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Earphones, dogs on fenders, hitched horses, roadkill and freight cars.
Our overview
Some of these rules came with the car. Ohio bans driving with earphones or earplugs in both ears, Oregon bans carrying a dog on a hood, fender or running board unless a framework, carrier or other device keeps it from falling, and Wisconsin bans leading an animal along a highway from a moving vehicle.
Others are older or stranger. Michigan protects a lawfully hitched horse from being unhitched on the street, West Virginia lets drivers keep wildlife killed by a vehicle if they report it and get a tag, Iowa calls riding outside a train or inside a non-passenger car, without lawful authority or the railroad's consent, stowing away, and Nebraska requires empty hog and sheep cars to be cleaned before entering the state.
Written by Silly Rules from the quoted laws below. Not legal advice.
Iowa · Iowa Code § 716.9
“A person commits the simple misdemeanor offense of stowing away when, without lawful authority or the consent of a railway corporation, the person does either of the following:”
Michigan · MCL 750.58
“Any person who shall wilfully and maliciously or wantonly, and without authority unhitch any horse or team belonging to another, and lawfully hitched or standing in any street, alley or other place, or who in like manner shall …”
Nebraska · Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-1306
“It shall be unlawful for any railroad company operating its road in this state to bring or cause to be brought into this state from an adjoining state any empty car used for transporting hogs or sheep, or any empty combination car …”
Ohio · Ohio Rev. Code 4511.84
“No person shall operate a motor vehicle while wearing earphones over, or earplugs in, both ears.”
Oregon · ORS 811.200
“A person commits the offense of carrying a dog on the external part of a vehicle if the person carries a dog upon the hood, fender, running board or other external part of any automobile or truck that is upon a highway unless the …”
West Virginia · W. Va. Code § 20-2-4
“Wildlife, except protected birds, elk, spotted fawn and bear cubs, killed or mortally wounded as a result of being accidentally or inadvertently struck by a motor vehicle may be lawfully possessed if the possessor of the wildlife …”
Wisconsin · Wis. Stat. 951.04
“No person shall lead any animal upon a highway from a motor vehicle or from a trailer or semitrailer drawn by a motor vehicle.”
Every quote on this site was matched against its official page on October 14, 2026. Text match only; current legal status and enforcement not verified.