49 U.S.C. § 30127: Automatic occupant crash protection and seat belt use

“bus” means a motor vehicle with motive power (except a trailer) designed to carry more than 10 individuals. “multipurpose passenger vehicle” means a motor vehicle with motive power (except a trailer), designed to carry not more than 10 individuals, that is constructed either on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road operation. “passenger car” means a motor vehicle with motive power (except a multipurpose passenger vehicle, motorcycle, or trailer) designed to carry not more than 10 individuals. “truck” means a motor vehicle with motive power (except a trailer) designed primarily to transport property or special purpose equipment. 95 percent of each manufacturer’s annual production of passenger cars manufactured after August 31, 1996 , and before September 1, 1997 . 80 percent of each manufacturer’s annual production of buses, multipurpose passenger vehicles, and trucks (except walk-in van-type trucks and vehicles designed to be sold only to the United States Postal Service) with a gross vehicle weight rating of not more than 8,500 pounds and an unloaded vehicle weight of not more than 5,500 pounds manufactured after August 31, 1997 , and before September 1, 1998 . 100 percent of each manufacturer’s annual production of passenger cars manufactured after August 31, 1997 . 100 percent of each manufacturer’s annual production of vehicles described in clause (B) of this paragraph manufactured after August 31, 1998 . Manufacturers may not use credits and incentives available before September 1, 1998 , under the provisions of Standard 208 (as amended by this section) to comply with the requirements of paragraph (1)(D) of this subsection after August 31, 1998 . either or both of the front outboard seating positions of the vehicle are equipped with an inflatable restraint referred to as an “airbag” and a lap and shoulder belt; the “airbag” is a supplemental restraint and is not a substitute for lap and shoulder belts; lap and shoulder belts also must be used correctly by an occupant in a front outboard seating position to provide restraint or protection from frontal crashes as well as other types of crashes or accidents; and occupants should always wear their lap and shoulder belts, if available, or other safety belts, whether or not there is an inflatable restraint. Congress finds that it is in the public interest for each State to adopt and enforce mandatory seat belt use laws and for the United States Government to adopt and enforce mandatory seat belt use regulations. On application of a manufacturer, the Secretary of Transportation may exempt, on a temporary basis, motor vehicles of that manufacturer from any requirement under subsections (b) and (c) of this section on terms the Secretary considers appropriate. An exemption may be renewed. The Secretary of Transportation may grant an exemption under paragraph (1) of this subsection if the Secretary finds that there has been a disruption in the supply of any component of an inflatable restraint or in the use and installation of that component by the manufacturer because of an unavoidable event not under the control of the manufacturer that will prevent the manufacturer from meeting its anticipated production volume of vehicles with those restraints. Only an affected manufacturer may apply for an exemption. The Secretary of Transportation shall prescribe in the amendment to Standard 208 required under this section the information an affected manufacturer must include in its application under this subsection. The manufacturer shall specify in the application the models, lines, and types of vehicles affected. The Secretary may consolidate similar applications from different manufacturers. An exemption or renewal of an exemption is conditioned on the commitment of the manufacturer to recall the exempted vehicles for installation of the omitted inflatable restraints within a reasonable time that the manufacturer proposes and the Secretary of Transportation approves after the components become available in sufficient quantities to satisfy both anticipated production and recall volume requirements. The Secretary of Transportation shall publish in the Federal Register a notice of each application under this subsection and each decision to grant or deny a temporary exemption and the reasons for the decision. The Secretary of Transportation shall require a label for each exempted vehicle that can be removed only after recall and installation of the required inflatable restraint. The Secretary shall require that written notice of the exemption be provided to the dealer and the first purchaser of each exempted vehicle other than for resale, with the notice being provided in a way, and containing the information, the Secretary considers appropriate. affecting another provision of law carried out by the Secretary of Transportation applicable to passenger cars, buses, multipurpose passenger vehicles, or trucks; or establishing a precedent related to developing or prescribing a Government motor vehicle safety standard. This section and amendments to Standard 208 made under this section may not be construed as indicating an intention by Congress to affect any liability of a motor vehicle manufacturer under applicable law related to vehicles with or without inflatable restraints. a combination of inflated restraints and lap and shoulder belts; inflated restraints only; and lap and shoulder belts only. military personnel; Government, State, and local law enforcement officers; other Government and State employees; and the public. after September 30, 1994 , for use by the Government be equipped, to the maximum extent practicable, with driver-side inflatable restraints; and after September 30, 1996 , for use by the Government be equipped, to the maximum extent practicable, with inflatable restraints for both front outboard seating positions. an occupant restraint system consisting of integrated lap-shoulder belts; or an occupant restraint system consisting of a lap belt, if an occupant restraint system described in clause (i) does not meet the need for motor vehicle safety; and amends Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 207 to require limousines to meet standards for seats (including side-facing seats), seat attachment assemblies, and seat installation to minimize the possibility of failure by forces acting on the seats, attachment assemblies, and installations as a result of motor vehicle impact. Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report that assesses the feasibility, benefits, and costs with respect to the application of any requirement established under paragraph (1) to a limousine introduced into interstate commerce before the date on which the requirement takes effect. The final rule prescribed under subsection (a)(1) and any standards prescribed under subsection (b) or (c) of section 23015 shall apply to a person modifying a passenger motor vehicle (as defined in section 32101 of title 49 , United States Code) that has already been purchased by the first purchaser (as defined in section 30102(b) of that title) by increasing the wheelbase of the vehicle to make the vehicle a limousine. The requirements of this section apply notwithstanding section 30112(b)(1) of title 49 , United States Code.” The type or types of child restraint systems in use during the crash in any vehicle involved in the crash, including whether a five-point harness or belt-positioning booster. [sic] If a five-point harness child restraint system was in use during the crash, whether the child restraint system was forward-facing or rear-facing in the vehicle concerned. In implementing subsection (a), the Secretary shall work with law enforcement officials, safety advocates, the medical community, and research organizations to improve the recordation of data described in subsection (a) in police and other applicable incident reports. Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on child occupant crash data collection in the crash investigation data collection system of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration pursuant to the revision required by subsection (a).” Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act [see section 3(a), (b) of Pub. L. 112–141 , set out as Effective and Termination Dates of 2012 Amendment notes under section 101 of Title 23 , Highways], the Secretary [of Transportation] shall issue a final rule amending Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 213 to improve the protection of children seated in child restraint systems during side impact crashes. Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall commence a rulemaking proceeding to amend the standard seat assembly specifications under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 213 to better simulate a single representative motor vehicle rear seat. Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue a final rule pursuant to paragraph (1).” Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [see section 3(a), (b) of Pub. L. 112–141 , set out as Effective and Termination Dates of 2012 Amendment notes under section 101 of Title 23 , Highways], the Secretary [of Transportation] shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding to amend Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 225 (relating to child restraint anchorage systems) to improve the ease of use for lower anchorages and tethers in all rear seat seating positions if such anchorages and tethers are feasible. Except as provided under paragraph (2) and section 31505 [set out as a note below], the Secretary shall issue a final rule under subsection (a) not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act. the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.” Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act [see section 3(a), (b) of Pub. L. 112–141 , set out as Effective and Termination Dates of 2012 Amendment notes under section 101 of Title 23 , Highways], the Secretary [of Transportation] shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding to amend Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 208 (relating to occupant crash protection) to provide a safety belt use warning system for designated seating positions in the rear seat. Except as provided under paragraph (2) and section 31505 [set out as a note below], the Secretary shall issue a final rule under subsection (a) not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act. the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.” provide the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives with an explanation for why such deadline cannot be met; and establish a new deadline for that rule.” “This Act may be cited as ‘Anton’s Law’. It is the policy of the Department of Transportation that all child occupants of motor vehicles, regardless of seating position, be appropriately restrained in order to reduce the incidence of injuries and fatalities resulting from motor vehicle crashes on the streets, roads, and highways. Research has shown that very few children between the ages of 4 to 8 years old are in the appropriate restraint for their age when riding in passenger motor vehicles. Children who have outgrown their child safety seats should ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until an adult seat belt fits properly. Children who were properly restrained when riding in passenger motor vehicles suffered less severe injuries from accidents than children not properly restrained. The Secretary of Transportation (hereafter referred to as the ‘Secretary’) shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding to establish performance requirements for child restraints, including booster seats, for the restraint of children weighing more than 50 pounds. consider whether to include injury performance criteria for child restraints, including booster seats and other products for use in passenger motor vehicles for the restraint of children weighing more than 50 pounds, under the requirements established in the rulemaking proceeding; consider whether to establish performance requirements for seat belt fit when used with booster seats and other belt guidance devices; consider whether to address situations where children weighing more than 50 pounds only have access to seating positions with lap belts, such as allowing tethered child restraints for such children; and review the definition of the term ‘booster seat’ in Federal motor vehicle safety standard No. 213 under section 571.213 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, to determine if it is sufficiently comprehensive. The Secretary shall complete the rulemaking proceeding required by subsection (a) not later than 30 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [ Dec. 4, 2002 ]. Not later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [ Dec. 4, 2002 ], the Secretary shall develop and evaluate an anthropomorphic test device that simulates a 10-year old child for use in testing child restraints used in passenger motor vehicles. Within 1 year following the development and evaluation carried out under subsection (a), the Secretary shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding for the adoption of an anthropomorphic test device as developed under subsection (a). require a lap and shoulder belt assembly for each rear designated seating position in a passenger motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less, except that if the Secretary determines that installation of a lap and shoulder belt assembly is not practicable for a particular designated seating position in a particular type of passenger motor vehicle, the Secretary may exclude the designated seating position from the requirement; and apply that requirement to passenger motor vehicles in phases in accordance with subsection (b). The requirement prescribed under subsection (a)(1) shall be implemented in phases on a production year basis beginning with the production year that begins not later than 12 months after the end of the year in which the regulations are prescribed under subsection (a). The final rule shall apply to all passenger motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less that are manufactured in the third production year of the implementation phase-in under the schedule. the safety of the child restraint and correctness of fit for the child; the availability of testing data on the system and vehicle in which the child restraint will be used; the compatibility of the child restraint with different makes and models; the cost-effectiveness of mass production of the child restraint for consumers; the ease of use and relative availability of the child restraint to children riding in motor vehicles; and the benefits of built-in seats for improving compliance with State child occupant restraint laws. Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act [ Dec. 4, 2002 ], the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report of this evaluation. The term ‘child restraint’ means any product designed to provide restraint to a child (including booster seats and other products used with a lap and shoulder belt assembly) that meets applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards prescribed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The term ‘production year’ means the 12-month period between September 1 of a year and August 31 of the following year. The term ‘passenger motor vehicle’ has the meaning given that term in [former] section 405(f)(5) of title 23 , United States Code. the evaluation required by section 6 of this Act; and research of the nature and causes of injury to children involved in motor vehicle crashes. Funds appropriated under subsection (a) shall not be available for the general administrative expenses of the Secretary.” Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [ Nov. 1, 2000 ], the Secretary of Transportation shall initiate a rulemaking for the purpose of improving the safety of child restraints, including minimizing head injuries from side impact collisions. replicate an array of crash conditions, such as side-impact crashes and rear-impact crashes; and reflect the designs of passenger motor vehicles as of the date of the enactment of this Act [ Nov. 1, 2000 ]; represent a greater range of sizes of children including the need to require the use of an anthropomorphic test device that is representative of a ten-year-old child; and are Hybrid III anthropomorphic test devices; whether to require improved protection from head injuries in side-impact and rear-impact crashes; how to provide consumer information on the physical compatibility of child restraints and vehicle seats on a model-by-model basis; whether to prescribe clearer and simpler labels and instructions required to be placed on child restraints; whether to amend Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213 (49 CFR 571.213) to cover restraints for children weighing up to 80 pounds; whether to establish booster seat performance and structural integrity requirements to be dynamically tested in 3-point lap and shoulder belts; whether to apply scaled injury criteria performance levels, including neck injury, developed for Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208 to child restraints and booster seats covered by in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213; and whether to include child restraint in each vehicle crash tested under the New Car Assessment Program. If the Secretary does not incorporate any element described in subsection (b) in the final rule, the Secretary shall explain, in a report to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Commerce [now Committee on Energy and Commerce] submitted within 30 days after issuing the final rule, specifically why the Secretary did not incorporate any such element in the final rule. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall complete the rulemaking required by subsection (a) not later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [ Nov. 1, 2000 ]. In this section, the term ‘child restraint’ has the meaning given the term ‘Child restraint system’ in section 571.213 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [ Nov. 1, 2000 ]). For each fiscal year, of the funds made available to the Secretary for activities relating to safety, not less than $750,000 shall be made available to carry out crash testing of child restraints. No later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [ Nov. 1, 2000 ], the Secretary of Transportation shall issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to establish a child restraint safety rating consumer information program to provide practicable, readily understandable, and timely information to consumers for use in making informed decisions in the purchase of child restraints. No later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act the Secretary shall issue a final rule establishing a child restraint safety rating program and providing other consumer information which the Secretary determines would be useful [to] consumers who purchase child restraint systems. In addition to consideration of booster seat performance and structural integrity contained in subsection (b)(7), not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [ Nov. 1, 2000 ], the Secretary of Transportation shall initiate and complete a study, taking into account the views of the public, on the use and effectiveness of automobile booster seats for children, compiling information on the advantages and disadvantages of using booster seats and determining the benefits, if any, to children from use of booster with lap and shoulder belts compared to children using lap and shoulder belts alone, and submit a report on the results of that study to the Congress. The Secretary of Transportation within 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act [ Nov. 1, 2000 ] shall develop [a] 5 year strategic plan to reduce deaths and injuries caused by failure to use the appropriate booster seat in the 4 to 8 year old age group by 25 percent.” Not later than September 1, 1998 , the Secretary of Transportation shall issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to improve occupant protection for occupants of different sizes, belted and unbelted, under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, while minimizing the risk to infants, children, and other occupants from injuries and deaths caused by air bags, by means that include advanced air bags. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall complete the rulemaking required by this subsection by issuing, not later than September 1, 1999 , a final rule with any provision the Secretary deems appropriate, consistent with paragraph (1) and the requirements of section 30111, title 49, United States Code. If the Secretary determines that the final rule cannot be completed by that date to meet the purposes of paragraph (1), the Secretary may extend the date for issuing the final rule to not later than March 1, 2000 . The final rule issued under this subsection shall become effective in phases as rapidly as practicable, beginning not earlier than September 1, 2002 , and no sooner than 30 months after the date of the issuance of the final rule, but not later than September 1, 2003 . The final rule shall become fully effective for all vehicles identified in section 30127(b), title 49, United States Code, that are manufactured on and after September 1, 2005 . Should the phase-in of the final rule required by this paragraph commence on September 1, 2003 , then in that event, and only in that event, the Secretary is authorized to make the final rule fully effective on September 1, 2006 , for all vehicles that are manufactured on and after that date. The requirements of S13 of Standard No. 208 shall remain in effect unless and until changed by the rule required by this subsection. so certified in advance of the phase-in period; or in excess of the percentage requirements during the phase-in period. Any government advisory committee, task force, or other entity involving air bags shall include representatives of consumer and safety organizations, insurers, manufacturers, and suppliers.”