MAP 21 Moving Ahead for Progress and What it means for U.S. Road Safety | DENENA | POINTS
CALL
TEXT

MAP 21 Moving Ahead for Progress and What it means for U.S. Road Safety

This past year, Congress passed the comprehensive law called the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Our Houston automobile recall attorneys mention that the law covers two years of appropriations for surface transportation and includes provisions relating to:

  • Teen driving,
  • Seatbelt safety,
  • Child passenger safety,
  • Safety standards for passenger buses,
  • More stringent laws relating to common carriers, and
  • Commercial truck safety.

Some of the laws provisions rely on incentive grants to the individual states, while others rely on U.S. DOT studies and safety standards or on new rules and tougher enforcement of existing ones. The overall goal is to reduce the heavy costs of motor vehicle crashes in the United States, estimated at approximately $230 BILLION per year.

Our Houston automobile recall attorneys take a brief look here at highway and passenger vehicle safety improvements included in MAP-21 (subsequent posts will look at improvements regarding truck and bus safety).

Protection of New Vehicle Buyers:

  • MAP-21 requires that the glove compartment of new vehicles contain information telling consumers how to report vehicle safety defects. Our Houston automobile recall attorneys note that if your vehicle’s defect is that manufacturers forgot to put that information in your glove compartment, this new requirement won’t help you.
  • Provides for greater public access to vehicle defect information and requires that safety information and recall databases be user-friendly and searchable online.
  • Protects consumers with defective vehicles or non-compliance claims even if the manufacturer declares bankruptcy.

Safety Research and Accountability:

  • MAP-21 authorizes development of in-vehicle alcohol detection devices to prevent drunken driving.
  • Permits high visibility law enforcement programs designed to increase safety by deterring drunken driving.
  • Doubles the maximum fine for safety defects and violations.
  • Authorizes study of policies covering lobbying activities by former employees of the U.S. DOT.
  • Educates motor vehicle industry employees regarding the reporting of safety defects and violations, and protects whistleblowers that report safety defects.
  • MAP-21 requires a study and report to Congress on the need for motor vehicle electronics standards. Our Houston automobile recall attorneys believe the need is obvious, but the industry can procrastinate while the study is in progress.

Continue to Part 2 for a discussion of state incentive grants and eltimate benefits of MAP-21.