For Rapid Launch
Contact: Kelly O’Keeffe
(202) 617-1561
December 16, 2024
BLUMENTHAL INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO PREVENT FRONTOVER CHILD DEATHS
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced immediately the introduction of laws to stop baby deaths as a consequence of frontover incidents. The Requirements to Stop (STOP) Frontovers Act would require all new automobiles to come back outfitted with cameras, sensors, or different know-how to enhance drivers’ visibility and notion of youngsters, pets, and different objects that could be in entrance of and round their car and avert crashes. Demonstrations by investigative reporters have proven blind zones in entrance of some vehicles to be as giant as 16 ft, obscuring kids from view and placing them prone to being run over, resulting in deaths and accidents.
“This mandate for detection units like cameras or sensors will save lives,” stated Blumenthal. “Giant blind zones round vehicles are reportedly leading to heartbreaking incidents—needlessly killing or severely injuring youngsters. Security isn’t—and will by no means be—a premium characteristic solely accessible to those that can afford it; it needs to be the default. I’m proud to guide the STOP Frontovers Act to require a visibility and notion commonplace for vehicles to assist stop tragic, lethal accidents.”
“As automobiles have grow to be bigger, so have entrance and facet blind zones as demonstrated by analysis from the Insurance coverage Institute for Freeway Security and others,” stated Cathy Chase, President of Advocates for Freeway and Auto Security. “Because of this, weak street customers, particularly young children, is probably not seen to the driving force thus endangering them to be hit by the car. We commend Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) for introducing The STOP Frontovers Act which would require know-how in new vehicles to stop these crashes and heartbreaking tragedies. The STOP Frontovers Act needs to be given the ‘inexperienced gentle’ to higher defend all street customers.”
“As American cars get larger, their blindzones comply with swimsuit, resulting in unnecessary tragedies that may be prevented utilizing available know-how,” stated Michael Brooks, Government Director of Middle for Auto Security. “That’s why the Middle for Auto Security is happy to assist the STOP Frontovers Act, which mandates a federal commonplace to improve drivers’ visible notion zones, and improves security information assortment with respect to frontover and backover incidents.”
“Expertise already exists that may use alerts and sensors to stop the unimaginable,” stated Gabe Knight, Senior Coverage Analyst at Shopper Studies. “It’s time for all automobiles, and particularly bigger vehicles and SUVs, to cease the preventable accidents and deaths brought on by frontovers. Shopper Studies urges each member of Congress to assist the STOP Frontovers Act.”
“The rising dominance of bigger, heavier automobiles like SUVs and pickup vehicles—now making up 75-80% of U.S. car gross sales—has created huge blindzones the place drivers can’t see pedestrians,” stated Janette Fennell, President of Children and Automobile Security. “Enhancing visibility via higher car design and superior security applied sciences is essential to defending weak street customers. We should act now to handle this escalating security disaster and safeguard pedestrians each on and off our roads.”
The laws introduced by Blumenthal would require the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) to subject a brand new Federal Motor Car Security Commonplace (FMVSS) that requires automobiles to be outfitted with know-how that allows drivers to detect and accordingly reply to things in entrance of and round their car to cut back dying and damage ensuing from frontovers. The measure directs NHTSA to start the rulemaking course of for the usual inside one yr and subject a remaining FMVSS one yr later. It additionally requires NHTSA to formally outline the time period “frontover” to standardize its definition and permit for extra correct information assortment. As well as, the invoice directs NHTSA to replace its Non-Site visitors Surveillance information to extra precisely rely frontover accidents and deaths to supply essential and extra correct info to the Company and the general public concerning the prevalence of frontovers.
Whereas Congress mandated in 2008 that NHTSA subject a rule to determine rear visibility requirements in response to numerous backover accidents, no such entrance or facet visibility requirements at the moment exist. Such visibility know-how, comparable to cameras and sensors, is obtainable by some producers, however often solely on costly, upgraded fashions or for an extra payment.
The STOP Frontovers Act has been endorsed by auto and shopper security organizations, together with Children and Automobile Security, the Middle for Auto Security, Shopper Studies, and Advocates for Freeway and Auto Security.
The textual content of the STOP Frontovers Act is available here.
