PRINTER'S NO. 2144
No. 1739 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY GODSHALL, ARMSTRONG, FRANKEL, LEH, MELIO, ROSS, SAYLOR, E. Z. TAYLOR AND TIGUE, JUNE 21, 1999
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, JUNE 21, 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. Sections 4581(e) and 4585 of Title 75 of the 6 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read: 7 § 4581. Restraint systems. 8 * * * 9 (e) Civil actions.--In no event shall a violation or alleged 10 violation of this subchapter be used as evidence in a trial of 11 any civil action; nor shall any jury in a civil action be 12 instructed that any conduct did constitute or could be 13 interpreted by them to constitute a violation of this 14 subchapter[; nor shall failure]. Failure to use a child 15 passenger restraint system or safety seat belt system, as 16 required by this subchapter, may be considered as contributory 17 negligence [nor shall] and failure to use such a system may be
1 admissible as evidence of contributory negligence in the trial 2 of any civil action[; nor shall this subchapter], provided that 3 such evidence may be admitted to prove the extent to which 4 injuries sustained would have been avoided or reduced by 5 compliance with this subchapter. Further, this subchapter shall 6 not impose any legal obligation upon or impute any civil 7 liability whatsoever to an owner, employer, manufacturer, dealer 8 or person engaged in the business of renting or leasing vehicles 9 to the public to equip a vehicle with a child passenger 10 restraint system or to have such child passenger restraint 11 system available whenever their vehicle may be used to transport 12 a child. 13 * * * 14 § 4585. Use of information or evidence of violation of 15 subchapter. 16 [The] Except as provided in section 4581(e) (relating to 17 restraint systems), the requirements of this subchapter or 18 evidence of a violation of this subchapter may not be used by an 19 insurer for any purpose. 20 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days. A11L75JRW/19990H1739B2144 - 2 -