Lawmakers push for auto safety upgrades

[neshapop]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070228/...omakers_safety

WASHINGTON - Lawmakers and safety advocates called for new auto safety upgrades Tuesday that would require rearview cameras for drivers and power windows that automatically reverse as a way to protect children around vehicles.
"None of us wants to — as we each have done — meet with another family who has lost a child, in what is clearly a preventable death," said Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., who outlined legislation that would force automakers to provide the improvements.
Called the Cameron Gulbransen Kids and Cars Safety Act, the measure is named after a 2-year-old New York boy who was accidentally run over and killed by his father as he backed out his sport utility vehicle in 2002.
Kids and Cars, a Kansas-based safety group supporting the bill, estimated that about two children are killed and 48 injured every week because of back-over accidents. Family members are typically behind the wheel, they said.
Under the measure, which has failed in past years, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would require equipment alerting drivers to children and other objects behind the vehicle, prevent a vehicle from rolling when parked and make power windows reverse direction to address some children who have been strangled to death.

[Ming]

"None of us wants to — as we each have done — meet with another family who has lost a child, in what is clearly a preventable death," said Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., who outlined legislation that would force automakers to provide the improvements.

I thought standing up for the little guy was important for Senators, too. With the ever increasing list of safety standards, low income people will be effectively pushed out of the new car market as the once affordable $10,000 cars have mandatory features added on to them. That and increasingly these cars will need to be made in China, including cars larger than the Aveo, just to keep them attractive and cheap. They say the winners will be families with kids, but my cynical side says that other groups are involved in lobbying for this.

No matter how cheap these add-on items become through forcing every car to have them, you can't just keep adding on safety requirements ad infinitum and expect cars to remain affordable.

But perhaps that is the end game. Make cars affordable only for the middle class and up, and have lower income folks take the buses or trains where they can. One set of rules for the well-to-do (and chauffeured Senators), and another for the poor unwashed masses.

Much as I dislike this kind of thing, lets not turn this into a political bash-Hillary / Democrats fest. Don't make us mods lock this thread.

[kenman923]

Big brother hard at work.

[camaro_freak]

Originally Posted by neshapop

Called the Cameron Gulbransen Kids and Cars Safety Act, the measure is named after a 2-year-old New York boy who was accidentally run over and killed by his father as he backed out his sport utility vehicle in 2002.

while I feel for him and his family.. this is pilot error! Why didn't the father know where his children were? That is hardly the fault of the auto industry. If you can't see behind you, get a smaller vehicle... yish

I'm not surprised the government is trying to "protect" us from our stupidity.

Rear cameras should NOT be standard as MING said it will only drive up the price of the vehicle, making it less affordable.

What American drivers need is more EDUCATION before they get behind the wheel. Putting all the safetly stuff in the world isn't going to help unless driver's know how to use them.

Perhaps when we renew our licences we should take a driving course (I took one on my own and it helps incredibly). Get experience in different driving senarios in a safe environment and gain experience for when situations happen in REAL LIFE.

[AmericanRevv]

Senator Clinton, Anti-death, good to know, way to take a stand.

Obama, Death pro or con?

[fastball]

Technologies such as auto reverse windows are cheap to make. BMW has had that for years, by now even a Cobalt should have it. All it is is a current limiting circuit in series with the power window motor. I can make one out of a Heath kit in my basement for $.50 As the window going up meets resistance, the amount of current drawn to move the window increases. That circuit senses it and automatically reverses the polarity of the power going to the motor.

Not saying car makers should be mandated to protect us from our own stupidity, but it is a good, cheap, and safe feature.

Shouldn't increase the sticker price much if at all. If it does, the mfg. is doing so for pure profit and taking advantage of the situation.

[paul8488]

As Ming suggests, not everyone is going to go out and buy a brand-new vehicle with rear cameras next year. How long would it take before every vehicle on the road is so equipped? 10 years? 25 years? 100 years? Look at all the cars from thre 50s and 60s that are still on the road. I think this energy would be as well spent on educating people as to the dangers of their vehicles. Even with a video camera and beeping sensors I guarantee you that, sadly, there will still be some cases of children getting run over, because nothing is foolproof.

[2000GTPBROTHER]

I saw a different version of this in the last day or two, it the Detroit News. Contained an interesting quote from a person with a unique perspective. A former law maker that lost a child in a car tragedy.

Former New Hampshire State Rep. Packy Campbell lost his 22-month-old son, Ian, in 2004 when Ian's 4-year-old brother put the keys in the family truck and shifted it out of park, causing it to roll away.

"The answer is not, 'Let's just keep blaming the parents,' " Campbell said Monday.

Think it stands for itself.



Certain things should be "attacked" or "resolved" with regulation, some with technology, and finally some with education. Education can be the quickest and lowest cost way to handle some things. This may just be an area where eduction is the best tool.

[ZRock]

Originally Posted by fastball

Technologies such as auto reverse windows are cheap to make. BMW has had that for years, by now even a Cobalt should have it. All it is is a current limiting circuit in series with the power window motor. I can make one out of a Heath kit in my basement for $.50 As the window going up meets resistance, the amount of current drawn to move the window increases. That circuit senses it and automatically reverses the polarity of the power going to the motor.

Not saying car makers should be mandated to protect us from our own stupidity, but it is a good, cheap, and safe feature.

Shouldn't increase the sticker price much if at all. If it does, the mfg. is doing so for pure profit and taking advantage of the situation.

I thought most all vehicles these days had this kind of "anti-pinch" feature.

As for the cameras I'd love to have one on our Trailblazer, or our soon to be purchased Outlook, but I don't really dig the idea of having to spend $2000+ on the Nav radio to get it.

That said, making them mandatory is dumb, for the cost reasons already mentioned, and because all the cameras in the world won't help if the driver doesn't use them. Looks like typical act of politicians grabbing an issue and using it to get attention, regardless of the merits of the facts involved.

[camaro_freak]

Originally Posted by 2000GTPBROTHER

Certain things should be "attacked" or "resolved" with regulation, some with technology, and finally some with education. Education can be the quickest and lowest cost way to handle some things. This may just be an area where eduction is the best tool.

I agree.. why on EARTH did this guy leave the keys in the car with the kid ALONE???

It's called personal accountabilitly, something severly lacking in this country. It sucks and it is painful to lose a child, I can't imagine the hurt, but this guy could have prevented it.

The automaker is NOT responsible for issues like this...

[hunchman]

Originally Posted by camaro_freak

while I feel for him and his family.. this is pilot error! Why didn't the father know where his children were? That is hardly the fault of the auto industry. If you can't see behind you, get a smaller vehicle... yish

I'm not surprised the government is trying to "protect" us from our stupidity.

Rear cameras should NOT be standard as MING said it will only drive up the price of the vehicle, making it less affordable.

What American drivers need is more EDUCATION before they get behind the wheel. Putting all the safetly stuff in the world isn't going to help unless driver's know how to use them.

Perhaps when we renew our licences we should take a driving course (I took one on my own and it helps incredibly). Get experience in different driving senarios in a safe environment and gain experience for when situations happen in REAL LIFE.

I don't want to sound cold-hearted on this topic but I can't help but to agree with you camaro_freak and ming. More safety doodads on a vehicle will certainly drive up the prices. I think a driving course on more real life issues is a good idea and this could even go further.
How about a universal dvd or vhs tape tucked away in every new car pointing out these potential hazards and showing how they can be prevented. I'm sure the big 3 could agree on this and making it universal would make the cost next to nothing.
I 'm sure the parent knew the dangers of having children around while backing out of a driveway but will a camera prevent this?.........was this person on the phone while backing up?..........and was this person late for work and rushing?

[TiburonJT]

I don't mind some of the cheap technology, like auto reverse windows, which are foolproof. But, I have a problem with requiring things like cameras on every vehicle. It significantly drives up the cost of vehicles and I wonder if drivers will always use the camera when backing up and how often a child would be in view of the camera.

Several years ago I saw a child get run over. I was driving down a street and I looked over at some houses. I saw a guy backing out and he ran over a child. The child died. Based on what I saw, it looked like the child was under the vehicle just behind the rear left tire when the driver put the vehicle into reverse. A camera would have made no difference unless it covered the area under the vehicle.

[neshapop]

Originally Posted by TiburonJT

I don't mind some of the cheap technology, like auto reverse windows, which are foolproof. But, I have a problem with requiring things like cameras on every vehicle. It significantly drives up the cost of vehicles and I wonder if drivers will always use the camera when backing up and how often a child would be in view of the camera.

Several years ago I saw a child get run over. I was driving down a street and I looked over at some houses. I saw a guy backing out and he ran over a child. The child died. Based on what I saw, it looked like the child was under the vehicle just behind the rear left tire when the driver put the vehicle into reverse. A camera would have made no difference unless it covered the area under the vehicle.

I agree with you, I believe that guillotine power windows design is faulty and it should be banned or recalled but it would be logistical nightmare to repair on all makes and MY.

Having a child on my own I know how unpredictable they can be luckily with any bad consequences and as a driver you have to be very aware of the surrounding, no amount of technology is idiot-proof. People often consider getting a driver's license is the end of their learning and they can behave the way is convenient for them i.e. careless, negligent driving habits like lack of observing, speeding, not obeying residential area signs etc.

Although some parents should not have a license to have the kids and the lawmakers can do something about it too.

[IROCNROL1]

Originally Posted by Ming

I thought standing up for the little guy was important for Senators, too. With the ever increasing list of safety standards, low income people will be effectively pushed out of the new car market as the once affordable $10,000 cars have mandatory features added on to them. That and increasingly these cars will need to be made in China, including cars larger than the Aveo, just to keep them attractive and cheap. They say the winners will be families with kids, but my cynical side says that other groups are involved in lobbying for this.

No matter how cheap these add-on items become through forcing every car to have them, you can't just keep adding on safety requirements ad infinitum and expect cars to remain affordable.

But perhaps that is the end game. Make cars affordable only for the middle class and up, and have lower income folks take the buses or trains where they can. One set of rules for the well-to-do (and chauffeured Senators), and another for the poor unwashed masses.

Much as I dislike this kind of thing, lets not turn this into a political bash-Hillary / Democrats fest. Don't make us mods lock this thread.

It seems to me that you just stated your opinion, but are telling others not to do so. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[jwrebholz]

The nanny state strikes again.

These modifications would add probably close to $1,000 to the price of a new car. Instead of telling these drivers to pay attention to what the hell they're doing, they just add another feature to make sure they don't actually have to pay attention to their kids.

Besides, if this sort of accident is caused by inattention, what makes you think the driver is going to pay attention to the camera if he doesn't even know where his kid is?