Bill Text: NJ A5714 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Prohibits school buses from traveling in left lane of roadway except for turning and emergencies.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-11-20 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee [A5714 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-A5714-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman CHRISTOPHER P. DEPHILLIPS
District 40 (Bergen, Essex, Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits school buses from traveling in left lane of roadway except for turning and emergencies.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning school buses and amending R.S.39:4-88.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.39:4-88 is amended to read as follows:
39:4-88. When a roadway has been divided into clearly marked lanes for traffic, drivers of vehicles shall obey the following regulations:
a. A vehicle shall normally be driven in the lane nearest the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway when that lane is available for travel, except when overtaking another vehicle or in preparation for a left turn.
b. A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from that lane until the driver has first ascertained that the movement can be made with safety.
c. Upon a highway which is divided into 3 lanes, a vehicle shall not be driven in the center lane except when overtaking or passing another vehicle or in preparation for a left turn or unless the center lane is at the time allocated for traffic moving in the direction the vehicle is proceeding and is signposted to give notice of that allocation.
d. The State Highway Commissioner may by regulation or local authorities may by resolution or ordinance with respect to highways under their jurisdiction designate right-hand lanes for slow moving traffic and inside lanes for traffic moving at the speed designated for the district as provided under this chapter, and when the lanes are signposted or marked to give notice of the designation a vehicle may be driven in any lane allocated to traffic moving in the direction in which it is proceeding, but when traveling within the inside lanes the vehicle shall be driven at approximately the speed authorized in such lanes and speed shall not be decreased unnecessarily so as to block, hinder or retard traffic.
e. When such roadway had been divided in such a manner that there are three or more lanes for traffic in any one direction, [no] a truck of 10,000 pounds registered gross weight or over shall not be driven in the farthest left-hand lane, except:
(1) when and to the extent necessary to prepare for a left turn; a truck may be driven in the farthest left lane for up to one mile to prepare for a left hand turn as authorized under this paragraph;
(2) when necessary to enter or leave such roadway by entrance or exit to or from the left lane; a truck may be driven in the farthest left lane for up to one mile to prepare to enter or leave the roadway as authorized under this paragraph;
(3) when reasonably necessary in response to emergency conditions; for the purposes of this paragraph, "emergency conditions" shall include, but not be limited to: poor visibility, snow, accidents, or the presence of emergency vehicles.
f. When a roadway had been divided into two or more lanes for traffic in any one direction, a school bus, as defined under R.S.39:1-1, shall not be driven in the left-hand lane or lanes, except:
(1) when and to the extent necessary to prepare for a left turn, a school bus may be driven in the farthest left lane for up to one mile to prepare for a left hand turn;
(2) when necessary to enter or leave a roadway by entrance or exit to or from the left lane, a school bus may be driven in the farthest left lane for up to one mile to prepare to enter or leave the roadway; or
(3) when reasonably necessary in response to emergency conditions, for the purposes of this paragraph, "emergency conditions" shall include, but not be limited to: poor visibility, snow, accidents, or the presence of emergency vehicles.
(cf: P.L.2013, c.86, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth month after enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits school buses from driving in the left lane of a roadway except for turning and emergencies.
Under the bill, when a roadway has been divided into two or more lanes of traffic in any one direction, a school bus is prohibited from being driven in the left-hand lane or lanes, except for the following circumstances:
(1) to the extent necessary to prepare for a left turn, a school may be driven in the farthest left lane for up to one mile to prepare for a left-hand turn;
(2) when necessary to enter or leave a roadway by entrance or exit to or from the left lane, a school bus may be driven in the farthest left lane for up to one mile to prepare to enter or leave the roadway; or
(3) when reasonably necessary in response to emergency conditions, such as poor visibility, snow, accidents, or the presence of emergency vehicles.
A violation of the bill's provisions is to result in a fine of not less than $100 or more than $300 and a surcharge of $50.
