HB 1439

Abstract

Transportation safety. Adopts several initiatives related to transportation and safety, including (i) making it illegal to possess an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle; (ii) requiring all passengers in a vehicle to wear safety belts and making failure to wear a safety belt a primary offense; (iii) prohibiting the use of handheld personal communication devices; (iv) establishing a speed monitoring program in highway safety corridors that uses a vehicle sensor to take a picture of a vehicle traveling more than 10 miles over the speed limit, subjecting the driver to a monetary fine; and (v) allowing localities to lower the speed limit below 25 miles per hour in business and residential districts. The bill directs the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles to establish an advisory committee to oversee education and training materials and implementation and enforcement of policies such as the bill's safety belt and handheld personal communications device provisions. The bill decreases the frequency of vehicle inspections from every 12 months to every 24 months. The bill contains numerous technical amendments.

Transportation safety. Adopts several initiatives related to transportation and safety, including: (i) making it illegalto possess an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle, (ii)requiring all passengers in a vehicle to wear safety belts and makingfailure to wear a safety belt a primary offense, (iii) prohibitingthe use of handheld personal communication devices, (iv) establishinga speed monitoring program in highway safety corridors that usesa vehicle sensor to take a picture of a vehicle traveling more than10 miles over the speed limit, subjecting the driver to a monetary fine, and (v) allowing localities to lower the speed limit below25 miles per hour in business and residential districts. The Commissionerof the Department of Motor Vehicles will establish an advisory committeeto oversee education and enforcement of policies such as the seatbeltand hands-free provisions. The bill also changes the vehicle inspectionsafety program to only require inspections of salvage vehicles thathave been rebuilt for highway use, converted electric vehicles, andoff-road motorcycles that have been converted to on-road use. Thebill contains numerous technical amendments.