```

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5506 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 5506

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

                           December 12, 2024

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 2024'' or the ``STOP Frontovers Act of 2024''.

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.--The term ``motor vehicle'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 30102(a) of title 49, United 
        States Code.
            (3) Perception zone.--The term ``perception zone'' means 
        the area surrounding a motor vehicle within which accurate 
        object detection is necessary to ensure safety.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.

SEC. 3. RULEMAKING TO MINIMIZE SAFETY RISKS.

    (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, establishing performance requirements that reduce 
death and injury resulting from frontovers and other low-speed 
incidents.
    (b) Requirements and Considerations.--
            (1) Scope.--The performance requirements of the motor 
        vehicle safety standard described in subsection (a) shall--
                    (A) minimize safety risks of frontovers and other 
                low-speed incidents;
                    (B) establish a perception zone; and
                    (C) require--
                            (i) at a minimum, the detection of, in the 
                        perception zone of the motor vehicle--
                                    (I) a motor vehicle;
                                    (II) a pedestrian, including 
                                toddlers and small children;
                                    (III) a bicyclist;
                                    (IV) a vulnerable road user (as 
                                defined in section 148(a) of title 23, 
                                United States Code);
                                    (V) a wheelchair or assistive 
                                device user;
                                    (VI) a micromobility or motorcycle 
                                rider; and
                                    (VII) any other individual, 
                                equipment, vehicle, or animal, as 
                                determined by the Secretary;
                            (ii) a driver notification system that 
                        enables the driver of the motor vehicle to 
                        effectively respond to objects described in 
                        subclauses (I) through (VII) of clause (i) to 
                        prevent and reduce the severity of frontovers 
                        and other low-speed incidents;
                            (iii) an active intervention system that 
                        enables the motor vehicle to effectively 
                        respond to objects described in subclauses (I) 
                        through (VII) of clause (i) to prevent and 
                        reduce the severity of frontovers and other 
                        low-speed incidents; and
                            (iv) a distinct auditory and visual alert, 
                        which may be combined with a haptic alert, any 
                        time the driver notification system described 
                        under clause (ii) or the active intervention 
                        system described under clause (iii) engages in 
                        a way that warrants a driver or motor vehicle 
                        response.
            (2) Definition.--The motor vehicle safety standard 
        described in subsection (a) shall define ``frontover''.
    (c) 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 3 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) Requirement.--A phase-in period established 
                under subparagraph (A) shall only be for a period of 
                time that allows for full compliance with the motor 
                vehicle safety standard in accordance with paragraph 
                (2).
                    (C) 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 and other low-speed 
                        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.
    (d) Reports 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.--Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, 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.
    (c) Notification to Congress.--The Secretary shall notify Congress 
on completion of the requirement under subsection (a).
                                 <all>
```