Bill Text: NJ S268 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requires all automobile passengers to wear seat belts.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-12 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Transportation Committee [S268 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2010-S268-Introduced.html

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SENATE, No. 268

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

214th LEGISLATURE

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2010 SESSION

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator  BRIAN P. STACK

District 33 (Hudson)

Senator  ROBERT W. SINGER

District 30 (Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires all automobile passengers to wear seat belts.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

  

An Act concerning safety seat belt usage and amending P.L.1984, c.179.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    Section 2 of P.L.1984, c.179 (C.39:3-76.2f) is amended to read as follows:

     2.    a.  Except as provided in P.L.1983, c.128 (C.39:3-76.2a et al.) for children under eight years of age and weighing less than 80 pounds, all passengers [under eight years of age and weighing more than 80 pounds, and all passengers who are at least eight years of age but less than 18 years of age, and each driver and front seat passenger] of a passenger automobile operated on a street or highway in this State shall wear a properly adjusted and fastened safety seat belt system as defined by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 209.

     b.    The driver of a passenger automobile shall secure or cause to be secured in a properly adjusted and fastened safety seat belt system, as defined by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 209, any passenger who is at least eight years of age but less than 18 years of age.

     For the purposes of the "Passenger Automobile Seat Belt Usage Act," the term "passenger automobile" shall include vans, pick-up trucks, and utility vehicles.

(cf:  P.L.2001, c.244, s.2)

 

     2.    Section 3 of P.L.1984, c.179 (C.39:3-76.2g) is amended to read as follows:

     3.    This act shall not apply to a driver or [front seat] passenger of:

     a.     A passenger automobile manufactured before July 1, 1966;

     b.    A passenger automobile in which the driver or passenger possesses a written verification from a licensed physician that the driver or passenger is unable to wear a safety seat belt system for physical or medical reasons;

     c.     A passenger automobile which is not required to be equipped with a safety seat belt system under federal law;

     d.    A passenger automobile operated by a rural letter carrier of the United States Postal Service while performing the duties of a rural letter carrier; or

     e.     A passenger automobile which was originally constructed with fewer safety seat belt systems than are necessary to allow the passenger to be buckled.

(cf:  P.L.1999, c.422, s.2)

     3.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill would require all passengers, regardless of where they are seated in a passenger automobile, to wear a seat belt.

     Under current law, all children under the age of 18, the driver, and any front seat passenger of passenger automobiles are required to wear a properly adjusted and fastened safety seat belt.  But the current law does not require an adult riding in the rear seat of a passenger automobile to wear a seat belt.