Subdivision 1. Seat belt. Any vehicle used to provide transportation service must be equipped with seat belts that are approved by the commissioner of public safety. The seat belts required by this subdivision must be adequate to secure the occupant of a wheelchair who is being transported by the vehicle. The seat belts must be used only to secure the person and must not be used to secure the wheelchair unless the wheelchair securement force is not cumulative to the seat belt. The seat belts must meet all other applicable state and federal requirements for safety.
Subd. 2. Electric wheelchair. When transportation service is provided to an individual in an electrically powered wheelchair, the main power switch of the wheelchair must be placed in the "off" position at all times while the vehicle is in motion.
Subd. 3. Mobility aid accessibility. (a) Vehicles equipped with wheelchair securement devices must provide a level-change mechanism or boarding device such as a lift or ramp that complies with Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, section 38.23.
(b) Wheelchair lifts must comply with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for public use lifts as outlined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, sections 571.403 and 571.404.
Subd. 4. Driver's responsibility. (a) The driver of a vehicle equipped with a wheelchair securement device has the duties outlined in this subdivision.
(b) The driver or a person designated by the driver must ensure that an occupied wheelchair is properly secured before the driver sets the vehicle in motion.
(c) The driver or a person designated by the driver must ensure that the seat belt assembly is properly adjusted and fastened around the wheelchair user in a manner consistent with the manufacturer's recommendations before the driver sets the vehicle in motion when:
(1) requested by the wheelchair user;
(2) the wheelchair user is unable to communicate;
(3) seat belt usage is required of all passengers in the vehicle; or
(4) the vehicle is a school bus.
The seat belt assembly must not be fastened if the wheelchair user or other responsible person advises the driver that to do so would aggravate a physical condition of the wheelchair user. If a restraint device is available that would not aggravate the physical condition of the user, it must be fastened in the required manner.
(d) The driver or a person designated by the driver shall ensure that securement devices and seat belt assemblies are retracted, removed, or otherwise stored when not in use to prevent tripping of persons and damage to devices.
1978 c 752 s 3; 1989 c 204 s 6; 1Sp2019 c 3 art 3 s 86
Structure Minnesota Statutes
Chapters 299A - 299N — Public Safety
Chapter 299A — Department Of Public Safety
Section 299A.01 — Department Of Public Safety; Creation, Organization.
Section 299A.015 — Duties Transferred From Other Agency.
Section 299A.017 — State Safety Oversight.
Section 299A.02 — Liquor Control Functions.
Section 299A.11 — Vehicle Transporting Wheelchair User; Definitions.
Section 299A.12 — Wheelchair Securement Device.
Section 299A.13 — Additional Safety Requirements.
Section 299A.14 — Vehicle Inspection.
Section 299A.15 — Aid And License Withheld.
Section 299A.17 — Misdemeanor.
Section 299A.291 — Definitions.
Section 299A.292 — Office Of Drug Policy And Violence Prevention.
Section 299A.294 — Responsibilities Of Council.
Section 299A.295 — Youth Neighborhood Centers; Pilot Projects.
Section 299A.296 — Community Crime Prevention Programs; Grants.
Section 299A.297 — Other Duties.
Section 299A.298 — Cooperation Of Other Agencies.
Section 299A.299 — Multidisciplinary Chemical Abuse Prevention Team.
Section 299A.2994 — Asian-american Juvenile Crime Prevention.
Section 299A.33 — Drug Abuse Resistance Education (dare) Program.
Section 299A.38 — Soft Body Armor Reimbursement.
Section 299A.41 — Definitions.
Section 299A.42 — Public Safety Officer's Benefit Account.
Section 299A.43 — Eligibility Determination; Contested Case.
Section 299A.44 — Death Benefit.
Section 299A.45 — Education Benefit.
Section 299A.465 — Continued Health Insurance Coverage.
Section 299A.47 — Claims Limitation.
Section 299A.475 — Posttraumatic Stress Syndrome Benefit.
Section 299A.477 — Hometown Heroes Assistance Program.
Section 299A.49 — Definitions.
Section 299A.50 — Response Plan.
Section 299A.51 — Liability And Workers' Compensation.
Section 299A.52 — Responsible Person.
Section 299A.55 — Railroad And Pipeline Safety; Oil And Other Hazardous Materials.
Section 299A.59 — Notice Of Multiple Law Enforcement Operations Conflicts.
Section 299A.61 — Criminal Alert Network.
Section 299A.62 — Community-oriented Policing (cops) Grant Program.
Section 299A.642 — Violent Crime Coordinating Council.
Section 299A.681 — Financial Crimes Advisory Board And Task Force.
Section 299A.70 — Public Safety Motor Vehicle Account.
Section 299A.705 — Driver And Vehicle Services Accounts.
Section 299A.706 — Alcohol Enforcement Account; Appropriation.
Section 299A.707 — Community Justice Reinvestment Account.
Section 299A.71 — Combating Juvenile Prostitution; Prevention Grants.
Section 299A.72 — Juvenile Justice Program.
Section 299A.73 — Grants-in-aid To Youth Intervention Programs.
Section 299A.76 — Suicide Statistics.
Section 299A.78 — Statewide Human Trafficking Assessment.
Section 299A.783 — Statewide Antitrafficking Investigation Coordination.
Section 299A.785 — Trafficking Study.
Section 299A.79 — Trafficking Study; Analysis And Use Of Data.
Section 299A.795 — Trafficking Victim Assistance.
Section 299A.7957 — Toll-free Hotline For Trafficking Victims.
Section 299A.80 — Administrative Powers And Penalties; General.
Section 299A.801 — Corrective Orders And Injunctions.
Section 299A.802 — Administrative Penalty Order.
Section 299A.81 — Death Scene Investigations.
Section 299A.85 — Office For Missing And Murdered Indigenous Relatives.