You are in the category : General
Saturday, 16. February 2008
Senate Enacts Auto Safety Measures
You might’ve been elated to know the Congress isn’t neglecting auto safety as much as other state concerns. On Thursday, the august body sent Pres. Bush to improve auto safety legislation for kids. The bill includes measures to slash backovers and accidents caused by power windows and the like.
The legislation aims to respond to the call for enhanced auto safety involving kids. Earlier, it was reported that a number of children have been accidentally backed over by cars with large blind spots, strangled by power windows or struck by vehicles that roll out of the parked position.
The bill requires automakers lineup starting 2010 to have brake interlock systems, an auto feature that prevent vehicles from shifting out of park unless the driver step on the brake pedal. To respond to backovers, upcoming vehicles are expected to offer additional mirrors, cameras, and sensor devices to help decrease blind spots.
What’s more, the bill requires the government to study a power window auto-reverse safety standard to avoid kids from getting caught in the windows. The latter is responsible for a significant number of non-traffic deaths and injuries. Sen. John Sununu, R-N.H., noted that an estimated 230 children were killed last year in so-called "non-traffic" accidents and said he was hopeful the bill would "reduce this unnecessary loss of life."
Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla, added, “We have the technology to prevent these deaths, it just needs to be put to use.”
Congress amassed high praises from safety advocates. "We love our kids and this is something that is going to protect them," said Janette Fennell, who founded Kids and Cars, an auto safety group which sought the measure.
The bill sponsored by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., was named after Cameron Gulbransen, a 2-year-old New York boy who was killed when his father accidentally backed over him in his driveway. "With this legislation we honor his memory, and the memory of all children taken from us by these tragic and preventable auto accidents," Clinton said in an interview.
Dave McCurdy, president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, told the Associated Press it would build upon the safety equipment being installed by automakers such as ESC and additional air bags.
The legislation aims to respond to the call for enhanced auto safety involving kids. Earlier, it was reported that a number of children have been accidentally backed over by cars with large blind spots, strangled by power windows or struck by vehicles that roll out of the parked position.
The bill requires automakers lineup starting 2010 to have brake interlock systems, an auto feature that prevent vehicles from shifting out of park unless the driver step on the brake pedal. To respond to backovers, upcoming vehicles are expected to offer additional mirrors, cameras, and sensor devices to help decrease blind spots.
What’s more, the bill requires the government to study a power window auto-reverse safety standard to avoid kids from getting caught in the windows. The latter is responsible for a significant number of non-traffic deaths and injuries. Sen. John Sununu, R-N.H., noted that an estimated 230 children were killed last year in so-called "non-traffic" accidents and said he was hopeful the bill would "reduce this unnecessary loss of life."
Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla, added, “We have the technology to prevent these deaths, it just needs to be put to use.”
Congress amassed high praises from safety advocates. "We love our kids and this is something that is going to protect them," said Janette Fennell, who founded Kids and Cars, an auto safety group which sought the measure.
The bill sponsored by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., was named after Cameron Gulbransen, a 2-year-old New York boy who was killed when his father accidentally backed over him in his driveway. "With this legislation we honor his memory, and the memory of all children taken from us by these tragic and preventable auto accidents," Clinton said in an interview.
Dave McCurdy, president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, told the Associated Press it would build upon the safety equipment being installed by automakers such as ESC and additional air bags.
Responsible for the content of the member blogs are our members, not the provider, Beepworld GmbH
