[mountainstate] Fw: [announce] House Passes Towns Legislation to Protect Pedestriansfrom Safety Risks Associated with Quiet Cars

[donna brown]

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, November 24, 2010
 


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From: Hernandez, Velginy 
Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2010 2:15 PM
Subject: House Passes Towns Legislation to Protect Pedestrians from Safety Risks Associated with Quiet Cars

 




For immediate release: Thursday, December 16, 2010

Contact: Towns Press Office, 202-225-5936

House Passes Towns Legislation to Protect Pedestrians from Safety Risks Associated with Quiet Cars
Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act will set standard for necessary sound emitted by hybrid and electric vehicles

 

WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives today passed S. 841, The Pedestrian Enhancement Safety Act, bipartisan legislation championed by Rep. Edolphus "Ed" Towns (D-NY, NY-10) and Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) that will protect the blind and other pedestrians from injury or death as a result of silent vehicle technology.  The bill addresses a longstanding issue regarding the safety risks associated with the low level of sound generated by green vehicles, or the absence of it.  

"The silent nature of hybrid and electric vehicles, coupled with their growing popularity, presents a dilemma - how do we protect individuals who depend upon sound for their safety, such as unsuspecting pedestrians and the blind," said Rep. Towns, who spent many years teaching travel with a white cane to the blind. "The solution lies in the Pedestrian Safety Act. I am proud to have supported this important piece of legislation."


S. 841 requires the Secretary of Transportation to study the minimum level of sound required for environmentally friendly vehicles.  Once this safety standard is determined, it will be applied to all new automobiles manufactured or sold in the United States beginning three years after the standard is issued. 

"While it is important to embrace technology that benefits our environment, we must do so with the safety of all citizens in mind," added Towns.  "The legislation is an effective way not only to prevent avoidable injuries to pedestrians, but to do so without impeding innovation."

Last week, S. 841, sponsored by Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Arlen Specter (D-PA), successfully passed the Senate.  S. 841 is supported by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the National Federation of the Blind, the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers and the American Council of the Blind.

The Pedestrian Enhancement Safety Act passed the House by a vote of 379 to 30.  The legislation now goes to the President's desk for signature into law. 

 

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