S. 841 is expected to be considered on the floor of the House on Wednesday, December 15, 2010, under a motion to suspend the rules, requiring a two-thirds majority vote for passage. The legislation was introduced on April 21, 2009, by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA). The Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent on December 9, 2010.
S. 841 would require the Department of Transportation to study and establish a motor vehicle safety standard that provides for a means of alerting blind and other pedestrians of motor vehicle operation for otherwise silent vehicles, such as hybrids. The bill would direct $2 million of amounts appropriated to the Department for safety belt performance grants to develop and implement the new standards.
According to the bill's sponsor, the increasing number of electric and hybrid electric vehicles—which operate silently compared to conventional vehicles—has created a potentially hazardous situation for pedestrians with limited or no vision.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has not produced a cost estimate for this bill as of press time.
