Brakes required on all wheels, with some exceptions

(a) Every vehicle shall be equipped with brakes acting on all wheels except: (1) Trailers, semi-trailers, or pole trailers of a gross weight not exceeding three thousand pounds, provided that: (A) The total weight on and including the wheels of the trailer or trailers shall not exceed forty percent of the gross weight of the towing vehicle when connected to the trailer or trailers, and (B) The combination of vehicles, consisting of the towing vehicle and its total towed load, is capable of complying with the performance requirements of section 24-97. (2) Any vehicle being towed in driveaway or tow-away operations, provided the combination of vehicles is capable of complying with the performance requirements of section 24-97. (3) Trucks and truck-tractors having three or more axles need not have brakes on the front wheels, except that when such vehicles are equipped with at least two steerable axles, the wheels of one steerable axle need not have brakes. However, such trucks and truck-tractors must be capable of complying with the performance requirements of section 24-97. (4) Special mobile equipment as defined in section 24-3(43). (5) The wheel of a sidecar attached to a motorcycle or to a motor-driven cycle, or the front wheel of a motor-driven cycle need not be equipped with brakes, provided that such motorcycle or motor-driven cycle is capable of complying with the performance requirements of section 24-97.