Fw: [Blind Ambitions Groups] Critical Pedestrian Safety Legislation Moves to White House for President’s Signature
george bybee
----- Original Message -----
From: "Casey" <caseymc...@gmail.com>
To: <blindambit...@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2010 3:11 PM
Subject: [Blind Ambitions Groups] Critical Pedestrian Safety Legislation
Moves to White House for President’s Signature
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Eric Bridges, Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs
American Council of the Blind
Critical Pedestrian Safety Legislation Moves to White House for President’s
Signature
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2010 -- Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed
S. 841, The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act, legislation that will provide
blind, visually impaired, and other pedestrians greater security when
traveling in close proximity to hybrid or electric vehicles.
“The passage of this legislation is momentous and marks over two years of
vigorous advocacy by ACB membership that has resulted in consensus by the
blind community, auto industry, and Congress,” stated Mitch Pomerantz,
President of the American Council of the Blind.
“The silent nature of hybrid and electric vehicles, coupled with their
growing popularity, presents a dilemma. How do we protect individuals
dependent on sound for their safety, such as unsuspecting pedestrians and
the blind?” said Representative Edolphus Towns, the sponsor of the
Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act, who spent many years teaching travel with
a white cane to the blind. “The solution lies in the Pedestrian Safety
Enhancement Act. I am proud to have supported this important piece of
legislation.”
“The visually impaired rely on audio cues to detect nearby traffic and these
quiet vehicles pose a special risk to them and to other pedestrians,” stated
Rep. Cliff Stearns, who joined in offering the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement
Act. “This measure enjoys the support of all of the interested parties and
it is budget neutral, and I look forward to the President quickly signing
this bill.”
The legislation will require the U.S. Department of Transportation to begin
writing standards that would set requirements for an alert sound that allows
blind and other pedestrians to reasonably detect a nearby electric or hybrid
vehicle. It also requires that those rules be finalized within three years.
ACB wishes to express its sincere appreciation to Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.)
along with Reps. Ed Towns (D-N.Y.) and Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) for their
staunch leadership over the past two years regarding this very important
safety issue. The National Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and
Association of International Automobile Manufacturers have also worked
collaboratively with the blind community to insure that the legislation
could effectively resolve the current and growing unintended safety problems
that hybrid and electric vehicles present to the public when traveling at
low speeds.
About the American Council of the Blind
The American Council of the Blind is the largest consumer-based organization
of blind and visually impaired Americans advocating for the rights of blind
Americans. Comprised of more than 70 affiliates across the United States,
the organization is dedicated to making it possible for blind and visually
impaired Americans to participate fully in all aspects of American society.
For more information, visit www.acb.org; write to American Council of the
Blind, 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201; phone (202)
467-5081; or fax (703) 465-5085.
Eric Bridges
Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs
American Council of the Blind
2200 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 650
Arlington, VA 22201
----------------------------------------------------------
__________________________________________
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------------------
Blind Ambitions Groups: "We may have lost our sight, but we have not lost
our VISION!"Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BlindAmbitionsGroups/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BlindAmbitionsGroups/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
BlindAmbition...@yahoogroups.com
BlindAmbitionsGr...@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
BlindAmbitionsGr...@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/