Office of Legislative Services
State House Annex
P.O. Box 068
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Legislative Budget and Finance Office
Phone (609) 847-3105
Fax (609) 777-2442
www.njleg.state.nj.us
LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
[First Reprint]
ASSEMBLY, No. 4813
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
DATED: DECEMBER 26, 2024
SUMMARY
Synopsis: Imposes conditions on drivers approaching stationary vehicles and
revises public awareness campaign.
Type of Impact: One-time State expenditure increase. Annual State and local revenue
increases.
Agencies Affected: Department of Law and Public Safety; Counties; Municipalities.
Office of Legislative Services Estimate
Fiscal Impact Year 1 Year 2 and Thereafter
State Expenditure Increase Indeterminate No Impact
State and Local Revenue Increases Indeterminate Indeterminate
The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) expects that the bill will result in an annual
indeterminate increase in State and local revenues. By expanding the scope of stationary
vehicles for which the operator of a vehicle is required to approach with due caution, the bill
is expected to increase the number of related traffic violations, thereby increasing traffic fee
collections. The OLS is unable to predict the number of additional traffic violations that would
occur as a result of the bill.
When a person is fined for a motor vehicle violation, the fine collections are either retained by
the State or divided equally between the host municipality and host county depending on
whether the fine was imposed by a State or local law enforcement officer. Accordingly, the
impact of increase fine collections would be spread between the State, counties, and
municipalities.
Additionally, the OLS concludes that the bill may result in an indeterminate increase in State
expenditures, during the first year following enactment, due to the requirement to update the
public awareness campaign established by the Division of Highway Traffic Safety in the
Department of Law and Public Safety to reflect the importance of approaching all stationary
vehicles with due caution. Because the public awareness campaign already emphasizes the FE to A4813 [1R]
2
importance of approaching certain vehicles with due caution, the OLS anticipates that any
potential cost increase would be marginal in nature.
BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill amends current law to require motor vehicle drivers to move over or reduce the speed
of the motor vehicle and be prepared to stop when approaching any stationary vehicle and to do
so for any stationary vehicle regardless of whether the vehicle is displaying flashing, blinking, or
alternating lights; flashing hazard warning signal lights; or utilizing road flares or reflective
triangles. Under current law, motor vehicle drivers are required to move over, or reduce the speed
of their vehicles, and be prepared to stop when approaching stationary authorized emergency
vehicles, tow trucks, highway maintenance or emergency service vehicles, and sanitation vehicles
displaying certain lights and for disabled vehicles flashing hazard warning signal lights or utilizing
road flares or reflective triangles.
This bill also requires the Director of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety in the Department
of Law and Public Safety to include all stationary vehicles in a public awareness campaign to
inform the general public of the importance of reducing speed and changing lanes when
approaching stationary vehicles, the risks associated with the failure to do so, and any penalties
and fines that are imposed by a failure to reduce speed or change lanes.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS estimates that the bill will result in an annual indeterminate increase in both State
and local revenues associated with increased traffic fine collections.
Under current law, a motor vehicle driver who fails to approach certain stationary or disabled
vehicles with due caution is subject to a fine of no less than $100 and no more than $500 for each
violation. Under the bill, a motor vehicle driver would be required to approach all stationary
vehicles with due caution. By expanding the scope of stationary vehicles for which the operator
of a vehicle is required to approach with due caution, the bill is expected to increase the number
of related traffic violations, thereby increasing traffic fee collections. The increase in State and
local revenue will depend on the monetary amount of each fine and the amount of motor vehicle
drivers found in violation of the law. Because the OLS is unable to predict the number of
additional traffic violations that would occur as a result of the bill, the OLS is cannot quantify the
anticipated increase in revenue.
However, the OLS notes that when a person is fined for a motor vehicle violation, the fine
collections are either retained by the State or divided equally between the host municipality and
host county depending on whether the fine was imposed by a State or local law enforcement
officer. Accordingly, the impact of increase fine collections would be spread between the State,
counties, and municipalities. FE to A4813 [1R]
3
Additionally, OLS concludes that the bill may result in a marginal indeterminate increase in
State expenditures, during the first year following enactment, due to the requirement to update the
public awareness campaign established by the Division of Highway Traffic Safety in the
Department of Law and Public Safety to reflect importance of approaching all stationary vehicles
with due caution and the penalties and fines set forth in the bill. The OLS assumes that the
department will be able to update the current public awareness campaign using existing resources,
thereby limiting the magnitude of any potential cost increases.
Section: Authorities, Utilities, Transportation and Communications
Analyst: Mikaela A. Chianese
Associate Research Analyst
Approved: Thomas Koenig
Legislative Budget and Finance Officer
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the
failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).