[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 33 (Tuesday, February 27, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2278-S2279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. CLINTON (for herself, Mr. Sununu, Mr. Reed, Mr. Kerry, 
        Mr. Durbin, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Schumer, 
        Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Roberts, Mrs. Hutchison, and Mr. 
        Lautenberg):
  S. 694. A bill to direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue 
regulations to reduce the incidence of child injury and death occurring 
inside or outside of light motor vehicles, and for other purposes; to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, today I am reintroducing with my 
colleague Senator Sununu The Cameron Gulbransen Kids and Cars Safety 
Act, a bill to improve the child safety features in new vehicles.
  While we hear a great deal about automobile accidents, we don't hear 
nearly as much about non-traffic automobile accidents, which can be 
just as tragic. This bill is named in honor of a 2-year-old Long Island 
boy who was killed when his father accidentally backed over him in his 
driveway. Since 2000, over 1,150 children have died in non-traffic, 
non-crash incidents, and this number has been steadily rising. The 
average age of victims in these cases is just 1 year old, and in 70 
percent of backover cases, a parent, relative or close friend is behind 
the wheel. This bill is aimed at preventing other families from 
suffering this fate.
  The Cameron Gulbransen Kids and Cars Safety Act would make new 
passenger motor vehicles safer in three important ways. First, it 
requires a detection system to alert drivers to the

[[Page S2279]]

presence of a child behind the vehicle. Second, it will ensure that 
power windows automatically reverse direction when they detect an 
obstruction--preventing children from being trapped, injured or killed. 
And finally, the bill will require the vehicle service break to be 
engaged in order to prevent vehicles from unintentionally rolling away.
  The bill also establishes a child safety information program 
administered by the Secretary of Transportation to collect non-traffic, 
non-crash incident data and disseminate information to parents about 
these hazards and ways to mitigate them.
  This bill proves that with modest, cost-effective steps, we can 
prevent many tragic car-related accidents from occurring. Power window 
sensors, for example, cost around $10 a window. Brakeshift interlocks 
are already standard in most passenger vehicles, but will cost only $5 
where needed. Backover warning systems cost approximately $300 a car, 
far cheaper than DVD and stereo systems. This inexpensive technology 
could save thousands of children's lives.
  I fought long and hard into the last hours of the 109th Congress to 
get this bill through and I know that families, advocates and many of 
my colleagues are poised to continue that momentum in the new Congress.
  I am proud to be reintroducing the Cameron Gulbransen Kids and Cars 
Safety Act of 2007 and urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting 
this bill. Together, we can ensure that we have safer cars and safer 
kids across our country.
                                 ______