[Quietcars] Key Stakeholders Agree on Measures to Protect Blind Pedestrians from Silent Cars

[michael townsend]

Your use of the word protect still bothers me tremendously.  I applaud the
efforts of whomever is fighting to push congress to come to terms with this
pressing issue.  Perhaps, if someone in congress was effected by either an
accident with a hybrid or a quieter car, they might get it,  However, when
you have Tea Party reps like Rand Paul stating that he would like to
dissolve the ADA, Affirmative Action and the Civil rights act if he could
because they're not purposeful in today's society, I seriously have doubts
about congressional efforts along the lines such as being proposed here.
Let's all turn the country back to the 1940s, okay!

Great going to all who've lobbied for this and I hope that it gets a
collective showing of support in the senate and house,

Mike T

 

-----Original Message-----
From: quietcars-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:quietcars-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Freeh, Jessica (by way of David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>)
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2010 6:51 AM
To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Quietcars] Key Stakeholders Agree on Measures to Protect Blind
Pedestrians from Silent Cars


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org





Key Stakeholders Agree on Measures to
Protect Blind Pedestrians from Silent Cars





Urge Passage as Part of Motor Vehicle Safety Act



Baltimore, Maryland (May 19, 2010): 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 2010-which is currently pending in
both houses of Congress-as 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.



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."



"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.



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.



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.





###







About the National Federation of the Blind



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.


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