II 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4086 

To improve data collection efforts with respect to the safety of pregnant 

women and unborn children in motor vehicle crashes, provide for research 

and development of appropriate countermeasures, educate the public regarding motor vehicle safety risks affecting pregnant women and unborn 

children, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 6, 2006 

Mr. DEWINE introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

A BILL 

To improve data collection efforts with respect to the safety 

of pregnant women and unborn children in motor vehicle 

crashes, provide for research and development of appropriate countermeasures, educate the public regarding 

motor vehicle safety risks affecting pregnant women and 

unborn children, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Maternal Motor Vehi5 cle Crash Safety Act of 2006’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

2 In this Act: 

3 (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis4 trator’’ means the Administrator of the National 

5 Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

6 (2) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT7 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com8 mittees’’ means the Committee on Appropriations 

9 and Committee on Commerce, Science, and Trans10 portation of the Senate and the Committee on Ap11 propriations and the Committee on Energy and 

12 Commerce of the House of Representatives. 

13 (3) BIOFIDELIC.—The term ‘‘biofidelic’’ means 

14 having the property of responding to and being im15 pacted by crash and other external forces in a man16 ner directly consistent with the way in which a live 

17 human being would respond to and be impacted by 

18 such forces. 

19 (4) DATA LINKAGE SYSTEM.—The term ‘‘data 

20 linkage system’’ means an information system that 

21 is capable of accurately tracking adverse health ef22 fects and birth outcomes for pregnant women who 

23 are occupants of a motor vehicle that is involved in 

24 a crash and the unborn children of such women, 

25 through the connection and analysis of multiple data 

26 sources. 


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1 (5) UNBORN CHILD.—The term ‘‘unborn child’’ 

2 means a member of the species homo sapiens, at any 

3 stage of development, who is carried in the womb. 

4 SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress makes the following findings: 

6 (1) Injuries are the leading cause of pregnancy7 associated deaths in the United States. 

8 (2) Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause 

9 of injury deaths in women of reproductive age and 

10 the leading cause of injury hospitalizations among 

11 pregnant women. 

12 (3) Studies have indicated that motor vehicles 

13 are estimated to account for up to 80 percent of in14 jury related deaths among unborn children. 

15 (4) Transportation Research Board publications 

16 indicate that deaths among unborn children due to 

17 motor vehicle crashes are more frequent than several 

18 notable fatal childhood injuries, including bicycle re19 lated deaths in children aged 0 through 15, firearm 

20 related deaths in children aged 0 through 9, and 

21 motor vehicle crash related deaths in children aged 

22 0 through 1. 

23 (5) Studies suggest that approximately 3 per24 cent of all babies born in the United States are in25 volved in a motor vehicle crash while in utero. 


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1 (6) Studies have shown that elevated risks of 

2 birth-related threats and obstetric complications fol3 lowing crashes involving pregnant women include— 

4 (A) premature childbirth; 

5 (B) low birth weight; 

6 (C) placental injury; 

7 (D) uterine rupture; and 

8 (E) amniotic rupture. 

9 (7) Despite advances in vehicle safety, pregnant 

10 women have not received the special attention and 

11 consideration needed to understand, reduce, and pre12 vent the risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes related 

13 to crashes. 

14 (8) There is a need for more research and ap15 plication using anthropometric test devices and com16 puterized modeling systems that represent pregnant 

17 women during all stages of pregnancy. 

18 (9) During pregnancy, the risks of traumatic 

19 injury to a woman is shared by the woman’s unborn 

20 child. Assessing the magnitude and characteristics of 

21 those risks through data linkage systems, comparing 

22 the risks to other injuries and diseases, and reducing 

23 them, are important unmet challenges for improving 

24 maternal and child health. 


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1 (10) A better understanding is needed about 

2 what can happen during, and after, a pregnant 

3 woman is involved in a motor vehicle crash. This in4 cludes the effects of a crash on the mother, the un5 born child, and the delicate physiological balance be6 tween the mother and child that separates healthy 

7 from unhealthy pregnancies, including the effects of 

8 maternal physiologic adaptations to trauma, fluid 

9 loss and shock, effects from maternal stress, effects 

10 from diagnostic regimens, medical or surgical proce11 dures, or the wide variety of prescription medicines, 

12 and other medication taken by the mother. 

13 (11) Despite the importance of the health of 

14 mothers and unborn children involved in motor vehi15 cle crashes, agencies and data linkage systems re16 sponsible for tracking motor vehicle injuries, deaths, 

17 and other measures of adverse outcome rarely cap18 ture pregnancy status. 

19 (12) Existing data collection and analysis sys20 tems generally do not count unborn children involved 

21 in motor vehicle crashes and do not follow them 

22 after their birth to ascertain the effects of the crash 

23 on long-term neuro-developmental and functional 

24 outcomes. 


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1 SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON IMPROVEMENTS TO THE 

2 NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE SAMPLING SYSTEM 

3 CRASHWORTHINESS DATA SYSTEM. 

4 It is the sense of Congress that the Administrator— 

5 (1) should continue to include in the National 

6 Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data 

7 System maintained by the Administrator data re8 lated to motor vehicle crashes that involved a preg9 nant women; and 

10 (2) should identify other means to advance the 

11 current level of understanding regarding the num12 ber, nature, and impact of motor vehicle crashes in13 volving pregnant women and their unborn children 

14 through data collection, data linkage systems, and 

15 analysis systems. 

16 SEC. 5. GRANTS FOR DATA LINKAGE SYSTEMS PROGRAMS. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall, in con18 sultation with appropriate officials of State agencies or 

19 public health organizations, carry out a program to pro20 vide grants and other incentives, including technical as21 sistance to eligible entities for the purpose described in 

22 subsection (b). 

23 (b) PURPOSE.—A grant or other incentive provided 

24 under this section shall be used to promote the develop25 ment of data linkage systems described in subsection (e). 


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1 (c) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—In this section, the term ‘‘el2 igible entity’’ means an academic, public health, or trans3 portation safety organization or a State or local govern4 ment agency that the Administrator determines is appro5 priate to receive a grant or incentive under this section. 

6 (d) APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS.— 

7 (1) APPLICATIONS.—Each eligible entity seek8 ing a grant under this section shall submit an appli9 cation to the Administrator at such time and in such 

10 manner as the Administrator may require. 

11 (2) AWARDS.—Not later than 180 days after 

12 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Adminis13 trator shall establish— 

14 (A) the criteria for awarding a grant or in15 centive under this section; and 

16 (B) a competitive, merit-based process to 

17 select applications to receive a grant or incen18 tive under this section. 

19 (3) PUBLICATION.—Not later than 180 days 

20 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Ad21 ministrator shall publish in the Federal Register the 

22 criteria and process described in paragraph (2). 

23 (e) PROGRAM STRUCTURE.—The data linkage sys24 tems eligible to receive assistance under this section are 

25 systems that use the following sources: 


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1 (1) State and local vital statistics databases, in2 cluding birth, infant, and death records. 

3 (2) State and local crash and driver’s license 

4 records. 

5 (3) Other computerized health records as avail6 able, including emergency medical services reports 

7 and hospital and emergency room admission and dis8 charge records. 

9 (f) EXISTING DATA SYSTEMS.—To the maximum ex10 tent possible, the Administrator shall integrate the grant 

11 and incentive program carried out under this section with 

12 the existing State specific Crash Outcome Data Evalua13 tion Systems carried out by the Administrator to utilize 

14 the capabilities, linkage expertise, and organizational rela15 tionships of such Systems to provide a foundation for im16 proving the tracking of adverse health effects and birth 

17 outcomes for pregnant women who are occupants of a 

18 motor vehicle at the time of a crash and their unborn chil19 dren. 

20 (g) DATA SECURITY AND PRIVACY.—In carrying out 

21 this section, the Administrator and any eligible entity se22 lected to receive a grant or incentive under this section 

23 for a data linkage system shall ensure that personal identi24 fiers and other information utilized in that data linkage 

25 system related to a specific individual is handled in a manVerDate Aug 31 2005 23:06 Dec 08, 2006 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4086.IS S4086

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1 ner consistent with all applicable Federal, State, and local 

2 laws and regulations and to ensure the confidentiality of 

3 such information, and in the manner necessary to prevent 

4 the theft, manipulation, or other unlawful or unauthorized 

5 use of personal information contained in data sources used 

6 for linkage studies. 

7 (h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 

9 appropriated $2,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 

10 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 to carry out this sec11 tion. 

12 (2) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Funds appro13 priated pursuant to the authorization of appropria14 tions in paragraph (1) shall remain available until 

15 expended. 

16 SEC. 6. SAFETY RESEARCH PROGRAM AND NATIONAL CON17 FERENCE. 

18 (a) SAFETY RESEARCH PROGRAM.— 

19 (1) REQUIREMENT TO CONDUCT.—The Admin20 istrator shall conduct a research program as de21 scribed in this section to promote the health and 

22 safety of pregnant women who are involved in motor 

23 vehicle crashes and of their unborn children. 

24 (2) HIGH PRIORITY RESEARCH AREAS.—In car25 rying out the research program under this section, 


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1 the Administrator shall place a high priority on con2 ducting research to— 

3 (A) investigate methods to maximize the 

4 injury prevention performance of standard 3- 

5 point safety belts for pregnant women during 

6 all stages of pregnancy; 

7 (B) analyze the effectiveness of tech8 nologies designed to modify or extend the safety 

9 performance of 3-point safety belts for pregnant 

10 women across a range of pregnancy phases, in11 cluding technologies currently available in the 

12 marketplace; 

13 (C) develop biofidelic, anthropometric test 

14 devices that are representative of pregnant 

15 women during all stages of pregnancy; and 

16 (D) develop biofidelic, computer models 

17 that are representative of pregnant women dur18 ing all stages of pregnancy to aid in under19 standing crash forces relevant to the safety of 

20 pregnant women and unborn children that may 

21 include the utilization of existing modeling sys22 tems developed by private and academic institu23 tions, if appropriate. 

24 (b) NATIONAL CONFERENCE.— 


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1 (1) REQUIREMENT TO CONVENE.—Not later 

2 than 18 months after the date of the enactment of 

3 this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with the 

4 heads of other appropriate Federal agencies, shall 

5 convene a national research conference for the pur6 pose of identifying critical scientific issues for re7 search on the safety of pregnant women involved in 

8 motor vehicle crashes and their unborn children. 

9 (2) PURPOSE OF THE CONFERENCE.—The pur10 pose of the conference required by paragraph (1) 

11 shall be to establish and prioritize a list of research 

12 questions to guide future research related to the 

13 safety of pregnant women involved in motor vehicle 

14 crashes and their unborn children. 

15 (3) AUTHORITY TO PARTNER WITH OTHER OR16 GANIZATIONS.—The Administrator is authorized to 

17 carry out the conference required by paragraph (1) 

18 in a partnership with organizations recognized for 

19 expertise related to the research described in para20 graph (2). 

21 (c) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 2 years 

22 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Adminis23 trator shall submit to the appropriate congressional com24 mittees a report that describes— 


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1 (1) the research program carried out by the Ad2 ministration pursuant to subsection (a), including 

3 any findings or conclusions associated with such re4 search program; and 

5 (2) the priorities established at the national 

6 conference required by subsection (b), plans for reg7 ulations or future programs, or factors limiting the 

8 effectiveness of such research. 

9 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—For each of the fiscal years 

11 2007, 2008, and 2009, there are authorized to be 

12 appropriated such sums as necessary to carry out 

13 this section. 

14 (2) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Funds appro15 priated pursuant to the authorization of appropria16 tions in paragraph (1) shall remain available until 

17 expended. 

18 SEC. 7. PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall conduct 

20 a public outreach and education program to increase 

21 awareness of the unique safety risks associated with motor 

22 vehicle crashes for pregnant women and the unborn chil23 dren of such women and of the methods available to re24 duce such risks. Such program shall include making inforVerDate Aug 31 2005 23:06 Dec 08, 2006 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4086.IS S4086

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1 mation regarding the injury-prevention value of proper 

2 safety belt and airbag use available to the public. 

3 (b) TARGETED OUTREACH.—The Administrator shall 

4 carry out the program described in subsection (a) in a 

5 manner that utilizes media and organizational partners to 

6 effectively educate pregnant women, ensure an overall edu7 cational impact, and efficiently utilize the program’s re8 sources. 

9 (c) PROGRAM INITIATION AND DURATION.—The Ad10 ministrator shall initiate the program described in sub11 section (a) not later than 12 months after the date of the 

12 enactment of this Act, and shall maintain such program 

13 for not less than 24 months, subject to the availability 

14 of funds. 

15 SEC. 8. INCLUSION OF SAFETY DATA IN ANNUAL ASSESS16 MENT. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), the Ad18 ministrator shall include a discussion of data regarding 

19 the safety of pregnant women who are involved in motor 

20 vehicle crashes and of their unborn children, including any 

21 relevant trends in such data, in each of the Annual Assess22 ment of Motor Vehicle Crashes published by the National 

23 Center for Statistics and Analysis of the National High24 way Traffic Safety Administration or an equivalent publi25 cation of such Center. 


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1 (b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—If the Administrator de2 termines that including the information described in sub3 section (a) in the Annual Assessment of Motor Vehicle 

4 Crashes or an equivalent publication is not feasible, the 

5 Administrator shall submit a report to the appropriate 

6 congressional committees not later than 60 days after the 

7 date of the release of such Annual Assessment or equiva8 lent publication that states the reasons that it was not 

9 feasible to include such information and an analysis of the 

10 steps necessary to make such information available in the 

11 future. 

Æ 


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