WASHINGTON (June 12, 2015) — Legislation to establish new standards for automobile bumpers and hoods has been introduced in the U.S. Senate.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., introduced S. 1467, the Pedestrian Safety Act of 2015. According to the Automotive Service Association (ASA), the legislation — currently before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation — requires the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop a rule that:
- “Establishes standards for the hood and bumper areas of motor vehicles, including passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less, in order to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities suffered by pedestrians who are struck by such vehicles; and
- “Considers the protection of vulnerable pedestrian populations, including children and older adults.”
If S. 1467 is approved, the ASA said NHTSA would issue the final rule two years from the legislation's enactment.