STOP Frontovers Act of 2024

Bill: 118-s-5506
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2024-12-12
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Latest action: action_date: 2024-12-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 5506 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Standards To Prevent Frontovers Act of 2024 or the STOP Frontovers Act of 2024 . 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. 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. 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).