PRINTER'S NO. 864
No. 806 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY GODSHALL, ORIE, PLATTS, PRESTON, SERAFINI,
STABACK, STURLA AND TIGUE, MARCH 10, 1999
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, MARCH 10, 1999
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2 Statutes, further providing for restraint systems.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Section 4581(a) of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania
6 Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
7 § 4581. Restraint systems.
8 (a) Occupant protection.--
9 (1) Any person who is operating a passenger car, Class I
10 truck, Class II truck, classic motor vehicle, antique motor
11 vehicle or motor home and who transports a child under four
12 years of age anywhere in the motor vehicle, including the
13 cargo area, shall fasten such child securely in a child
14 passenger restraint system, as defined in subsection (d).
15 (1.1) Any person who is a operating a vehicle described
16 in this subsection and who transports a child who is four
17 years of age or older and less than 18 years of age anywhere
1 in the motor vehicle, including cargo area, shall secure or
2 cause to be secured such child in a properly adjusted and
3 fastened child passenger restraint system, as described in
4 subsection (d) or safety seat belt system.
5 (1.2) This subsection shall apply to all persons while
6 they are operators of motor vehicles where a seating position
7 is available which is equipped with a seat safety belt or
8 other means to secure the systems or where the seating
9 position was originally equipped with seat safety belts.
10 (2) Except for children under four years of age and
11 except as provided in paragraph (1), each driver and front
12 seat occupant of a passenger car, Class I truck, Class II
13 truck or motor home operated in this Commonwealth shall wear
14 a properly adjusted and fastened safety seat belt system. A
15 conviction under this paragraph by State or local law
16 enforcement agencies shall occur only as a secondary action
17 when a driver of a motor vehicle has been convicted of any
18 other provision of this title. The driver of a passenger
19 automobile shall secure or cause to be secured in a properly
20 adjusted and fastened safety seat belt system any occupant in
21 the front seat who is four years of age or older and less
22 than 18 years of age. This paragraph shall not apply to:
23 (i) A driver or front seat occupant of any vehicle
24 manufactured before July 1, 1966.
25 (ii) A driver or front seat occupant who possesses a
26 written verification from a physician that he is unable
27 to wear a safety seat belt system for physical or medical
28 reasons, or from a psychiatrist or other specialist
29 qualified to make an informed judgment that he is unable
30 to wear a safety seat belt system for psychological
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1 reasons.
2 (iii) A rural letter carrier while operating any
3 motor vehicle during the performance of his duties as a
4 United States postal service rural letter carrier only
5 between the first and last delivery points.
6 (iv) A driver who makes frequent stops and is
7 traveling less than 15 miles per hour for the purpose of
8 delivering goods or services while in the performance of
9 his duties and only between the first and last delivery
10 points.
11 A violation of this paragraph shall not be subject to the
12 assessment of any points under section 1535 (relating to
13 schedule of convictions and points).
14 * * *
15 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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