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<font face="Garamond"><br>
</font><b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br><br>
</b><font face="Garamond"> <br><br>
<b>CONTACT:<br><br>
</b>Chris Danielsen<br><br>
Director of Public Relations <br><br>
National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<br><br>
</font>(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<br><br>
<font face="Garamond"><a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org">
cdanielsen@nfb.org</a><br><br>
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<br>
</font><div align="center"><h1><b>Key Stakeholders Agree on Measures to
<br>
Protect Blind Pedestrians from Silent Cars<br><br>
<br><br>
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<h2><b>Urge Passage as Part of Motor Vehicle Safety
Act</b></h2><font face="Times New Roman, Times"> <br><br>
</font><font face="Garamond"><b>Baltimore, Maryland (May 19, 2010):</b>
The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the American Council of the
Blind (ACB), the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (AAM), and the
Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM) announced
today that they have agreed on proposed legislative language that will
protect blind pedestrians and others from the danger posed by silent
vehicle technology. The four organizations are urging Congress to adopt
and pass the language as part of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act of
2010which is currently pending in both houses of Congressas quickly as
possible. The proposed language would require the Department of
Transportation to promulgate a motor vehicle safety standard requiring
automobiles to emit a minimum level of sound to alert the blind and other
pedestrians. <br><br>
<br><br>
Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
“The National Federation of the Blind commends the automobile industry
for its leadership on this issue and for its genuine concern for the
safety of blind Americans, cyclists, runners, small children, and other
pedestrians. We look forward to working with the parties to this
agreement, the United States Congress, and the Department of
Transportation to ensure that <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />America’s
streets remain safe, both for those who drive and for those who do not.”
<br><br>
<br><br>
"Good policy is a collaborative effort, and this is a good approach
for pedestrians and automakers," said Dave McCurdy, President and
CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.<br><br>
<br><br>
Because blind pedestrians cannot locate and evaluate traffic using their
vision, they must listen to traffic to discern its speed, direction, and
other attributes in order to travel safely and independently. Other
people, including pedestrians who are not blind, cyclists, runners,
seniors, and small children, also benefit from hearing the sound of
vehicle engines. New vehicles that employ hybrid or electric engine
technology can be silent, rendering them extremely dangerous in
situations where vehicles and pedestrians come into proximity with each
other. <br><br>
<br><br>
A recent report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) stated that hybrid and electric vehicles are
nearly twice as likely to be involved in accidents with pedestrians as
vehicles with internal combustion engines. <br><br>
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<br><br>
<br><br>
<br>
</font><h2><b>About the National Federation of the
Blind</b></h2><font face="Garamond"> <br><br>
</font>With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the
Blind is the largest and most influential membership organization of
blind people in the United States. The NFB improves blind people’s
lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs
encouraging independence and self-confidence. It is the leading
force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's
blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of
the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in
the United States for the blind led by the blind. <br><br>
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