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106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4145
To improve safety standards for child restraints in motor vehicles.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 30, 2000
Mr. SHIMKUS (for himself, Mr. SWEENEY, Mr. PORTER, Mrs. WILSON, Mr.
HYDE, Mr. PHELPS, Mr. EWING, Mrs. BIGGERT, Mr. EVANS, Mr.
LAHOOD, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. BLAGOJEVICH,
Ms. MCCARTHY of Missouri, Mr. SAWYER, Mr. TIERNEY, and Mr. MAR-
KEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Commerce
A BILL
To improve safety standards for child restraints in motor
vehicles.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Child Passenger Pro-
tection Act of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that—
(1) each day, an average of 7 children are killed
and 866 injured in motor vehicle crashes;
(2) the Federal Government has not updated
test standards for child restraints—
(A) to reflect the modern designs of motor
vehicles in use as of the date of enactment of
this Act;
(B) to take into account the effects of a
side-impact crash, a rear-impact crash, or a
rollover crash; and
(C) to require the use of anthropomorphic
devices that accurately reflect the heights and
masses of children at ages other than newborn,
9 months, 3 years, and 6 years; and
(3) the Federal Government should update the
test standards for child restraints to reduce the
number of children killed or injured in automobile
accidents in the United States.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) CHILD RESTRAINT.—The term ‘‘child re-
straint’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘child re-
straint system’’ in section 571.213 of title 49, Code
of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of
enactment of this Act).
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of Transportation.
SEC. 4. TESTING OF CHILD RESTRAINTS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall update
and improve crash test standards and conditions for child
restraints.
(b) ELEMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION.—In carrying
out subsection (a), the Secretary shall consider—
(1) whether to conduct more comprehensive and
dynamic testing of child restraints than is typically
conducted as of the date of enactment of this Act,
including the use of test platforms designed—
(A) to simulate an array of accident condi-
tions, such as side-impact crashes, rear-impact
crashes, and rollover crashes; and
(B) to reflect the designs of passenger
motor vehicles in use as of the date of enact-
ment of this Act;
(2) whether to use an increased number of
anthropomorphic devices in a greater variety of
heights and masses; and
(3) whether to provide improved protection in
motor vehicle accidents for children up to 59.2
inches tall who weigh more than 50 pounds.
(c) REQUIRED ELEMENTS.—In carrying out sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall—
(1) require that manufacturers design child re-
straints to minimize head injuries during side-impact
and rollover crashes, including requiring that child
restraints have side-impact protection;
(2) include a child restraint in each vehicle
crash-tested under the New Car Assessment Pro-
gram of the Department of Transportation; and
(3) prescribe readily understandable text for
any labels that are required to be placed on child re-
straints.
(d) FUNDING.—For each fiscal year, of the funds
made available to the Secretary for activities relating to
safety, not less than $750,000 shall be made available to
carry out crash testing of child restraints.
SEC. 5. CHILD RESTRAINT SAFETY RATING PROGRAM.
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall develop and implement a
safety rating program for child restraints to provide prac-
ticable, readily understandable, and timely information to
parents and caretakers for use in making informed deci-
sions in the purchase of child restraints.
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