Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ALEX SAUICKIE
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Requires transportation network companies to inquire about child riders and confirm availability of certain child car seats before confirming prearranged ride.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning certain child safety requirements for transportation network companies and supplementing P.L.2017, c.26 (C.39:5H-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Each transportation network company shall configure its digital network to require a potential rider requesting a prearranged ride to indicate:
a. whether any potential rider is a child who is required to utilize a child passenger restraint system or a booster seat pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1983, c.128 (C.39:3-76.2a); and
b. if so, whether a potential rider will provide and install in the transportation network company driver’s personal vehicle the requisite child passenger restraint system, or systems, booster seat, or booster seats, or any combination thereof as may be required to comply with section 1 of P.L.1983, c.128 (C.39:3-76.2a).
2. A transportation network driver shall not accept or confirm a prearranged ride for a potential rider who has responded in the affirmative to subsection a. of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) unless the potential rider has confirmed, pursuant to subsection b. of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), that a potential rider will provide and install in the driver’s personal vehicle the requisite child passenger restraint system, or systems, booster seat, or booster seats, or any combination thereof as may be required to comply with section 1 of P.L.1983, c.128 (C.39:3-76.2a).
3. This act shall take effect immediately, except that section 2 shall take effect on the first day of the third month next following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires transportation network companies (TNCs) to confirm the availability of certain child car seats before a TNC driver may transport children who are required by State law to utilize such car seats.
Specifically, the bill requires each TNC to configure its digital network to require a potential rider requesting a prearranged ride to indicate: (1) whether any potential rider is a child who is required to utilize a child passenger restraint system or a booster seat pursuant to State law; and (2) if so, whether a potential rider will provide and install in the driver’s personal vehicle the requisite child passenger restraint system, or systems, booster seat, or booster seats, or any combination thereof as may be required to comply with State law.
The bill prohibits a TNC driver from accepting or confirming a prearranged ride for a potential rider who has indicated the presence of a child who requires a child passenger restraint system or a booster seat unless the potential rider has also confirmed that a potential rider will provide and install in the driver’s personal vehicle the requisite child passenger restraint system, or systems, booster seat, or booster seats, or any combination thereof as may be required to comply with State law.