110th CONGRESS
1st Session

S. 694

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations to reduce the incidence of child injury and death occurring inside or outside of light motor vehicles, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 27, 2007

Mrs. CLINTON (for herself, Mr. SUNUNU, Mr. REED, Mr. KERRY, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. NELSON of Florida, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mr. SCHUMER, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. ROBERTS, Mrs. HUTCHISON, and Mr. LAUTENBERG) 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 issue regulations to reduce the incidence of child injury and death occurring inside or outside of light 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 `Cameron Gulbransen Kids and Cars Safety Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. RULEMAKING REGARDING CHILD SAFETY.

    (a) Power Window Safety- Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation (referred to in this Act as the `Secretary') shall issue regulations, applicable to light motor vehicles, requiring power windows and panels to automatically reverse direction when they detect an obstruction to prevent children from being trapped, injured, or killed.

    (b) Rearward Visibility- Not later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue regulations, applicable to light motor vehicles, requiring a rearward visibility performance standard that provides drivers with a means for detecting the presence of a person or object behind the vehicle to prevent death and injury resulting from backing incidents, particularly incidents involving small children and disabled persons.

    (c) Phase-In Period-

      (1) IN GENERAL- The regulations issued pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) shall require--

        (A) a phase-in period, as determined by the Secretary, for compliance with the regulations, which period shall commence not later than 6 months after the date on which final rules are issued; and

        (B) that new light motor vehicles manufactured after the date that is 3 1/2 years after the issuance of the final rule shall comply with such regulations.

      (2) PHASE-IN PRIORITIES- In requiring the phase-in of rearward visibility performance regulations under this subsection, the Secretary shall consider whether to give priority during the phase-in to types of light motor vehicles that have a comparatively larger or longer rear blind zone. If the Secretary determines that any type of light motor vehicles should be given priority, the Secretary shall issue regulations that specify--

        (A) which type or types of light motor vehicles shall be phased-in first; and

        (B) the percentages in which such light motor vehicles shall be phased-in.

    (d) Preventing Vehicles From Rolling Away-

      (1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue regulations to require light motor vehicles that are equipped with an automatic transmission that includes a `Park' position to have a system that requires the service brake to be depressed before the transmission can be shifted out of `Park'. This system shall function in any starting system key position in which the transmission can be shifted out of `Park'.

      (2) APPLICABILITY- The regulation issued under paragraph (1) shall apply to light motor vehicles manufactured on or after September 1, 2010.

      (3) PUBLICATION OF NONCOMPLIANT VEHICLES-

        (A) INFORMATION SUBMISSION- Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, for the current model year, and annually thereafter through 2010, each motor vehicle manufacturer shall submit to the Secretary the make and model of light motor vehicles that are equipped with automatic transmissions that do not comply with the regulations required under paragraph (1).

        (B) PUBLICATION- Not later than 30 days after receiving the information submitted under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall publish and otherwise make available to the public the make and model of the light motor vehicles that do not comply with the regulations required under paragraph (1). Any vehicle not included in the publication under this subparagraph will be assumed to comply with the regulations issued under paragraph (1).

    (e) Database on Injuries and Deaths in Nontraffic, Noncrash Events-

      (1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and maintain a database of injuries and deaths in nontraffic, noncrash events involving light motor vehicles.

      (2) CONTENTS- The database established pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include information regarding--

        (A) the number, types, and causes of injuries and deaths resulting from the events described in paragraph (1);

        (B) the make, model, and model year of light motor vehicles involved in such events; and

        (C) other variables that the Secretary determines will enhance the value of the database.

      (3) AVAILABILITY- The Secretary shall make the information contained in the database established pursuant to paragraph (1) available to the public.

    (f) Definitions- In this section:

      (1) LIGHT MOTOR VEHICLE- The term `light motor vehicle' means a motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, with a gross vehicle weight rating of not more than 10,000 pounds.

      (2) REAR BLIND ZONE- The term `rear blind zone' means the area behind a light motor vehicle which the driver cannot see using the vehicle mirrors and windows provided as original equipment.

SEC. 3. CHILD SAFETY INFORMATION PROGRAM.

    (a) In General- Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall provide information about hazards to children in nontraffic, noncrash incident situations by--

      (1) supplementing an existing consumer information program relating to child safety; or

      (2) creating a new consumer information program relating to child safety.

    (b) Program Requirements- In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall--

      (1) utilize information collected under section 2(e) regarding nontraffic, noncrash injuries, and other relevant data from private organizations, to establish priorities for the program;

      (2) address ways in which parents and caregivers can reduce risks to small children arising from backover incidents, hyperthermia in closed vehicles, accidental actuation of power windows, and any other risks that the Secretary determines should be addressed; and

      (3) make information related to the program available to the public through the Internet and other means.

END