Rulemaking regarding child safety

(a)

Power window safety

Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation (referred to in this section as the Secretary) shall issue regulations, applicable to light motor vehicles, requiring power windows and panels to automatically reverse direction when they detect an obstruction to prevent children from being trapped, injured, or killed. (b)

Rearward visibility

Not later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue regulations, applicable to light motor vehicles, requiring a rearward visibility performance standard that provides drivers with a means for detecting the presence of a person or object behind the vehicle to prevent death and injury resulting from backing incidents, particularly incidents involving small children and disabled persons. (c)

Phase-In period

(1)

In general

The regulations issued pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) shall require— (A)a phase-in period, as determined by the Secretary, for compliance with the regulations, which period shall commence not later than 6 months after the date on which final rules are issued; and (B)that new light motor vehicles manufactured after the date that is 31/2 years after the issuance of the final rule shall comply with such regulations. (2)

Phase-in priorities

In requiring the phase-in of rearward visibility performance regulations under this subsection, the Secretary shall consider whether to give priority during the phase-in to types of light motor vehicles that have a comparatively larger or longer rear blind zone. If the Secretary determines that any type of light motor vehicles should be given priority, the Secretary shall issue regulations that specify— (A)which type or types of light motor vehicles shall be phased-in first; and (B)the percentages in which such light motor vehicles shall be phased-in. (d)

Preventing vehicles from rolling away

(1)

In general

Not later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue regulations to require light motor vehicles that are equipped with an automatic transmission that includes a park position to have a system that requires the service brake to be depressed before the transmission can be shifted out of park. This system shall function in any starting system key position in which the transmission can be shifted out of park. (2)

Applicability

The regulation issued under paragraph (1) shall apply to light motor vehicles manufactured on or after September 1, 2010. (3)

Publication of noncompliant vehicles

(A)

Information submission

Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, for the current model year and annually thereafter through 2010, each motor vehicle manufacturer shall submit to the Secretary the make and model of light motor vehicles that are equipped with automatic transmissions that do not comply with the regulations issued under paragraph (1). (B)

Publication

Not later than 30 days after receiving the information submitted under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall publish and otherwise make available to the public the make and model of the light motor vehicles that do not comply with the regulations issued under paragraph (1). Any vehicle not included in the publication under this subparagraph will be assumed to comply with the regulations issued under paragraph (1). (e)

Database on injuries and deaths in nontraffic, noncrash events

(1)

In general

Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and maintain a database of injuries and deaths in nontraffic, noncrash events involving light motor vehicles. (2)

Contents

The database established pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include information regarding— (A)the number, types, and causes of injuries and deaths resulting from the events described in paragraph (1); (B)the make, model, and model year of light motor vehicles involved in such events; and (C)other variables that the Secretary determines will enhance the value of the database. (3)

Availability

The Secretary shall make the information contained in the database established pursuant to paragraph (1) available to the public. (f)

Definitions

In this section: (1)

Light motor vehicle

The term light motor vehicle means a motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, with a gross vehicle weight rating of not more than 10,000 pounds. (2)

Rear blind zone

The term rear blind zone means the area behind a light motor vehicle which the driver cannot see using the vehicle mirrors and windows provided as original equipment.

Child safety information program

(a)

In general

Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall provide information about hazards to children in nontraffic, noncrash incident situations by— (1)supplementing an existing consumer information program relating to child safety; or (2)creating a new consumer information program relating to child safety. (b)

Program requirements

In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— (1)utilize information collected pursuant to section 2(e) regarding nontraffic, noncrash injuries, and other relevant data from private organizations, to establish priorities for the program; (2)address ways in which parents and caregivers can reduce risks to small children arising from back over incidents, hyperthermia in closed vehicles, accidental actuation of power windows, and any other risks the Secretary determines should be addressed; and (3)make information related to the program available to the public through the Internet and other means.