Work Remains to Make Cars Even Safer
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, chairman of the House
Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following statement today as part of a
hearing entitled, “Reauthorization of the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration.”
“Thank you, Chairman Stearns, for holding this hearing today on the
reauthorization of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Nearly every family in this country owns at least one car, and in 2003,
more than 40,000 members of these families died in their cars. By ‘cars’ I
mean everything from the pickup trucks that fill the roads in my part of the
country, to the taxis in New York, to the limos over on K Street here in
Washington. Cars are part of the culture and part of our lives, and they’re
getting better every year. In particular, automakers have dramatically improved
vehicle safety in the last 20 years. Every year more people buckle their
seatbelts. And although more cars hit the road every year, and they come in all
shapes and sizes, the accident rate continues to decline. Despite the advances,
does anybody doubt that the cars we drive can be even safer? I sure don’t.
“I also know that new technologies are taking safety to a new level. In
addition to shielding people from injury in an accident, I’m told that the
next generation of cars may actually help drivers avoid a crash. A feature
called ‘electronic stability control’ can prevent loss of control during
emergency maneuvers.
“Two of our witnesses, from NHTSA and the Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety, both concluded recently that this technology is particularly effective
in dramatically cutting the number of single-vehicle crashes in SUVs. This
translates into lives saved.
“The timing of this hearing is no accident. We are negotiating a new
transportation bill in the Transportation Conference Committee, and I am a
conferee. The Senate has brought to the table a bill that includes NHTSA
provisions that would require the agency to complete rulemakings on several
safety initiatives, including vehicle rollover, occupant ejection mitigation,
side crashes, and roof strength. I am anxious to learn from each of our
witnesses today about how this legislative language can save lives on America’s
roads and highways.
“This committee shares jurisdiction over NHTSA, and has sole jurisdiction
over automobile safety issues. The Senate highway bill provisions we are
discussing today would be referred to this committee as a stand-alone bill. One
option before us is to reject the items in the conference and to consider them
in a stand-alone NHTSA reauthorization bill. I have not come to a position on
the provisions or the procedure.
“Although the loss of life rate on our roads decreases annually, the actual
number staggers the imagination: 42,263 people died in auto accidents in 2003.
Plainly, there is great work yet to be done, and the transportation conference
is a good place to start. I look forward to being educated by our witnesses on
these vehicle safety issues today
“Thank you again, Chairman Stearns, for holding this hearing and I look
forward to hearing from our witnesses.”
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