(a) Any law enforcement officer or employee of the Department of Public Safety to whom law enforcement authority has been designated who observes a motor vehicle being operated upon a public road of the state and who has reason to believe that: (1) Any provision of this article is being violated; (2) The vehicle is improperly licensed in violation of Code Sections 40-2-150 through 40-2-162; or (3) A fuel tax registration card is not being carried or that a proper distinguishing identification marker is not affixed to the vehicle in violation of Code Section 48-9-39 is authorized to stop such vehicle and weigh, measure, or inspect the same. Violations of such licensing or fuel tax registration and identification requirements shall be reported to the Department of Revenue.

(b)

(1) If the operator of the vehicle shall refuse to stop upon proper order as directed by a person authorized by subsection (a) of this Code section to stop, weigh, measure, or inspect the vehicle or its load, the operator shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $200.00. The operator shall have the right to post an appropriate bond, which shall not exceed $400.00, when any law enforcement officer or employee of the Department of Public Safety authorized to enforce this article apprehends said operator for any violation of this article.

(2) In addition, the operator's driver's license or nonresident's driving privilege may be suspended for a period of not more than 90 days by the Department of Driver Services upon satisfactory proof of said refusal to stop or drive the vehicle upon the scales. Each person who shall apply for a Georgia driver's license, or for nonresident driving privileges, or for a renewal of same thereby consents to stop such vehicle for inspection or to drive such vehicle upon scales whenever so ordered by a law enforcement official or authorized employee of the Department of Public Safety.