virsight hearing - Motor Vehicle Hazard Archive Project

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tioDs. By 1992, practically ull light trucks and multipurpose passenpcr
vchicles also will be includcd in this cflbrt '
*Of
fou."". [hose i,ct luns apply r'rnly to new nrotor vehicles To
extend the availability ol these systtns to v( hrcles.'rlrtady In servi"*,-
irlvMn mlmberi have designed i,c('essorJ k iL\ cnd notified
iir"it a"ul". service nelworks r-rl the availabilily ol oulboard rear
*rii"g-p"iiti* kits for most models manufactured in the last 10
- Years. -Manulacturers
have included information on accessory kit.s in
"tii.".i p.i"r "avertising. lt's contained in the owner's manuals
unJitt" piUti.irud regularly in speeches and in corporate communi-
;;;i";.6" ih. n,unuIo"tu.ittg companies. In uddition, the.manufaci;;;;;;;;;".i.ate
directlvlo deilers about their availabilitv and
i;;-e;^;" '--lutu"ulu"t"t".. haue becn madi repeatedlv avare of-their availabilitv'
have also cooperatsd with the National Highway
Traflic Safety Administration in its efforts to produce consumer lni"r-rii""
ob'out .c.e""o.y kits Domestic manufacturers have indi-
;;t"J to NHTSA in response to the advance notice of ploposed
."i.^^xi"*, itt^i ihev tiouta not oppose amendments to Federal
Motor Veiicle Safety Standard No.208, to require the systems
they "'itr"i" are already voluntarily providing.
"." h6*euer, additi'onal issues raised in the notice that
"ouiJli ou..u"a lo tlre level of regulatory requirements' disrupt
'schedules
ilu"ufu"iui"t
for introduction of these s.vslems For example,
the agency has solicited comments on dynamrc testrng or
belis and on ihe need for comfort and convenience requirements to
r.t-"t"-ttt"ii t"". The multitude of issues that would need to be
iesolved for such requirements could seriously delay some manufacturers'
'- schedules for introduction.
e-sr"it"; it""nilv" tot rear seat lap/shoulder belt use would be
r""i"t"*- Si"*-belt u"" laws that require both..front-and rear
;;;l'-;;ir;; to buckle up Neither the availabilitv of the belt
i".t"t" "o. its effectivenesi will produce results unless the belts
l'.!" ,iLa.- nJ. ttti" l"*o", lvrvltit car companv joined
Irembers
ilift-"ttr"i pii"ut" """tot interests to create Trafhc Safety Now'
lnc. "'iri" tTSNl, 4 vears ago
*tt -"issio.t if TSN is to encourage the widest possible use
of safety belts through educational programs and enactment and
""foi""ir"nt of effect'ive use laws in'all-fifty States To date' TSN
i* l.i""i"a ""Li $54 -illio" on this elTort which has directly coni'.I6u-i"-J
m i["iuit thut lz States and the District of Columbia now
have '-fto*"u".. belt use Iaws in effect.
'*f',i.n-ii-ii onlv eight of those laws cover rear seat passengers' two
"the"rear
"f
belt use requirement to- children As the
iif"-*"i"S and injury prevention benehts of safety belt use laws
become even more apparent than they are today'.we're hoPsful
fi;;^;;.;';;";;- t"."bi"t of a passenger motor vehicle in all 50
States will be r'equired to use safety belk
This is a goal to which we remain committ€d Madrrrtr L:harrwomu",
l.}iaf"otipi"t t my-prepared st€tement and I tharrk vou lbr the
opportunity ' to aPpear here lodaY.
iTh" pre-pared-dutement of Mr. Hanna follows:l