Any person who shall wilfully remove, deface, destroy or disregard any barricade, light, danger sign, detour sign, or warning of any other character whatsoever, erected or placed under authority of this act, or who shall drive on, over or across any State highway which has been closed by the department, shall, upon conviction thereof in a summary proceeding before a magistrate, alderman or justice of the peace,¹ be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100.00), and the costs of prosecution, and, in default of the payment thereof, shall be imprisoned one day for each dollar of fine and costs unpaid. All fines collected shall be paid by the officer receiving the same to the treasurers of the respective cities, boroughs, towns or townships in which the offense was committed.

Persons who have no outlet due to the closing of a highway may drive on, over or across such highway, with the consent in writing of, and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by, the department or its agents or contractors, without being subject to the penalties imposed by this section.

In addition to the penalties herein provided, the department, acting through the Department of Justice, or its contractors, may, in an action at law, recover damages from any person or persons who have damaged a highway by driving on, over or across same when it is closed to vehicular traffic in accordance with the provisions of this act.