STOP Frontovers Act of 2022
Bill: S.5080 | Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard (D-CT)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Standards To Prevent Frontovers Act of 2022 or the STOP Frontovers Act of 2022
This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to promulgate a federal motor vehicle safety standard that requires vehicles to be equipped with technology that enables drivers to detect and respond to objects in front of their vehicle to reduce death and injury resulting from frontovers or low-speed forward-moving vehicle incidents.
DOT must also update the Non-Traffic Surveillance (NTS) System of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to include an element for frontovers and backovers in the data maintained and summary reports published from such data.

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 2022'' or the ``STOP Frontovers Act of 2022''.

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.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``motor vehicle'' has the 
                meaning given the term in section 30102(a) of title 49, 
                United States Code.
                    (B) Exclusions.--The term ``motor vehicle'' does 
                not include--
                            (i) a motorcycle or a trailer (as those 
                        terms are defined in section 571.3 of title 49, 
                        Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor 
                        regulation)); or
                            (ii) any motor vehicle that is rated at 
                        more than 26,000 pounds gross vehicular weight.
            (3) Object.--The term ``object'' means--
                    (A) a motor vehicle;
                    (B) a pedestrian, bicyclist, or other vulnerable 
                road user;
                    (C) a wheelchair or assistive device user;
                    (D) a micromobility or motorcycle rider;
                    (E) a pet; and
                    (F) any other individual, animal, or equipment, as 
                determined by the Secretary.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.

SEC. 3. FORWARD VISIBILITY AND PERCEPTION RULEMAKING.

    (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, that requires a perception zone in front of a motor 
vehicle that enables the driver of the motor vehicle to detect, and 
appropriately respond to, objects in front of the motor vehicle to 
reduce death and injury resulting from frontovers or low-speed forward-
moving vehicle incidents.
    (b) Considerations.--
            (1) Technology neutral.--The motor vehicle safety standard 
        described in subsection (a) may be met by the provision of 
        sensors, cameras, or other technology to expand the perception 
        zone of a driver.
            (2) Differing requirements.--The Secretary may prescribe 
        different requirements for different types of motor vehicles in 
        the motor vehicle safety standard described in subsection (a), 
        subject to the condition that the standard requires, with 
        respect to each motor vehicle type, a perception zone that 
        enables the driver of the applicable motor vehicle to detect, 
        and appropriately respond to, objects in front of the motor 
        vehicle to reduce death and injury resulting from frontovers or 
        low-speed forward-moving vehicle incidents.
    (c) Requirement.--The motor vehicle safety standard described in 
subsection (a) shall--
            (1) include a forward perception standard that includes 
        frontover and low-speed forward-moving vehicle incidents; and
            (2) define ``frontover''.
    (d) 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 2 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) 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 or low-speed forward-
                        moving vehicle 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.
    (e) Report 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.--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.
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