A. [PL 2019, c. 299, §2 (RP).]

A-1. "Belt positioning seat" means a child restraint system that positions a child on a motor vehicle seat to improve the fit of a seat belt on the child.   [PL 2019, c. 299, §2 (NEW).]

A-2. "Child restraint system" means any device, except a Type I seat belt or Type II seat belt, designed for use in a motor vehicle to restrain, seat and position children who weigh 80 pounds or less and that meets the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.   [PL 2019, c. 299, §2 (NEW).]

A-3. "Convertible child restraint system" means a child restraint system capable of positioning a child to face either in the direction of the front of the motor vehicle or the rear of the motor vehicle.   [PL 2019, c. 299, §2 (NEW).]

A-4. "Child passenger safety technician with special needs training" means a person certified by a national child passenger safety certification program using a curriculum approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to provide instruction in the use of child restraint systems who also has special needs training provided by that program.   [PL 2019, c. 577, §1 (NEW).]

B. "Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards" means the standards described in 49 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 571, in effect on January 1, 1981, as subsequently amended.   [PL 2001, c. 585, §1 (NEW); PL 2001, c. 585, §6 (AFF).]

C. [PL 2019, c. 299, §2 (RP).]

D. "Rear-facing child restraint system" means a child restraint system that positions a child to face the rear of the motor vehicle.   [PL 2019, c. 299, §2 (NEW).]

E. "Type I seat belt" means a lap belt designed for pelvic restraint of a person seated in a motor vehicle.   [PL 2019, c. 299, §2 (NEW).]

F. "Type II seat belt" means a combination of belts designed for pelvic and upper torso restraint of a person seated in a motor vehicle.   [PL 2019, c. 299, §2 (NEW).]

A. The operator shall ensure that a child who weighs less than 80 pounds, who is less than 57 inches in height and who is less than 8 years of age is properly secured in a belt positioning seat or other child restraint system in accordance with the child restraint system manufacturer's instructions and the vehicle manufacturer's instructions.   [PL 2019, c. 577, §4 (AMD).]

B. The operator shall ensure that a child who is less than 18 years of age and who is not required to be secured under paragraph A or subsection 2‑A or 2‑B is properly secured in a seat belt.   [PL 2019, c. 299, §2 (AMD).]

C. The operator shall ensure that a child who is less than 12 years of age is properly secured in the rear seat of a vehicle, if possible.   [PL 2019, c. 577, §5 (AMD).]

A. The requirements of subsection 3‑A do not apply to a passenger over 18 years of age when the number of passengers exceeds the vehicle seating capacity and all of the seat belts are in use.   [PL 2019, c. 299, §2 (AMD).]

A-1. The requirements of subsection 3‑A do not apply to a driver or passenger who has a medical condition that, in the opinion of a licensed physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner or registered nurse, warrants an exemption from the requirements of subsection 3‑A and that medical condition and opinion are documented by a certificate from that licensed physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner or registered nurse. That certificate is valid for the period designated by the licensed physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner or registered nurse, which may not exceed 6 years. The Secretary of State may issue a removable windshield placard that is visible to law enforcement officers to a person with a certificate from a licensed physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner or registered nurse. A removable windshield placard is a 2-sided permit designed to hang from the rearview mirror when the vehicle is in motion without obstructing the view of the operator. The placard must be displayed by hanging it from the rearview mirror so that it may be viewed from the front and rear of the vehicle when the vehicle is in motion. If the vehicle is not equipped with a rearview mirror, the placard must be displayed on the dashboard. The placard must be identifiable as a seat belt placard as designed by the Secretary of State. A placard issued to a person under this paragraph expires when the licensed physician's, physician assistant's, nurse practitioner's or registered nurse's certificate expires.   [PL 2023, c. 634, §31 (AMD).]

A-2. The requirements of subsections 2‑A, 2‑B and 3 do not apply if a child passenger has a medical condition that, in the opinion of a physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant or child passenger safety technician with special needs training, necessitates that a different child restraint system be used to improve the safety of the child. An opinion rendered pursuant to this paragraph must:  

B. [PL 2005, c. 12, Pt. AAA, §4 (RP).]

C. [PL 2005, c. 12, Pt. AAA, §5 (RP).]

D. [PL 2005, c. 12, Pt. AAA, §6 (RP).]

E. [PL 2007, c. 60, §2 (RP).]

A. A rural mail carrier of the United States Postal Service is not required to be secured in a seat belt while engaged in the delivery of mail;   [PL 2009, c. 34, §1 (AMD).]

B. The operator of a taxicab or a limousine is not responsible for securing in a seat belt a passenger transported for a fee; and   [PL 2009, c. 34, §1 (AMD).]

C. A newspaper delivery person is not required to be secured in a seat belt while engaged in the actual delivery of newspapers from a vehicle or performing newspaper delivery duties that require frequent entry into and exit from a vehicle.   [PL 2009, c. 34, §1 (NEW).]