the vehicle is responding to an emergency or displaying a flashing light;(2) Multiple-passenger vehicles operated by a public transit authority; and(3) On a high occupancy user fee lane, vehicles that have been authorized to use an HOV lane free of charge during the time period specified for HOV use.(d) The department may, subject to approval of the board, prohibit certain classes of vehicles from operating in a user fee facility through the posting of appropriate signage, wherever the department determines, on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the presence of those vehicles impairs the safe or efficient operation of the user fee facility.(e) A person who uses a user fee facility and fails to pay the user fee within ninety (90) days of the person's notice of nonpayment under § 54-3-114, or a person who operates a prohibited vehicle on a user fee facility, commits a Class C misdemeanor and is subject to a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00).Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 159, s 24, eff. 4/17/2023. Acts 2007 , ch. 597, § 9.