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For Immediate Release
02/28/07
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Joe Brenckle - Republican Press Office 202-224-3991
Brian Eaton w/Stevens 202-224-0445
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Sen. Stevens Cosponsors Clinton - Sununu Legislation to Protect Children In and Around Vehicles
Legislation Works to Improve Auto Safety in Relation to Kids |
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) today joined Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and John Sununu (R-N.H.) to cosponsor legislation to improve child safety features in new vehicles. The measure, called the Kids and Cars Safety Act of 2007, will address issues surrounding vehicles and child safety, including backover crashes, injuries by power windows or deaths when a vehicle inadvertently shifts into motion.
“Backover warning systems, auto-reverse power windows and brake-shift interlocks are simple solutions to improving child safety in and around vehicles,” said Senator Stevens. “This bill will provide significant ways to protect our children from vehicle hazards.”
The Kids and Cars Safety Act directs the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations to decrease the incidence of child injury and death. The regulations would require power windows and panels (like a sunroof) to automatically reverse when an obstruction is encountered, which would help prevent children from being injured. Additionally, the legislation requires a rearward visibility standard that will allow drivers to detect persons or objects behind their vehicle. The bill requires that vehicles with automatic transmissions have a service brake that must be depressed before the vehicle can be shifted out of “Park.” This will prevent vehicles from inadvertently shifting into motion. The measure also requires the Secretary of Transportation to provide information about non-traffic, non-crash vehicle hazards to children by creating a new child safety consumer information program, which would be made available to the public.
In the U.S., motor vehicle accidents are now the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 14. Non-traffic motor vehicle-related events, including children being backed over by vehicles, being strangled by power windows, and setting cars in motion when left unattended in a vehicle, are also a significant cause of death for the nation’s youths. In 2005, at least 226 children died in non-traffic vehicle accidents.
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28th - |
current Press Release |
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27th - |
Aviation Subcommittee to Hold Second FAA Reauthorization Hearing
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation announces an Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security Subcommittee Hearing on the Administrations Proposal to Reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration - Part II for Thursday, March 8, 2007, at 9:30 a.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building.
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22nd - |
Senate Commerce Schedules CAFE Hearing
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announces a Full Committee Oversight Hearing on the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Program for Tuesday, March 6, 2007, at 10:00 a.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building.
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16th - |
Commerce Schedules Four Subcommittee Hearings
- WASHINGTON, DC – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation announces the following subcommittee hearings:
Consumer Affairs, Insurance, and Automotive Safety Subcommittee Hearing on Vehicle Safety for Children for Wednesday, February 28, 2007, at 10:00 a.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building;
Interstate Commerce, Trade, and Tourism Subcommittee Hea...
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15th - |
Passenger Rail, Universal Service Topics of Upcoming Commerce Hearings
- WASHINGTON, DC: The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation announces two hearings:
Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security Subcommittee Hearing on S.294, the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2007 for Tuesday, February 27, 2007, at 10:00 a.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building, and
Full Committee Hea...
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12th - |
Members Named to Senate Commerce Subcommittees
- WASHINGTON, DC – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation announces its subcommittee membership.
Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii), as Chairman of the Committee, and Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), as Vice Chairman of the Committee, are ex officio members of all subcommittees.
Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
John D. Rockefeller, W. Va. (Chair) ...
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