New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
Title 15 - Department of Motor Vehicles
Chapter I - REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER
Subchapter D - Equipment
Part 49 - Seat Safety Belts And Shoulder Harness Safety Belts
Section 49.6 - School buses

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 12, March 20, 2024

(a) Every motor vehicle used for the transportation of children to and from public or private schools shall be equipped with seat safety belts approved by the commissioner for each occupant if (1) it has a seating capacity of 12 school children or less, or (2) it has a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less and was first placed in service on or after September 1, 1977. In addition, after September 1, 1990, every motor vehicle used for the transportation of children to and from public or private schools shall be equipped with seat safety belts approved by the commissioner for each occupant if it has a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less, regardless of date of first use. (Gross vehicle weight rating means the value specified by the manufacturer as the loaded weight of a vehicle.)

(b) Every motor vehicle used for the purpose of transporting children to and from public or private schools shall be equipped with a seat safety belt approved by the commissioner for the driver of such vehicle.

(c) Any seat safety belt installed pursuant to the provisions of subdivision (b) of this section shall be attached to the floor of such vehicle in a location which will withstand the required stress, except that if the vehicle is equipped with a seat pedestal which has been engineered and installed to withstand such stress, the seat safety belt may be attached to such pedestal. Such belt must be installed in a manner which will prevent the ends of the belt from falling into the passenger compartment.

(d) The provisions of this section shall apply only to vehicles owned or leased by such school districts and nonpublic schools, and to vehicles used to perform contracts with such school districts and nonpublic schools for the purpose of transporting school children for hire.

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