Transportation (Traffic Safety)

This bill requires all school buses transporting students with special needs in New Jersey to install two safety features: (1) an electronic seat belt alert system that audibly and visually notifies drivers if any seat belt is unfastened during motion, and (2) unique barcodes on the bus interior/exterior that drivers scan after trips to confirm no students were left behind. It directly affects school bus operators and drivers serving special needs students. The Commissioner of Education will develop implementation rules with the Motor Vehicle Commission, and the law takes effect six months after enactment. The bill aims to prevent accidents and ensure student safety during transportation.

This bill allows New Jersey municipalities, counties, and the Department of Transportation to create "special event zones" during large automotive events (defined as gatherings with 25+ attendees). Within these zones, authorities can temporarily lower speed limits for safety and ban "exhibition driving" (dangerous maneuvers like burnouts or skidding). Violations of traffic rules in these zones carry increased fines up to $1,000, with stricter penalties for offenses like speeding or reckless driving. The zones remain active during the event and for a reasonable time before and after, requiring clear signage to inform drivers.

This bill requires New Jersey's state-managed limited access highways to have posted speed limits based on the speed at which 85% of vehicles travel, as determined through traffic engineering studies. It mandates that the Commissioner of Transportation set speed limits using this 85th percentile standard rather than default limits, applying only to highways designated as "eligible limited access highways" under state jurisdiction. The law repeals prior provisions (P.L.1997, c.415) and specifies that speed limits must be set through documented engineering analysis, including speed surveys. This directly affects state highway authorities and drivers on these specific highways, replacing fixed speed limits with data-driven standards.

This bill amends New Jersey's school bus stop laws to authorize the use of school bus monitoring systems for enforcement. It directly affects drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses (including those transporting children or individuals with developmental disabilities) and school districts/municipalities that install such systems. Key provisions establish that violations captured by these systems result in a $250 civil penalty (instead of criminal penalties), with collected funds directed to municipal and school safety programs. The bill also clarifies that registered vehicle owners are presumed responsible for violations recorded by the systems.

This bill creates a new motor vehicle offense called "engaging in a pattern of aggressive driving" for drivers who commit specific dangerous behaviors in a single continuous drive. It directly affects drivers who, within five miles, perform two different aggressive driving acts (like speeding 25+ mph over the limit, tailgating, erratic lane changes, or unsafe passing) or three of the same act. Penalties include license suspension (15-30 days for first offense, 60-90 days or fines up to $3,000 for repeat offenses or those causing injury/death) or mandatory education classes, with prosecutors barred from offering plea deals to lesser charges. The bill also requires the Motor Vehicle Commission to run public awareness campaigns and report annual enforcement data on this offense.