SENIOR SENATE FEDERAL PROPOSAL NO. 5

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR SENATOR MURPHY

(COAUTHOR:  SENIOR SENATOR FROMM)

(COAUTHOR:  SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER TUCKER)

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SFP 5:  SAFER OLDER DRIVER MOTOR VEHICLE DESIGN.

UNDER THE FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY ACT, THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION IS AUTHORIZED TO MONITOR AND CORRECT DEFECTS IN MOTOR VEHICLES AND MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPMENT.  SAFETY STANDARDS FOR THESE VEHICLES ARE ESTABLISHED BASED ON TESTING MATERIALS AND DATA THAT REFLECT THE IMPACT ON AVERAGE HEALTHY PERSONS WITH NO CONSIDERATION FOR THE AGE OF THE DRIVER.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD DIRECT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, IN COORDINATION WITH THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY, INSURERS, AND MOTOR VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS TO PROMOTE MOTOR VEHICLE DESIGNS AND SAFETY STANDARDS THAT IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF OLDER ADULTS AS DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS.

VOTE:  MAJORITY.

SFP 5:  RELATING TO SAFER OLDER DRIVER MOTOR VEHICLE DESIGN

WHEREAS, THE AGING OF THE BABY BOOMER GENERATION IS FUELING A RAPID GROWTH IN THE POPULATION OF OLDER ADULTS; AND

WHEREAS, CALIFORNIA'S SENIOR POPULATION IS EXPECTED TO MORE THAN DOUBLE WITHIN THE NEXT 20 YEARS, WITH THOSE 85 YEARS AND OLDER REPRESENTING THE FASTEST SEGMENT OF THAT POPULATION; AND

WHEREAS, THIS GROWTH WILL RESULT IN A LARGE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF OLDER DRIVERS AND OLDER ADULTS USING CALIFORNIA'S AND THE NATION'S HIGHWAYS; AND

WHEREAS, OLDER DRIVERS ARE NOT A SERIOUS THREAT TO THE SAFETY OF OTHERS AND ARE NOT INVOLVED IN AS MANY CRASHES AS YOUNGER DRIVERS; AND

WHEREAS, OLDER DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS INVOLVED IN MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED WITH THE RISK OF DYING INCREASING DRAMATICALLY WITH AGE; AND

WHEREAS, CURRENT SAFETY STANDARDS FOR MOTOR VEHICLE DESIGNS UTILIZE TESTING MATERIALS AND PROCEDURES THAT ARE BASED ON THE EFFECTS ON AN AVERAGE HEALTHY PERSON AND DO NOT CONSIDER THE EFFECTS OF AN OLDER PERSON; AND

WHEREAS, ESTABLISHING ACCEPTABLE CRASH TEST CRITERIA FOR THE PROTECTION OF OLDER DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SHOULD ALSO MAKE MOTOR VEHICLES SAFER FOR PERSONS OF ALL AGES; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR SENATE AND THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2003 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, IN COORDINATION WITH THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY, INSURERS, AND MOTOR VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS PROMOTE MOTOR VEHICLE DESIGNS AND SAFETY STANDARDS THAT IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF OLDER DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS OF MOTOR VEHICLES, UTILIZING "OLDER" CRASH TEST DUMMIES, CRASH AVOIDANCE SYSTEMS, AND OTHER DESIGN AND SAFETY CHANGES, INCLUDING, WIDER MIRRORS AND NIGHT VISION WINDSHIELDS, THAT MAKE VEHICLES EASIER FOR OLDER ADULTS TO DRIVE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION WHICH WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE CHAIRPERSONS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES ON AGING AND TO EACH SENATOR AND REPRESENTATIVE FROM CALIFORNIA IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.

RN0317205

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