TRANSIT BILL TARGETS SAFER HIGHWAYS:

August 8, 2005

Auto safety groups said that a highway and transit bill approved by Congress would help deter drunken driving, encourage states to pass primary seat belt laws and lead to safer vehicles, reported the Associated Press.
The safety provisions, part of a massive $286.4 billion transportation bill, offers an assortment of incentives and new requirements aimed at reducing crashes along the nation’s highways at a time when more than 42,000 people are killed on the road every year.

AP reported that safety groups applauded several safety provisions, including $29 million a year to implement high visibility enforcement efforts to curb drunken driving and grants to states that pass a primary seat belt law, which lets police stop vehicles for seat belt violations, or achieve a belt usage rate of 85 percent.

Under the plan, the government also would be required to issue new rules requiring rollover prevention technology by 2009, an update to the roof strength standard, and improved side-impact crash protection in vehicles by 2008.

The auto industry said many of the safety measures already were found in vehicles, including side air bags and electronic stability control.

Among other items, the bill would push the government to collect non-traffic, non-crash data sought by safety advocates concerned about children getting backed over by vehicles on private property.

All vehicles also will be required by April 2007 to have power window switches that are pulled up or out.

The bill also requires crash test data compiled by the government to be available on all new vehicles by September 2007.

Was this article valuable?

Here are more articles you may enjoy.

From This Issue

Insurance Journal Magazine August 8, 2005
August 8, 2005
Insurance Journal Magazine

3rd Annual Golf Issue