(A) No person shall operate any motor vehicle owned, leased, or hired by a nursery school, kindergarten, or day-care center, while transporting preschool children to or from such an institution unless the motor vehicle is equipped with and displaying two amber flashing lights mounted on a bar attached to the top of the vehicle, and a sign bearing the designation "caution--children," which shall be attached to the bar carrying the amber flashing lights in such a manner as to be legible to persons both in front of and behind the vehicle. The lights and sign shall meet standards and specifications adopted by the director of public safety. The director, subject to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall adopt standards and specifications for the lights and sign, which shall include, but are not limited to, requirements for the color and size of lettering to be used on the sign, the type of material to be used for the sign, and the method of mounting the lights and sign so that they can be removed from a motor vehicle being used for purposes other than those specified in this section.
(B) No person shall operate a motor vehicle displaying the lights and sign required by this section for any purpose other than the transportation of preschool children as provided in this section.
(C) Whoever violates this section shall be punished as provided in section 4513.99 of the Revised Code.
Effective Date: 01-01-2004.