We have designed this area to assist residents and visitors to the Borough of Old Tappan with the latest traffic patterns within the Borough and any new traffic laws. This page is kept as current as possible but if you have any questions call police headquarters at (201) 664-1221.
Remember, Borough ordinance 242-2D restricts parking on all Borough streets from 2:00 am till 6:00 November 15 to April 1. Please have all vehicles during this time parked in driveways or garages.
Also in an effort to prevent traffic accidents, the police department asks that all residents keep hedges and bushes trimmed on corner properties so drivers can have an unobstructed view of intersections.
School Bus Safety Rules
Please be mindful of school bus traffic around schools and watch for children getting onto them throughout the day. In 1999 statistics school bus related crashes killed 164 people and injured an estimated 18,000 people nationwide. Over the past six years, about 70% of deaths in school bus related crashes were occupants of vehicles other than the school bus and 20% were pedestrians. About 4% were school bus passengers and 2% were bus drivers. The pedestrians killed in school bus crashes over this period, approximately 77% were struck by the school bus.
Things to keep in mind:
Vehicles are required to stop for a school bus when it is stopped to load or discharge passengers.
When waiting for the bus children should stay away from traffic, avoid roughhousing and do not stray into the street.
Stay away from the roadway as the bus approaches and wait until it stops and the doors open before stepping into the street.
Loud noise on the bus can distract the bus driver and should not be permitted.
When you reach your destination, wait for the bus to stop completely before getting up from your seat.
Stay away from the bus' rear wheels at all times.
Parents should go over these rules with their children and also review the correct way to cross the street to avoid needless injuries to our children.
Motorized Scooters
Operating on Public Roadways
We have been receiving inquires about motorized scooters or "Go-Peds". Many parents who call are unaware that they are not only dangerous, but also illegal to operate on public roadways.
The recent popularity of motorized scooters has raised the issue of legality of such devices on public roadways. Motorized scooters or skateboards are sometimes referred to as "Go-Peds" and can cost up to $600.00. Much of the recent attention has been focused on the danger of these devices, corroborated by emergency room visits by their operators. They can be difficult to see by motorists, and the wheels are so narrow the are vulnerable to pavement cracks.
With regard to current law, the Department of Transportation has publicly stated that motorized scooters are motor vehicles and therefore subject to Title 39 (Motor Vehicle & traffic Laws). Some area police departments have issued unregistered vehicle or uninsured motorist summonses. Others stop the rider and confiscate the motorized scooter.
A motorized scooter or skateboard falls under the definition of "motor vehicle" in N.J.S.A. 39:1-1. A "motorcycle" includes all motor-operated bicycles, whether it has a seat or a "platform on which the driver stands". Accordingly, such devices may not be operated on public property or roadways because they do not meet the State and Federal Department of Transportation standards for motorcycles. It is not conceivable the manufacturer intended for this vehicle to be licensed as a motorcycle since it does not bear the necessary DOT certification. As with other motorized vehicles which are prohibited from being operated on public roads, the Go-Ped would be restricted to use on private property provided the owner of the property consented to such use.
Operating a Go-Ped on a sidewalk would be prohibited under Title 39:4-71. These same restrictions against use on public streets and sidewalks apply to off-road dirt bikes, mini-bikes, go-carts etc.
Also keep in mind, the danger posed by these scooters. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported the following data from 1999 to 2001:
The Old Tappan Police Department recommends parents keep this in mind BEFORE you purchase a motorized scooter.
Cell Phone Use Prohibited While Driving : (Ordinance No. 826-030) (Superseded by the NJ State Statute)
The use of a cell phone while driving is prohibited in the Borough of Old Tappan unless you use a hands-free device. New signs have been posted throughout the town. All motorists are urged to follow this new ordinance to prevent accidents.
NJ State Statute: Hands-Free Device is now required while driving!
In Effect: March 1, 2008
Fine: up to $250
New Jersey's ban on cell phone use by drivers went into effect on March 2008,
police can now pull somebody over simply for talking on a cell phone
without a hands-free device. Motorists talking on hand-held cell phones while
behind the wheel could be fined up to $250. It used to be a secondary infraction
prior to March of 2008.
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