California Code of Regulations › Title 13 - Motor Vehicles › Division 2 - Department of the California Highway Patrol › Chapter 6.5 - Motor Carrier Safety › Article 9 - Additional Equipment Requirements for School Buses › Section 1294 - Child Safety Alert Systems

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
(a) All school buses, school pupil activity
				  buses, youth buses, and child care vehicles subject to this chapter shall be
				  equipped with an operational child safety alert system meeting the requirements
				  of this section.
(b) The child
				  safety alert system shall be automatically activated within the first three
				  minutes of vehicle movement or prior to the time the vehicle reaches a speed of
				  10 miles per hour, whichever occurs first. Once activated, the child safety
				  alert system shall require the driver to manually contact or scan the device
				  prior to exiting the vehicle. The vehicle shall not be equipped with any method
				  to deactivate the device except as provided within this section.
(c) Following activation of the child safety
				  alert system as required by subsection (b), within three minutes of the time
				  the vehicle is stopped, the parking brakes are applied, the ignition is in the
				  off position, and all floor-level doors are closed, the child safety alert
				  system shall cause a tone or flashing light, or both, to be emitted from the
				  vehicle. The tone or flashing light shall be audible or visible at least 50
				  feet from the vehicle with all doors and windows in the closed and locked
				  position. Notwithstanding any permitted time delay, an activated child safety
				  alert system shall immediately cause the required audible or visible warning,
				  or both, to be emitted when any floor-level door is opened. The device shall
				  cause continuous emission of the required audible or visible warning, or both,
				  for not less than 30 continuous minutes. The driver's manual contact with, or
				  scanning of the device, shall deactivate the device and cause the audible and
				  visible warning to cease. Once active, the device shall not be deactivated
				  under any circumstance or by any method except as provided within this section,
				  prior to the driver exiting the vehicle.
(1)
				  The device may be connected to a flashing red light signal system required by
				  Section 25257 CVC, or other required or
				  permitted device to preclude the emission of warning tones or flashing lights
				  while the driver is actively engaged in loading, unloading, or escorting pupils
				  as required by law. The device shall remain activated as required by this
				  section unless and until the driver manually contacts or scans the device.
				  Following manual contact or scanning of the device, the device shall again be
				  activated upon subsequent movement of the vehicle.
(2) Child safety alert systems may be
				  designed in a manner which delays the audible or visible warning for not more
				  than three minutes from the time the vehicle is stopped, the parking brakes are
				  applied, the ignition is set to the off position, and all floor-level doors are
				  closed until the time the tone or flashing lights, or both, begin to be
				  emitted. The tone or flashing lights, or both, shall cease upon manual contact
				  or scanning of the device by the driver.
(3) When the device is configured with only
				  flashing lights, the light shall be visible from any location within the
				  interior of the vehicle and for 360 degrees around the exterior of the vehicle.
				  Vehicle headlamps, tail lamps, or other required exterior lighting devices may
				  be used in fulfilling the exterior visibility requirement. The vehicle horn
				  required by Section
				  27000 CVC may be used to fulfill
				  the tone-emitting requirement.
(4)
				  The child safety alert system shall be designed so that when the device is
				  activated, prior to the driver exiting the vehicle, sufficient lighting is
				  immediately provided within the interior of the vehicle to facilitate a full
				  and thorough inspection of the interior of the vehicle, including, but not
				  limited to, interior package-carrying areas, under all seats, and throughout
				  the driver compartment. The required interior lighting shall remain illuminated
				  for not less than one minute following deactivation of the device and shall be
				  extinguished automatically. Interior lights required by Section
				  1217 of this chapter may be used
				  in fulfilling this requirement.
(A) When the
				  design of a vehicle precludes configuration of the device to ensure
				  illumination of the interior of the vehicle as required, the driver shall be
				  responsible to ensure sufficient illumination is provided. Any design
				  preclusion shall be certified by the vehicle manufacturer or an independent
				  engineer, in writing. A legible copy of the certification shall be carried on
				  the vehicle. The original certification shall be retained by the vehicle
				  operator or motor carrier for the duration of time the vehicle is in their
				  possession and transferred to the next operator upon sale or change of
				  possession of the vehicle. A legible copy or the original certification shall
				  be made available for inspection by any authorized employee of the department,
				  a parent, or guardian of a pupil transported on the vehicle, or any interested
				  member of the public.