[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5080 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5080
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate a Federal motor
vehicle safety standard to reduce the incidence of child injury and
death occurring during low-speed incidents involving motor vehicles,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 14, 2022
Mr. Blumenthal introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate a Federal motor
vehicle safety standard to reduce the incidence of child injury and
death occurring during low-speed incidents involving motor vehicles,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Standards To Prevent Frontovers Act
of 2022'' or the ``STOP Frontovers Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Backover.--The term ``backover'' means a low-speed
incident where a non-occupant of a motor vehicle is struck by
the motor vehicle moving in reverse.
(2) Motor vehicle.--
(A) In general.--The term ``motor vehicle'' has the
meaning given the term in section 30102(a) of title 49,
United States Code.
(B) Exclusions.--The term ``motor vehicle'' does
not include--
(i) a motorcycle or a trailer (as those
terms are defined in section 571.3 of title 49,
Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor
regulation)); or
(ii) any motor vehicle that is rated at
more than 26,000 pounds gross vehicular weight.
(3) Object.--The term ``object'' means--
(A) a motor vehicle;
(B) a pedestrian, bicyclist, or other vulnerable
road user;
(C) a wheelchair or assistive device user;
(D) a micromobility or motorcycle rider;
(E) a pet; and
(F) any other individual, animal, or equipment, as
determined by the Secretary.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Transportation.
SEC. 3. FORWARD VISIBILITY AND PERCEPTION RULEMAKING.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall initiate a rulemaking to promulgate a
Federal motor vehicle safety standard under section 30111 of title 49,
United States Code, that requires a perception zone in front of a motor
vehicle that enables the driver of the motor vehicle to detect, and
appropriately respond to, objects in front of the motor vehicle to
reduce death and injury resulting from frontovers or low-speed forward-
moving vehicle incidents.
(b) Considerations.--
(1) Technology neutral.--The motor vehicle safety standard
described in subsection (a) may be met by the provision of
sensors, cameras, or other technology to expand the perception
zone of a driver.
(2) Differing requirements.--The Secretary may prescribe
different requirements for different types of motor vehicles in
the motor vehicle safety standard described in subsection (a),
subject to the condition that the standard requires, with
respect to each motor vehicle type, a perception zone that
enables the driver of the applicable motor vehicle to detect,
and appropriately respond to, objects in front of the motor
vehicle to reduce death and injury resulting from frontovers or
low-speed forward-moving vehicle incidents.
(c) Requirement.--The motor vehicle safety standard described in
subsection (a) shall--
(1) include a forward perception standard that includes
frontover and low-speed forward-moving vehicle incidents; and
(2) define ``frontover''.
(d) Timeline.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date on
which the rulemaking is initiated under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall promulgate the final motor vehicle safety
standard described in that subsection.
(2) Full compliance.--Not later than 2 years after the date
on which the final motor vehicle safety standard is promulgated
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall require full
compliance with that final motor vehicle safety standard.
(3) Phase-in period.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary may establish a
phase-in period for compliance with the motor vehicle
safety standard promulgated under paragraph (1).
(B) Phase-in priorities.--
(i) In general.--In establishing a phase-in
period under subparagraph (A), the Secretary
shall consider whether to require the phase-in
according to different types of motor vehicles
based on data demonstrating the frequency by
which various types of motor vehicles have been
involved in frontovers or low-speed forward-
moving vehicle incidents resulting in injury or
death.
(ii) Regulations required.--If the
Secretary determines under clause (i) that any
type of motor vehicle should be given priority
for the phase-in period established under
subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall
promulgate regulations that specify--
(I) the 1 or more types of motor
vehicles that shall be phased-in first;
and
(II) the percentages by which those
motor vehicles shall be phased-in.
(e) Report to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, and every 90 days thereafter, if the final motor
vehicle safety standard described in subsection (a) has not been
promulgated in accordance with the requirements of this section, the
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on--
(1) the reasons for the delay in promulgating that motor
vehicle safety standard; and
(2) the steps being taken by the Secretary--
(A) to address those reasons; and
(B) to promulgate that motor vehicle safety
standard.
SEC. 4. UPDATES TO THE NON-TRAFFIC SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall include an element for a
frontover and an element for a backover in the data maintained, and the
summary reports published from that data, under the Non-Traffic
Surveillance (NTS) System of the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration.
(b) Other Reporting Considerations.--In addition to the requirement
under subsection (a), the Secretary may consider other mechanisms to
help inform reporting relating to frontovers and backovers, including
changes to State crash report data requirements or other reporting
systems.
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