Showing posts with label Department of Transportation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Department of Transportation. Show all posts

Friday, January 24, 2020

NEW DOT INITIATIVES TO PROTECT ROADSIDE FIRST RESPONDERS

by U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL, 17th)

Washington, D.C. - January 24, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), along with U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), have applauded new U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) initiatives designed to help avoid traffic accidents and save the lives of first responders rushing to aid in emergencies. The new initiatives closely mirror legislation Bustos, Durbin and Duckworth introduced last year that would establish a new national safety priority within an existing federal grant program to increase public awareness of “Move Over” laws and encourage implementation of life-saving digital alert technology. This technology is also referred to as V2X, or “vehicle-to-everything” communications systems, which can communicate with smartphones and other vehicles to alert passengers of an approaching emergency responder vehicle.

DOT’s announcement of these initiatives follows funding for a $5 million pilot program as part of a year-end bill that Bustos helped pass after Durbin secured language in the legislation. The pilot program would test and deploy these digital alert technologies to protect law enforcement, first responders, roadside crews, and others while on the job.

“We need to bring an end to the preventable tragedies we have seen along our roads and highways,” said Bustos. “That’s why I partnered with Senators Durbin and Duckworth to introduce legislation that brings awareness to our ‘Move Over’ laws and implements crash avoidance technology, and I’m pleased the Department of Transportation is taking initiatives to help address this issue. As the wife of a sheriff, I’m grateful for the work our first responders do every day and will continue to work to keep them safe.”

“We saw heartbreaking roadside accidents in Illinois last year, and we need to reverse the alarming rise in first responder roadside deaths,” Durbin said. “The initiatives announced by DOT are a helpful step forward that will provide states with resources to better enforce ‘Move Over’ laws and help keep our first responders safe.”

“One year ago this week, Illinois State Trooper Christopher Lambert was killed after being struck by a vehicle while assisting at a multi-vehicle crash. Trooper Lambert’s death and others like it reflect a troubling increase in first responder deaths that demands action,” said Duckworth. “I’m glad DOT is investing in new life-saving technologies like the First Responder Safety Technology Pilot Program, and I’ll continue to work with Senator Durbin and Representative Bustos to increase awareness of ‘Move Over’ laws and protect our first responders.”

In April 2019, Durbin paid tribute to three Illinois State Troopers who were killed after being struck by vehicles on the sides of roads and highways last year. Durbin honored Illinois State Troopers Brooke Jones-Story, Jerry Ellis, and Chris Lambert, and recognized the efforts of Lucy Kuelper, the daughter of an Illinois State Trooper who created a Facebook page to raise awareness about move over laws.

The Protecting Roadside First Responders Act, introduced by Bustos, Durbin and Duckworth last year, would establish move over law education and compliance as a national highway safety priority under existing NHTSA programs. This would allow states to apply for grant funding to execute move over law awareness campaigns, and to equip vehicles with digital alert and crash avoidance technology.

The digital alert technology, which is the focus of DOT’s new initiatives, is currently deployed by some localities around the country. This technology sends a real-time, audible, hands-free warning to motorists via navigation apps on their smartphone or their in-vehicle navigation system; notifying the driver when they are approaching an emergency responder vehicle. Deploying the technology only requires a small, inexpensive transponder to be added to emergency vehicles.

As of the Members’ introduction of the Protecting Roadside First Responders Act, 17 Illinois State Police (ISP) squad cars had been struck as a result of drivers failing to move over—twice as many as in 2018. Several suffered serious injuries and three of these incidents were fatal.

At least 37 auto-related first-responder deaths were recorded nationwide in 2019, of which 14 were officers struck by vehicles. Studies show more than 70 percent of Americans are unaware of Move Over laws like Scott’s Law in Illinois. All 50 states have Move Over laws.

Illinois’ move over law, called “Scott’s Law” was first enacted in 2002 to require motorists to slow down, and when possible, move over for all emergency vehicles with their lights on. It was later expanded in 2017 to include all pulled-over vehicles with their hazard lights on. The law is named after Chicago Fire Department Lt. Scott Gillen, who was killed in 2000 on the Bishop Ford Freeway. In July 2019, Governor Pritzker signed a bill expanding upon the law, which increases the fines for violators and charges them an additional $250 fee to establish a fund for education and enforcement of the law.

The Protecting Roadside First Responders Act would also:

  • Require NHTSA to promulgate rules mandating crash avoidance technology on all new motor vehicles, within two years, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warnings, and lane departure warnings.
  • Require all federal fleet vehicles to have crash avoidance technology (automatic emergency braking, forward collision warnings, and lane departure warnings) within five years.
  • Require all federal fleet vehicles used for emergency response activities to be equipped with digital alert technology within five years.
  • Require research on the efficacy of Move Over laws and related public awareness campaigns as well as recommendations on how to improve these efforts to prevent roadside deaths.

  • Senator Burr Applauds Department of Transportation’s Proposed Rulemaking of Service Animals on Flights

    by Senator Richard Burr (R-NC)

    Washington, D.C. - January 24, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- the Department of Transportation announced its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to amend the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) regulation of service animals on aircraft.

    Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), who led efforts to strengthen the standards of service animals on aircraft, welcomed the Department of Transportation’s announcement.

    “When individuals are trying to bring any variety of animals on flights by fraudulently claiming disability needs, we have a problem,” said Senator Burr. “It isn’t fair to passengers, airlines, or those who do require properly trained service animals. It’s time we enact commonsense regulations that protect the ability of individuals and veterans with disabilities to travel with their trained service animals. I’ve been working to create stricter guidelines for service animals on airlines, and I applaud the Department of Transportation for taking steps to ensure our nation’s air transportation system is safer and more accessible.”

    Background:

    On April 24, 2018, Senator Burr introduced legislation to better align the definition of a “service animal” under the Air Carriers Access Act (ACAA) with the definition under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), establish a criminal penalty for making misrepresentations about service animals, and require federal agencies to establish a standard of service animal behavior training for animals on aircraft.

    During consideration of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act in October 2018, Senator Burr negotiated the inclusion of an amendment to require the FAA to establish rulemaking to define the term “service animal” for air transportation and develop minimum standards for service and emotional support animals carried on airplanes.

    As a result of this successful negotiation, the Department of Transportation announced it is seeking public comment on its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on traveling by air with service animals. Specifically, the proposed rulemaking:

  • Aligns the definition of a service animal with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) definition.
  • Does not require airlines to recognize “emotional support animals” as “service animals.” Airlines would be permitted to treat “emotional support animals,” which do not have the proper training for qualified individuals with disabilities, as pets.
  • Allows airlines to only transport dogs as service animals rather than accommodating miniature horses, peacocks, cats, rabbits, birds, and other service animals that airlines are currently required to transport.


  • Thursday, September 14, 2017

    Schakowsky & Pallone: New DOT Automated Vehicle Guidance is a Step Backwards

    Source: House Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL, 9th)

    Washington, D.C. - September 14, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) released the following statement today on new federal guidance for Automated Driving Systems released by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

    “After waiting months for the Trump Administration to release its vision for self-driving cars, AV Guidance 2.0 is a step backwards. Instead of focusing on safety and ensuring car makers are properly testing these vehicles, the Administration chose to cave to industry and pressure states into not acting. Since the Trump Administration is not providing any leadership, Congress must move forward with bipartisan legislation that puts safety first through mandatory safety assessment certifications, a framework for updating safety standards, plans for privacy and cybersecurity, and general improvements in vehicle safety.”