[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 5 (Monday, January 26, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S247-S248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DeWine:
  S. 2024. A bill to reduce the incidence of motor vehicle-related 
child injuries and deaths occurring inside or outside of motor 
vehicles, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2024

       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 ``Safe Kids, Safe Cars Act of 
     2004''.

     SEC. 2. INCORPORATION OF CHILD DUMMIES IN MOTOR VEHICLE 
                   SAFETY TESTS.

       (a) Rulemaking Required.--Not later than 2 years after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
     National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shall

[[Page S248]]

     conduct a rulemaking to require increased utilization of 
     child dummies, including Hybrid-III child dummies, in motor 
     vehicle safety tests, including crash tests, conducted by the 
     Administration.
       (b) Criteria.--In conducting the rulemaking under 
     subsection (a), the Administrator shall select motor vehicle 
     safety tests in which the inclusion of child dummies will 
     lead to--
       (1) increased understanding of crash dynamics with respect 
     to children; and
       (2) measurably improved child safety.
       (c) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall 
     publish a report regarding the implementation of this 
     section.

     SEC. 3. CHILD SAFETY IN ROLLOVER CRASHES.

       (a) Consumer Information Program.--
       (1) Requirement for program.--The Secretary of 
     Transportation shall carry out a consumer information program 
     relating to child safety in rollover crashes. The Secretary 
     shall make information related to the program available to 
     the public.
       (2) Time for implementation.-- The program shall commence 
     not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act.
       (b) Child Dummy Development.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 6 years after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National 
     Highway Traffic Safety Administration shall develop for use 
     in motor vehicle safety crash testing a biofidelic child 
     dummy that is capable of measuring injury forces in a 
     simulated rollover crash.
       (2) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
     a report on progress made in the development of a dummy 
     required under paragraph (1).

     SEC. 4. REPORT ON ENHANCED VEHICLE SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES.

       Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit to 
     Congress a report that describes, evaluates, and determines 
     the relative effectiveness of--
       (1) devices and technologies that are designed to reduce 
     the incidence of injuries and deaths to children involved 
     outside of motor vehicles in nontraffic, noncrash motor 
     vehicle accidents, including accidents in which motor 
     vehicles are backed over children;
       (2) currently available and emerging technologies, 
     including auto-reverse functions and child-safe window 
     switches, that are designed to prevent and reduce the number 
     of injuries and deaths to children left unattended inside 
     parked motor vehicles, including injuries and deaths that 
     result from hyperthermia or are related to power windows or 
     power sunroofs; and
       (3) currently available and emerging technologies that are 
     designed to improve the performance of motor vehicle safety 
     belts for effectively protecting the safety of motor vehicle 
     occupants aged between 4 and 8 years old.

     SEC. 5. COMPLETION OF RULEMAKING REGARDING MOTOR VEHICLE 
                   POWER WINDOWS.

       Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall--
       (1) complete the rulemaking initiated by the National 
     Highway Traffic Safety Administration that is ongoing on the 
     date of the enactment of this Act and relates to a 
     requirement that window switches be designed to reduce the 
     accidental closing by children of power windows; and
       (2) issue regulations to take effect not later than January 
     1, 2006, requiring that window switches or related 
     technologies incorporated into motor vehicles be designed to 
     prevent the accidental closing by children of power windows.

     SEC. 6. DATABASE ON INJURIES AND DEATHS IN NONTRAFFIC, 
                   NONCRASH EVENTS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall 
     establish a new database of, and collect data regarding, 
     injuries and deaths in nontraffic, noncrash events involving 
     motor vehicles. The database shall include information 
     regarding--
       (1) the number, types, and proximate causes of injuries and 
     deaths resulting from such events;
       (2) the characteristics of motor vehicles involved in such 
     events;
       (3) the characteristics of the motor vehicle operators and 
     victims involved in such events; and
       (4) the presence or absence in motor vehicles involved in 
     such events of advanced technologies designed to prevent such 
     injuries and deaths.
       (b) Availability.--The Secretary shall make the database 
     available to the public.
                                 ______