58-31-52. State motor vehicle safety program.

(a) Findings, Policy, and Purpose. - Motor vehicle accidents exact a terrible toll of human tragedy and suffering as well as national resources within the United States. The same is true, on a smaller scale, within North Carolina State government. Every year State employees or members of the general public are killed or injured, and a significant portion of the State's financial resources is expended as a direct result of accidents involving State-owned vehicles. Accordingly, it is North Carolina policy that the State-owned motor vehicle fleet and vehicles used on behalf of the State be operated and maintained in such a manner as to minimize deaths, injuries, and costs. The purpose of this section is to direct the Commissioner of Insurance to develop a program to provide policy, requirements, procedures, technical information, and standards for administering a State vehicle safety program which will apply to all State personnel involved in the administration and operation of vehicles on behalf of the State.

(b) The Commissioner shall develop and adopt a State motor vehicle safety program to assure that State-owned motor vehicles are operated and maintained in a safe manner.

(c) In developing the program, the Commissioner shall include the following:

(1) Basic criteria concerning qualifications, screening, and education of drivers.

(2) Required and prohibited driving practices.

(3) Safety maintenance requirements.

(4) Accident reporting and review procedures.

(d) The requirements and procedures established under the program apply to all agencies and persons operating vehicles on behalf of the State, unless specifically exempted by the Commissioner. Agencies may adopt more stringent requirements and procedures than those adopted by the Commissioner under this section. The administration of the program in each agency is the responsibility of each agency head or that person's designee.

(e) The provisions of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes do not apply to the program developed and adopted under this section.