SENATE, No. 583

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED JANUARY 29, 1996

By Senator HAINES

An Act concerning splash guards on certain trucks and amending P.L.1952, c.343.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. Section 1 of P.L.1952, c.343 (C.39:3-79.1) is amended to read as follows:

    1. No person shall operate or cause to be operated any bus, truck, truck tractor, full trailer or semitrailer of registered gross weight exceeding three tons on any public highway unless the same is equipped with suitable metal protectors or substantial flexible flaps on the rearmost wheels, and, in case the rear wheels are not covered at the top by fender, body or other parts of the vehicle, the rear wheels shall be covered at the top by protective means, of such standard type or design and installed in such manner as shall be approved by the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles in the Department of Law and Public Safety and as shall conform substantially to any requirements of the [Interstate Commerce Commission] federal government governing similar subject matter, in order to prevent, as far as practical, such wheels from throwing dirt, water or other materials on the windshields of [the] following vehicles, except in cases in which the motor vehicle is so designed and constructed that the above requirements are accomplished by reason of fender or body construction or other means of enclosure; provided, however, this act shall not apply to pole trailers, dump trucks, tanks, or other vehicles where the construction thereof is such that complete freedom around the wheel area is necessary to secure the designed use of the vehicle.

(cf: P.L.1952, c.343, s.1)

    2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the third month after enactment.

STATEMENT

    This bill adds "truck tractors," to the vehicles now required to use splash guards behind their rear wheels to prevent dirt, water or other material from being splattered onto the windshields of following vehicles. "Truck tractors", as defined in the State motor vehicle code, are motor vehicles designed and used primarily for drawing other vehicles.

    Without splash guards, truck tractors, when being driven apart from a connecting vehicle, may hurl water or dirt onto the windshields of other motorists. Requiring such guards on these vehicles may prevent accidents on the highways.

Requires splash guards on truck tractors.