S.161 - She Develops Regulations In Vehicle Equality and Safety Act; She DRIVES Act (119th Congress)
Summary
S.161, the 'She Develops Regulations In Vehicle Equality and Safety Act' or 'She DRIVES Act,' aims to improve vehicle safety standards by updating testing procedures used under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). The bill mandates the Secretary of Transportation to issue rules relating to testing procedures, specifically incorporating both 50th percentile adult male and 5th percentile adult female Test Device for Human Occupant Restraint (THOR) frontal impact testing devices. It also addresses side impact testing with similar male and female dummies.
The Act requires the Secretary to establish or update injury criteria based on real-world injuries and the potential to increase safety. This includes establishing crashworthiness frontal and side impact tests for adult female occupants in all designated front seating positions, mirroring tests for adult male occupants. The bill also mandates reports to Congress on timelines for incorporating other advanced testing devices and a comparison with international standards.
In short, the bill seeks to enhance vehicle safety by ensuring testing procedures account for differences in occupant size and sex, potentially leading to safer vehicles for all occupants.
Expected Effects
The 'She DRIVES Act' will likely lead to revised Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and updates to the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). These changes will require vehicle manufacturers to design and test vehicles to better protect both male and female occupants in crashes. The Act will also result in increased regulatory activity and reporting requirements for the Department of Transportation.
Ultimately, the goal is to reduce injuries and fatalities in vehicle accidents by improving crashworthiness standards. This will be achieved by using more representative testing devices and injury criteria.
This could also spur innovation in vehicle safety technology as manufacturers adapt to the new testing requirements.
Potential Benefits
- Enhanced safety standards that account for both male and female occupants, potentially reducing injuries and fatalities.
- Updated injury criteria based on real-world data, leading to more effective safety measures.
- Increased transparency and accountability through mandated reports to Congress.
- Potential for innovation in vehicle safety technology as manufacturers adapt to new testing requirements.
- Alignment with international best practices in vehicle safety testing.
Potential Disadvantages
- Increased costs for vehicle manufacturers to comply with new testing requirements, potentially leading to higher vehicle prices for consumers.
- Potential delays in the implementation of new safety standards due to the complexity of the rulemaking process.
- Possible challenges in establishing accurate and representative injury criteria for both male and female occupants.
- Risk of unintended consequences or unforeseen issues arising from the new testing procedures.
- The act focuses primarily on front seat occupants, potentially overlooking safety improvements for rear seat passengers.
Constitutional Alignment
The 'She DRIVES Act' appears to align with the US Constitution, particularly the Commerce Clause (Article I, Section 8), which grants Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce. Vehicle safety standards fall under this purview as they affect the manufacturing and sale of vehicles across state lines. The Act does not appear to infringe upon any individual liberties or rights protected by the Bill of Rights.
Furthermore, the Act promotes the general welfare by seeking to improve vehicle safety and reduce injuries, which aligns with the Preamble's goal of promoting the general welfare. The Act also adheres to the principle of separation of powers by delegating specific rulemaking authority to the Secretary of Transportation, an executive branch official, while retaining oversight through reporting requirements to Congress.
In short, the Act seems to operate within the bounds established by the Constitution.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).