LEGISLATIVE
PROPOSALS FOR THE REAUTHORIZATION
OF THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA)
Increase
NHTSA Resources to Meet the Challenge
Issue
Overdue and Common Sense Standards to Prevent Rollover Deaths
and Injuries
Make
Vehicles More Compatible and Less Aggressive
Enhance
the Safety of Children In and Around Cars
Help
Consumers Make the Right Choice
INCREASE NHTSA RESOURCES TO MEET THE CHALLENGE
Each
year nearly 42,000 people die and over 3 million more are injured
in motor vehicle crashes at a cost of $230.6 Billion. Although
nearly 95% of all transportation-related fatalities occur as
a result of highway crashes, NHTSA's total budget for motor
vehicle and traffic safety programs is less than 1 percent of
the U.S. Department of Transportation's annual budget. The current
authorization funding level for NHTSA's motor vehicle safety
and consumer information programs is only $107.9 million, less
than the economic cost of 110 highway deaths.
ACTION:
Increase the funding authorization for NHTSA's motor vehicle
safety and consumer information programs to $200 million annually.
The multi-year authorization bill should include annual funding
increases.
ISSUE OVERDUE AND COMMON SENSE STANDARDS TO PREVENT ROLLOVER
DEATHS AND INJURIES
In
2001, more than 10,000 fatalities occurred in rollover crashes.
Rollover crashes represent 3% of all collisions but account
for 32% of occupant fatalities. In 1994, the U.S. DOT announced
at a press event several safety initiatives to address rollover
crashes in lieu of issuing a rollover prevention standard. Nearly
ten years later, DOT has yet to make any progress or complete
any of the promised actions such as better interior padding,
upgraded roof crush standard, and improved ejection prevention
measures.
ACTION:
Require NHTSA action and issuance of a final rule on a rollover
crashworthiness standard that includes:
Improved
roof crush strength and added roof padding
Stronger windshield bonding
Better door locks and latches to prevent ejection
Installation of side air bags
Integrated seating systems with stronger seat backs and tracks
and seat belt pre-tensioners and load-limiters
Advanced head restraints
Require
NHTSA action and issuance of a final rule on a crash avoidance
standard to prevent rollover.
MAKE VEHICLES MORE COMPATIBILE AND LESS AGGRESSIVE
An
important aspect of both crash avoidance and crashworthiness
designs and performance is the controlled, predictable interaction
of vehicles prior to and during collisions. Recent studies by
American and Australian researchers have underscored the overall
harm that large light trucks and vans (LTVs), especially sport
utility vehicles, can inflict on smaller passenger vehicles.
For
example, passenger car drivers are 26 times more likely to be
killed when the car they are driving is struck in the side by
a pickup truck, and 16 times more likely to be killed when their
car is struck in the side by a SUV.
ACTION:
Require NHTSA to improve vehicle compatibility between larger
and smaller makes and models of the passenger vehicle fleet
by reducing the aggressivity of larger vehicles, especially
light trucks and vans while also enhancing the front and side
impact protection of occupants of small and mid-sized passenger
vehicles. Require NHTSA to develop countermeasures to modulate
the height, weight, and general aggressive character of large
vans, pickup trucks and SUVs to ensure the management of crash
forces is more evenly distributed between larger and smaller
vehicles in multi-vehicle collisions.
ENHANCE THE SAFETY OF CHILDREN IN AND AROUND CARS
Motor
vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death and injury to
children and teenagers. In 2001, 11,427 children and teens were
killed and nearly 900,000 thousand more were injured as both
occupants and non-occupants of motor vehicles. There are several
actions that NHTSA needs to take in order to enhance the safety
of our children.
ACTION: Require NHTSA to improve the safety of children
and teens by:
Collecting
data on child fatalities in or around a non-operating vehicle.
Requiring
automatic window systems that will not harm or kill children.
Mandating 15 passenger vans up to 10,000 lbs. gross vehicle
weight to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and include
these vehicles in NCAP testing.
Enhancing rear vision to prevent children from being run over
and require back-up sensors for all passenger vehicles, light
and medium trucks.
HELP
CONSUMERS MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE
Comparative
ratings of vehicle crashworthiness would assist consumers in
making safer purchase decisions. It has been more than 30 years
since Congress first mandated the issuance of consumer information,
yet NHTSA has provided only a minimal amount of information
to consumers. The best means of reaching consumers with comparative
information on crashworthiness and other vehicle performance
characteristics is to place the information on vehicle window
stickers. In a 2001 public opinion poll conducted by Lou Harris,
84% of the people surveyed favored placing government crash
test result ratings on a window sticker of vehicles at the point
of sale.
ACTION:
Require NHTSA to issue a crashworthiness safety rating for all
new motor vehicles similar to the EPA energy efficiency rating.
The rating should be located on a vehicle sticker at the point
of sale for all passenger vehicles.
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
February 25, 2003
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