[Ncabs] The NFB Position on Quiet Cars

[Gary H. Ray]

ENHANCING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY:  ENSURING THE BLIND CAN CONTINUE TO TRAVEL
SAFELY AND INDEPENDENTLY


Purpose:  To require hybrid, electric, and other vehicles to emit a minimum
level of sound to alert blind and other pedestrians of their presence.  

Background:  Until recently independent travel for the blind has been a
relatively simple matter, once a blind person has been trained in travel
techniques and has learned to use a white cane or travel with a guide dog.
Blind people listen to the sounds of automobile engines to determine the
direction, speed, and pattern of traffic.  Sounds from traffic tell blind
pedestrians how many vehicles are near them and how fast they are moving,
whether the vehicles are accelerating or decelerating, and whether the
vehicles are traveling toward, away from, or parallel to them.  With all of
this information, blind people can accurately determine when it is safe to
advance into an intersection or across a driveway or parking lot.  The
information obtained from listening to traffic sounds allows blind people to
travel with complete confidence and without assistance. Studies have shown
that sighted pedestrians also use this information when traveling.  

	Over the past few years, however, vehicles that are completely
silent in certain modes of operation have come on the market, and many more
silent vehicles are expected in the near future.  These vehicles are
designed to have many benefits, including improved fuel efficiency and
reduced emissions, but they do not need to be silent in order to achieve
these intended benefits.  An unintended consequence of these vehicles as
they are currently designed is that they will reduce the independence of
blind Americans and endanger the lives, not only of blind people, but also
of small children, seniors, cyclists, and runners.  

	Currently the most popular of these vehicles is the
gasoline-electric hybrid, which alternates between running on a gasoline
engine and on battery power (although a few electric automobiles are already
on America's roads and new all-electric models are planned).  The blind of
America do not oppose the proliferation of vehicles intended to reduce
damage to the environment, but for safety these vehicles must meet a minimum
sound standard.  

	On April 9, 2008, Congressmen Ed Towns and Cliff Stearns introduced
H.R. 5734 (the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2008).  This legislation
sought to solve the problem of silent cars by authorizing a two-year study
to determine the best method for allowing blind individuals to recognize the
presence of silent cars, and by requiring that, two years after the study
was completed, all new vehicles sold in the United States must comply with
the solution determined by the study.  In the 110th Congress, eighty-eight
members of the House cosponsored this legislation.  

Need for Congressional Action:  For several years the National Federation of
the Blind has been concerned about the proliferation of silent vehicles.
Recently automobile manufacturers have acknowledged the problems posed to
blind pedestrians by silent vehicle technology and have begun to work with
the National Federation of the Blind to seek solutions.  However, federal
regulators have indicated that, in the absence of statistics on injuries or
deaths caused by hybrid vehicles, nothing can be done.  Congress must
therefore direct the Department of Transportation to take action.  It is
crucial that this problem be addressed before the inevitable avalanche of
tragedies involving blind people, small children, seniors, cyclists,
runners, and newly blinded veterans shocks the nation.  

Proposed Legislation:  Congressmen Towns and Stearns have reintroduced the
Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act to direct the Secretary of Transportation
to conduct a study and establish a motor vehicle safety standard that
provides a means of alerting blind and other pedestrians of motor vehicle
operation, based on appropriate scientific research and consultation with
blind Americans and other affected groups.  This national motor vehicle
safety standard must have the following characteristics:  
.	In all phases of operation (including times when the vehicle is at a
full stop) vehicles shall be required to emit an omni-directional sound with
similar spectral characteristics to those of a modern internal combustion
engine.  
.	The sound should vary in a way that is consistent with the sound of
vehicles with combustion engines to indicate whether the vehicle is idling,
maintaining a constant speed, accelerating, or decelerating.  
	The standard need not prescribe the apparatus, technology, or method
to be used by vehicle manufacturers to achieve the required minimum sound
level.  This approach will encourage manufacturers to use innovative and
cost-effective techniques to achieve the minimum sound standard.  
	The addition of components to emit a minimum sound discernible by
blind and other pedestrians will not negatively affect environmental
benefits of gasoline-electric hybrids and other automobiles running on
alternate power sources, and the emitted sound need not be loud enough to
contribute to noise pollution.  Automobiles that operate in complete
silence, however, endanger the safety of all of us; silent operation should
be viewed as a design flaw comparable to the lack of seat belts or air bags.


Requested Action:  Please support blind Americans by cosponsoring the
Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act to authorize the U.S. Department of
Transportation to establish and promulgate regulations specifying a minimum
sound standard for all new automobiles sold in the United States.  In the
House of Representatives, members can be added by contacting Emily Khoury in
Congressman Towns's office, or James Thomas in Congressman Stearns's office.
In the Senate members can support independence for blind Americans by
sponsoring companion legislation.  


Contact Information:
Jesse Hartle
Government Programs Specialist
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
Phone:  (410) 659-9314, extension 2233
Email:  jhartle at nfb.org