Bill Text: NJ S178 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Prohibits operating vehicle in unsafe manner likely to impede traffic or endanger person or property.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-12 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee [S178 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-S178-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
214th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2010 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator NICHOLAS P. SCUTARI
District 22 (Middlesex, Somerset and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits operating vehicle in unsafe manner likely to impede traffic or endanger person or property.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning driving in an unsafe manner and amending R.S.39:4-67.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.39:4-67 is amended to read as follows:
a. No vehicle or street car shall be permitted by the owner or driver thereof to so occupy a street as to interfere with or interrupt the passage of other street cars or vehicles, nor shall the driver of a vehicle or street car drive such vehicle or street car into an intersection if preceding traffic prevents immediate clearance of the intersection.
b. No person shall operate a motor vehicle in an unsafe manner likely to impede traffic or endanger a person or property.
(1) A person convicted of a first offense under this subsection shall be subject to a fine of not less than $50 or more than $150 and shall not be assessed any motor vehicle penalty points pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1982, c.43 (C.39:5-30.5).
(2) A person convicted of a second offense under this subsection shall be subject to a fine of not less than $100 or more than $250 and shall not be assessed any motor vehicle penalty points pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1982, c.43 (C.39:5-30.5).
(3) A person convicted of a third or subsequent offense under this subsection shall be subject to a fine of not less than $300 or more than $600 and shall not be assessed any motor vehicle penalty points pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1982, c.43 (C.39:5-30.5).
(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S.39:5-41, all fines imposed and collected pursuant to this section shall be forwarded by the judge to whom the same have been paid as follows: one-half of the total amount collected to the financial officer, as designated by the local governing body, of the respective municipalities wherein the violations occurred, to be used by the municipality for general municipal use; and one-half of the total amount collected to the proper financial officer of the county wherein they were collected, to be used by the county as a fund for the construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair of roads and bridges, snow removal, the acquisition and purchase of rights-of-way, and the purchase, replacement and repair of equipment for use on said roads and bridges therein.
(cf: P.L.1956, c.107, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits drivers from operating motor vehicles in an unsafe manner likely to impede traffic or endanger a person or property.
Under current law, a driver is prohibited from obstructing the passage of another vehicle on a street and from driving a vehicle into an intersection if preceding traffic prevents immediate clearance of the intersection. This bill would expand this law to also prohibit unsafe driving that is likely to impede traffic or endanger persons or property.
The bill establishes a fine of $50 to $150 for a first offense; $100 to $250 for a second offense; and $300 to $600 for a third or subsequent offense. One-half of the fines collected would be allocated to the municipality for general municipal use and the other half would be allocated to the county for road and bridge construction, maintenance and repair. No motor vehicle penalty points would be assessed for a violation of the bill's provisions.
