Kerry bill to help blind pedestrians from silent hazards passes the Senate

[karynnj]

Kerry’s Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010 will require Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to study and establish safety standards to alert pedestrians of motor vehicles, such as hybrid cars, that are difficult to hear.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/arlington/town_info/government/x1499826301/U-S-Senate-unanimously-passes-Kerry-bill-to-protect-the-blind

[wisteria]

1. Very thoughtful bill. I am glad to see it passed. n/t

[karynnj]

2. Nice statement from the National Federation of the blind

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-federation-of-the-blind-commends-senate-for-passage-of-safety-legislation-111664324.html

[karynnj]

3. Article describing at least one way that Nissan has that will create the needed noise

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/pedestrian-safety-enhancement-act-gets-green-light-28077.html

[rox63]

4. My Mom is legally blind

And she will definitely appreciate this. :)

[karynnj]

5. Obama signed this into law -

President Barack Obama has signed into law a requirement that hybrids and electric vehicles emit noises the blind and pedestrians can hear to avoid being struck by the vehicles that sometimes run silently.

The legislation, which was introduced by former presidential candidate U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), is called the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. It directs the Secretary of Transportation to study and report to Congress on the minimum level of sound that is necessary to be emitted from a motor vehicle, or some other method, to alert blind and other pedestrians of the presence of operating motor vehicles while traveling, according to the Congressional Research Service.
<snip>
According to the Detroit News, it's the first piece of auto safety legislation to become law since Obama took office in 2009. Several other safety bills proposed in the wake of Toyota Motor Corp.'s recalls over sudden acceleration have been stalled. The Association of International Automobile Manufacturers backed the measure, as did the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. Currently, Nissan Motor Co. has outfitted its Leaf electric car to automatically alert pedestrians when the car is operating at low speeds. General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet Volt, powered by a battery and a small internal combustion engine, has a chirping sound the driver can activate.

http://www.torquenews.com/108/hybrid-electric-vehicles-must-emit-noises-can-no-longer-run-silently

Great that Kerry won the support of the Federation of the blind and various auto manufacturing organizations.