New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 3A - CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Chapter 52 - MANUAL OF REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILD CARE CENTERS
Subchapter 9 - TRANSPORTATION REQUIREMENTS
Section 3A:52-9.5 - Vehicle-related safety practices

Universal Citation: NJ Admin Code 3A:52-9.5

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024

(a) Children shall never be left unattended in a vehicle.

(b) Children shall be accepted and discharged from the curbside of the vehicle.

(c) The interior and exterior of each vehicle shall be maintained in clean and safe condition, with clear passage to operable doors.

(d) All vehicles that are utilized to transport children shall be equipped with car seats (child passenger restraint systems) and booster seats that meet Federal motor vehicle safety standards, as appropriate for the age and weight of the children transported, in accordance with applicable provisions of Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) law, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 39:3-76.2a and f or 39:3B-10 and 11, as applicable.

(e) The driver shall not transport more persons, including children and adults, than:

1. The occupancy of the Type I School Bus, as indicated by the vehicle manufacturer; or

2. The occupancy of the Type II School Bus, Type S School Vehicle, or other approved vehicle, as determined by the number of operable seat belts.

(f) The driver and each additional adult on the Type I School Bus shall ensure that:

1. All passengers are seated and remain seated when the bus is in motion; and

2. All passengers below 18 months of age are secured in the proper restraint system, as specified in (d) above, when the bus is in motion.

(g) The driver and each additional adult(s) on the Type II School Bus, Type S School Vehicle, and private passenger vehicle shall ensure that:

1. All passengers are seated and remain seated when the vehicle is in motion; and

2. Each child is secured in an operable seat belt or proper restraint system or booster seat, if applicable as specified in (e) above, when the vehicle is in motion.

(h) There shall be no standees in any vehicle transporting children.

(i) The center shall conduct two emergency evacuation drills each year for passengers who ride the Type I or Type II School Bus.

(j) The driver shall conduct a daily check of the vehicle, which shall include all safety equipment, to ensure that the vehicle is in sound operating condition.

(k) The driver shall conduct a check of the vehicle, after each run is completed, to ensure that no child has been left in the vehicle.

(l) Smoking shall be prohibited in all vehicles when occupied by children.

(m) For children below six years of age, the driver or additional adult(s) shall ensure that each child discharged from the vehicle is received by his or her parent or person designated by a child's parent.

(n) Children shall not remain in any vehicle for more than one hour at any given time on a daily basis.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. New Jersey may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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