NHTSA Interpretation File Search
Overview
NHTSA's Chief Counsel interprets the statutes that the agency administers and the standards and regulations that it issues. Members of the public may submit requests for interpretation, and the Chief Counsel will respond with a letter of interpretation. These interpretation letters look at the particular facts presented in the question and explain the agency’s opinion on how the law applies given those facts. These letters of interpretation are guidance documents. They do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way. They are intended only to provide information to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.
Understanding NHTSA’s Online Interpretation Files
NHTSA makes its letters of interpretation available to the public on this webpage.
An interpretation letter represents the opinion of the Chief Counsel based on the facts of individual cases at the time the letter was written. While these letters may be helpful in determining how the agency might answer a question that another person has if that question is similar to a previously considered question, do not assume that a prior interpretation will necessarily apply to your situation.
- Your facts may be sufficiently different from those presented in prior interpretations, such that the agency's answer to you might be different from the answer in the prior interpretation letter;
- Your situation may be completely new to the agency and not addressed in an existing interpretation letter;
- The agency's safety standards or regulations may have changed since the prior interpretation letter was written so that the agency's prior interpretation no longer applies; or
- Some combination of the above, or other, factors.
Searching NHTSA’s Online Interpretation Files
Before beginning a search, it’s important to understand how this online search works. Below we provide some examples of searches you can run. In some cases, the search results may include words similar to what you searched because it utilizes a fuzzy search algorithm.
Single word search
Example: car
Result: Any document containing that word.
Multiple word search
Example: car seat requirements
Result: Any document containing any of these words.
Connector word search
Example: car AND seat AND requirements
Result: Any document containing all of these words.
Note: Search operators such as AND or OR must be in all capital letters.
Phrase in double quotes
Example: "headlamp function"
Result: Any document with that phrase.
Conjunctive search
Example: functionally AND minima
Result: Any document with both of those words.
Wildcard
Example: headl*
Result: Any document with a word beginning with those letters (e.g., headlamp, headlight, headlamps).
Example: no*compl*
Result: Any document beginning with the letters “no” followed by the letters “compl” (e.g., noncompliance, non-complying).
Not
Example: headlamp NOT crash
Result: Any document containing the word “headlamp” and not the word “crash.”
Complex searches
You can combine search operators to write more targeted searches.
Note: The database does not currently support phrase searches with wildcards (e.g., “make* inoperative”).
Example: Headl* AND (supplement* OR auxiliary OR impair*)
Result: Any document containing words that are variants of “headlamp” (headlamp, headlights, etc.) and also containing a variant of “supplement” (supplement, supplemental, etc.) or “impair” (impair, impairment, etc.) or the word “auxiliary.”
Search Tool
NHTSA's Interpretation Files Search
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ID: nht91-6.19OpenDATE: October 10, 1991 FROM: Paul Jackson Rice -- Chief Counsel, NHTSA TO: Nikki G. Setzler -- Setzler, Chewning & Scott, P.A. TITLE: None ATTACHMT: Attached to letter dated 9-6-91 from Nikki G. Setzler to Ronald E. Ingle (OCC 6476) TEXT: This responds to your letter of September 6, 1991 to Mr. Ronald Engle which was forwarded to our office for response. Your letter asks whether it is a violation of Federal law for a school district to use "two vans that it purchased used after 1977" to transport school children. "(B)oth vans are built to carry more than 11 passengers." I am pleased to have this opportunity to clarify the operation of Federal law as it applies to school buses. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has the authority under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (the Act) to issue motor vehicle safety standards that apply to the manufacture and sale of new motor vehicles, including new school buses. NHTSA defines "school bus" as a motor vehicle designed for carrying 11 or more persons, including a driver, and sold for transporting students to and from school or school-related events. NHTSA has issued Federal motor vehicle safety standards applicable to all new school buses. It is a violation of Federal law for any person to sell any new vehicle that does not comply with all school bus safety standards if they are aware that the purchaser intends to use the vehicle as a school bus. It is not a violation of Federal law to sell any used vehicle that does not comply with all school bus safety standards, even if the seller is aware that the purchaser intends to use the vehicle as a school bus. It is also not a violation of Federal law to use a vehicle to transport school children that does not comply will all school bus safety standards. Individual States, not the Federal government, have authority over the use of vehicles. Therefore, to determine if the school district you represent may use noncomplying vans to transport school children, you must look to state law. You may also wish to consult state law concerning liability, because using a noncomplying van as a school bus could result in increased liability in the event of an accident. NHTSA also has the authority under the Highway Safety Act of 1966 to issue guidelines for the states to use in developing their highway safety programs. Under this authority NHTSA has issued Highway Safety Program Guideline 17, Pupil Transportation Safety, which contains recommendations to the States on various operational aspects of their school bus and pupil transportation safety programs. Guideline 17 recommends that any vehicle designed for carrying more than 10 persons which is used as a school bus comply with all safety standards applicable to school buses at the time the vehicle was manufactured. A copy of the recent Federal Register notice updating Guideline 17 is enclosed for your information. I must emphasize NHTSA's position that a vehicle meeting Federal school bus regulations is the safest way to transport students. I encourage the school district you represent to give its most careful consideration to the possible consequences of transporting students in vehicles that do not comply with these regulations. I hope you find this information helpful. If you have further questions, please contact Mary Versailles of my staff at this address or by telephone at (202) 366-2992. |
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ID: nht91-6.2OpenDATE: September 18, 1991 FROM: Paul Jackson Rice -- Chief Counsel, NHTSA TO: John E. Calow -- Senior Safety Engineer, Oshkosh Chassis Division TITLE: None ATTACHMT: Attached to letter dated 8-12-91 from John E. Calow to Taylor Vincon (OCC 6358) TEXT: This responds to your letter of August 12, 1991, to Taylor Vinson of this Office, asking for a verification of your understanding of certain requirements of Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108. Specifically, you ask: "If the Brake Lights and Hazard Warning Lights are optically combined and both are activated (per federal regulations) which of the following will occur? A) The brake lights will over-ride causing a steady light emission. B) The hazard lights will over-ride causing a flashing light emission. The answer to your first question is either "A" or "B" depending on how the manufacturer decided to wire the vehicle. The vehicular hazard warning signal operating unit is required to operate sufficient turn signal lamps to meet, as a minimum, the turn signal lamp photometric requirements of the standard (see S5.5.5) and function (see Table I or III) in accordance with SAE J910, January 1966. Since the vehicular hazard warning signal operating unit causes turn signal lamps to operate simultaneously, the turn signal lamps become hazard warning lamps that are optically combined with turn signal lamps. Should these hazard warning lamps also be optically combined with the brake lamps, as in your question, the standard does not provide any requirement for which, brake or hazard, should override. You also ask: "If the vehicle has a Center High Mounted Stop Lamp 'CHMSL' is it acceptable to have the Hazard Warning Lights over-ride the Brake Lights if the CHMSL has a steady light emitance (sic) upon brake application?" The answer to this question is the same as the first. However, the CHMSL may not be combined, optically or otherwise, with any other lamp, and therefore it must remain operative upon brake application, even if the remaining stop lamps have been overridden. I hope that this answers your questions. |
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ID: nht91-6.20OpenDATE: October 10, 1991 FROM: James M. Watson TO: Paul Jackson Rice -- Chief Counsel, NHTSA TITLE: Re United States Custom Service file no. 866522R ATTACHMT: Attached to letter dated 12-10-91 from Paul Jackson Rice to James Watson (A38; VSA 102(3)) TEXT: I am writing to ask your assistance in a disagreement with Customs about whether a farm vehicle I hope to import has to meet Federal highway safety standards. I am a mechanical engineer living on a small farm. On a trip to Thailand, I saw a unique Thai farm vehicle which I thought would be very convenient to bring bales of hay down from my field for storage in my barn. I am engaged in the process of trying to import one. I requested a tariff classification ruling from the United States Customs Service in New York. I included a brief discussion in my descriptive literature of those features whose presence or absence indicate it is a farm vehicle rather than a motor vehicle. I was shocked when they decided it is a motor vehicle and enclosed a booklet which says a motor vehicle must be brought into compliance with the DOT motor vehicle highway safety standards before it can enter the country. I wrote Customs asking how to appeal their ruling. I also wrote DOT NEF-32 a letter, with a copy to Customs, asking if one of its engineers could review Customs' file to offer an opinion whether the vehicle falls within DOT's purview. Customs recently informed me that they have sent the referenced file to U.S. Customs Service Headquarters, 1301 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20229 for their review. If they change their mind, this request for help could become moot. Meanwhile, a DOT engineer called to discuss the matter, sent me a copy of N40-30 (TWH), "Vehicles which are affected by the Federal Safety Standards", and advised me to send you my copies of the material I sent to Customs. I have enclosed copies of the documents I sent to or received from U.S. Customs. Having read N40-30, I believe my difficulty with Customs derives from my description of these vehicles being used on highways IN THAILAND, even though I tried to make it clear how I intend to use it in the United States and why almost anything can use the roads over there. If you need additional information, you can write to my return address or call me during the day at (412)-655-1200. Your assistance will be appreciated.
LIST OF ENCLOSED DOCUMENTS A. 22 August 1991 letter from James M. Watson to U.S. Customs in New York City requesting classification for e-tant farm vehicle. Three pertinent sentences have been highlighted. B. "Information Regarding the Farm Vehicle" enclosure to document A. Eleven pertinent sentences have been highlighted.
C. Undated postcard received about 30 August 1991 from U.S. Customs in New York City to James M. Watson. D. 11 September 1991 letter from U.S. Customs in New York City to James M. Watson classifying e-tant as motor vehicle. E. Customs' Importing a Car" booklet which accompanied document D. Markings added by Customs on the cover, page 8 and page 10 have been highlighted, as have statements of particular concern to me on page 2. F. 18 September 1991 letter from James M. Watson to Jean F. Maguire (U.S. Customs in New York City) protesting classification of e-tant as motor vehicle. Two pertinent paragraphs have been highlighted. G. 17 September 1991 letter from James M. Watson to Jean F. Maguire (U.S. Customs in New York City) enclosure to document F. H. 19 September 1991 letter from James M. Watson to U.S. DOT with copy to Jean F. Maguire (U.S. Customs in New York City). I. 30 September 1991 postcard from U.S. Customs in New York City to James M. Watson. J. 3 October 1991 letter from James M. Watson to U.S. Customs in Washington, D,C. responding to document I. Seven pertinent sentences have been highlighted. K. 4 October 1991 letter from Jean F. Maguire (U.S. Customs in New York City) to James M. Watson indicating file was forwarded to U.S. Customs in Washington, D.C. for review. |
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ID: nht91-6.21OpenDATE: October 14, 1991 FROM: Robert W. Smith -- President, Auto Safety Corporation TO: Taylor Vinson -- Senior Staff Attorney, NHTSA TITLE: None ATTACHMT: Attached to letter dated November, 1991 (est) from Paul Jackson Rice to Robert W. Smith (A38; Std. 108) TEXT: My partner and I want to thank you for all the help you gave us during the course of the meeting in your office on August 15, 1990. Since that meeting we have been continuing the development of our prototype stop lamp license plate frame, in order to conform to all applicable NHTSA standards. The purpose of this letter is to confirm what we learned at that meeting. Your computer search of Safety Standard #108 data as it would apply to our device, the flashing/steady burning stop lamp, turned up the following: 1. In the case of the Simcox letter (A29, Redbook 3, Erika Z. Jones to Bettie Lou Simcox, October 24, 1986), the use of a flashing/steady burning stop lamp is permissible on a motorcycle. As you'll recall, our embodiment, which complies with specifics of the Safety Standard #108, is a specially designed license plate frame that incorporates a light assembly and a patented (U.S. Patent No. 4,871,945) electronic circuit. (See attached drawings Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) 2. Safety Standard #108 also would allow the use of a flashing/steady burning stop lamp on passenger cars. Specifically, for our purposes, in the embodiment of a license plate frame with built-in lights and circuitry. (Drawing Fig. 1) 3. Safety Standard #108 would permit the use of an auxiliary flashing/steady burning stop lamp which could be mounted on the rear of vans, pickup trucks, and mini vans. (Drawing Fig. 3) In closing, we again thank you for the help you have given us.
ATTACHMENT Motor vehicle flashing/steady burning stop lamp license plate frame. (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) (Graphics omitted) Auxiliary flashing/steady burning stop lamp. (Fig. 3) (Graphics omitted) |
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ID: nht91-6.22OpenDATE: October 15, 1991 FROM: Paul Jackson Rice -- Chief Counsel, NHTSA TO: Elizabeth D. Smith -- Department Head, Community and Special Services, Division of Program Monitoring, State Health and Human Services Finance Commission TITLE: None ATTACHMT: Attached to letter dated 8-14-91 from Elizabeth D. Smith to Mary Versailles (OCC 6363) TEXT: This responds to your letter of August 14, 1991, "regarding the addition of safety belts to a 1986 Ford Club Wagon" and other similar vehicles. The vehicle is certified as a bus according to the Federal motor vehicle safety standards and is primarily used to transport pre-school age children (between three and five years of age) to and from a child development center and on field trips. The vehicle has seat belts for 15 passengers, including the driver. Currently, more than 14 children can be transported in these vehicles, by belting more than one child to a seat belt. However, you are concerned about the legality of doing so. Therefore, you wish to increase the capacity of these vehicles by adding additional belts in the passenger area. The additional belts would be installed by a local Ford dealership. Some background information about the agency may be useful. NHTSA has the authority under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (the Safety Act; 15 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.) to issue Federal motor vehicle safety standards applicable to new motor vehicles and new items of motor vehicle equipment. Section 108(a)(1)(A) of the Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 1397(a)(1)(A)) prohibits the manufacture or sale of any new motor vehicle or new item of motor vehicle equipment which does not conform to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards in effect at the time of manufacture. Section 108(b)(1) of the Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 1397(b)(1)) provides that the prohibitions in section 108(a)(1)(A) do not apply "after the first purchase ... in good faith for purposes other than resale." After the first purchase of a vehicle in good faith for purposes other than resale, the only provision in Federal law that affects a vehicle's continuing compliance with an applicable safety standard is set forth in section 108(a)(2)(A) of the Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 1397(a)(2)(A)). That section provides: No manufacturer, distributor, dealer, or motor vehicle repair business shall knowingly render inoperative, in whole or in part, any device or element of design installed on or in a motor vehicle ... in compliance with an applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standard. In general, this "render inoperative" provision would require any of these named entities to ensure that it does not remove, disconnect or degrade the performance of safety equipment installed in compliance with an applicable safety standard when modifying a motor vehicle. Violations of S108(a)(2)(A) are punishable by civil fines up to $1,000 per violation. Before discussing how these provisions would affect the modifications you wish to make, I would like to discuss another issue raised by your letter. While your letter indicates that your vehicles are certified as "buses," it appears that, under Federal law, the person who sold you these vehicles should have sold you a vehicle certified as a "school bus." NHTSA defines "school bus" as a motor vehicle designed for carrying 11 or more persons, including a driver, and sold for purposes that include transporting students to and from "school or school-related events." NHTSA has also stated that whether a program for preprimary-age students is a "school" is determined by whether the program is educational or custodial. Based upon phone conversations between you and Mary Versailles of my staff, it appears that our "child development center" would be considered a school. It is a violation of Federal law for any person to SELL any new vehicle that does not comply with all Federal school bus safety standards to a purchaser that intends to use the vehicle as a school bus, if the seller knew or should have known of the purchaser's intent. However, it is not a violation of Federal law for the purchaser to USE a vehicle to transport school children that does not comply with all the Federal school bus standards. Some states, however, require that only certified "school buses" be used to transport school children. Later in this letter, I explain why it appears that additional seat belts could be added to a "bus" without violating Federal law. I caution you that my subsequent analysis would NOT apply to a "school bus." Standard No. 222, School Bus Passenger Seating requires a seat belt at every designated passenger seating position in school buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less. Section S4.1 of Standard No. 222 calculates the number of seating positions on a school bus bench seat by dividing the seat width by 15, and rounding the result to the nearest whole number. Therefore, it would appear to "render inoperative" a school bus' compliance with Standard No. 222 if someone were to increase the seating capacity of a school bus. I will now address the issue of adding safety belts to buses other than school buses. A safety belt is an item of motor vehicle equipment and all safety belts sold in the United States must be certified as complying with Standard No. 209, Seat Belt Assemblies, regardless of whether the belts are installed as original equipment in a motor vehicle or sold as a replacement part. Therefore, the additional safety belts which might be added to your vehicles must comply with the requirements of Standard No. 209. In addition to Standard No. 209, the agency has issued two additional safety standards that apply to safety belts: Standard No. 208, Occupant Crash Protection, and Standard No. 210, Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages. For buses manufactured prior to September 1, 1991, Standard No. 208 required installation of a safety belt at the driver's designated seating position only. Therefore, the safety belts installed at the passenger's designated seating positions in your vehicles were not required for the vehicles to comply with the requirements of Standard No. 208. The vehicle was also not required to have seat belt anchorages at any designated seating position other than the driver's. Since safety belts and anchorages were not required for the passenger seats in your vehicles, any modifications to the voluntarily-installed belts and anchorages at the passenger seats of your vehicles would not result in a violation of the "render inoperative" provision of the Safety Act. I note that safety belts and anchorages are now required ton vehicles manufactured on or after September 1, 1991) at every seating position in buses with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less. I would also note, that, if the increase in seating capacity was significant, the modifications you are considering could "render inoperative" compliance with a number of safety standards for your buses by overloading the vehicles. However, your letter indicates that the dealership which may perform the modifications on your vehicles has already considered this and determined that the vehicle would not be overloaded. In closing, I must emphasize NHTSA's position that a vehicle meeting Federal school bus regulations is the safest way to transport students. I encourage you to give the most careful consideration to the possible consequences of transporting students in vehicles that do not comply with these regulations. I hope you find this information helpful. If you have further questions, please contact Mary Versailles of my staff at this address or by telephone at (202) 366-2992. |
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ID: nht91-6.23OpenDATE: October 16, 1991 FROM: Paul Jackson Rice -- Chief Counsel, NHTSA TO: Lawrence A. Beyer -- Esq. TITLE: None ATTACHMT: Attached to letter dated 9-23-91 from Lawrence A. Beyer to Paul Jackson Rice (OCC 6507) TEXT: This responds to your letter of September 23, 1991, with respect to your representation of clients before this agency. Specifically, you state that you have been advised "by an office of NHTSA that attorneys cannot submit documentation and make declarations on behalf of clients unless they submit formal power of attorney documentation which authorizes such representation." This representation "includes the preparation and submission of completed documentation on their behalf." You have asked to be advised whether it is NHTSA's policy "that I have to provide proof to NHTSA that my statement that I represent a party is true." We understand that the Office to which you refer is the Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance. We further understand that the particular situation that gives rise to your question is your filing of petitions to determine the eligibility of vehicles for importation. It is not a question of "proof" whether you represent a person, but whether you are purporting to exercise a right or obligation that is not legally yours. By statute, only a manufacturer or registered importer may file petitions for determinations of vehicle eligibility. If a registered importer chooses to have an attorney prepare and submit such a petition, and the importer himself signs the petition, no authorization is required for the attorney to file the petition with NHTSA. We have at hand two petitions you submitted on July 15, 1991, on behalf of G & K Conversions, a registered importer, which meet this criterion; each petition is signed by the president of G & K, and accompanied by your cover letter. This is in accordance with our procedures. If, on the other hand, the importer chooses to have the attorney sign the petition in his place, then a power of attorney is required. Thus, the general rule applicable to a particular situation involving the submission of legal documents to NHTSA is that an attorney may act on behalf of his client without a power of attorney, but he may not assume a legal right or an obligation of the client without the client's explicit authorization. We find implicit authorization by G & K that you represent them by your filing of documents bearing the signature of its president. By the same token, we find implicit authorization to respond when attorneys reply to the agency's investigatory or civil penalty letters on behalf of companies or persons to which letters have been sent. |
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ID: nht91-6.24OpenDATE: October 16, 1991 FROM: D. E. Graham -- Engineering Manager, Regulatory, Test & Service Engineering, ASC Incorporated TO: Richard Reed -- Office of Crash Avoidance, NHTSA TITLE: None ATTACHMT: Attached to letter dated 11-20-91 from Paul Jackson Rice to D. E. Graham (A38; Std. 118) TEXT: I would like to request a formal written response to a question of interpretation of the recently revised FMVSS 118 - Power Operated Window Systems (Docket No. 87-10" Notice 4). Specifically, the sections in question for interpretation are S5(a) and S5 (b). The question is: Do these sections in any way apply to the rearward edge of a venting, sliding sunroof as it moves from the vent position to the fully closed position? Your timely response would be beneficial in ASC Incorporated's ongoing efforts to fully comply with the applicable safety standards for current and new products. |
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ID: nht91-6.25OpenDATE: October 16, 1991 FROM: Floyd J. Barkman -- Vice President Sales & Marketing, Collins Bus Corporation TO: Susan Schruth -- Office of Chief Counsel, U.M.T.A. TITLE: None ATTACHMT: Attached to letter dated 12-6-91 from Paul Jackson Rice to Floyd J. Barkman (A38; Std. 208) TEXT: We have been referred to your office to help us clarify recent laws involving commercial buses. We are manufacturer of both small and medium buses for both private customers and U.M.T.A. funded agencies. The following is a list of questions we would like your office to clarify: 1. Based on a final ruling that went into effect September 1, 1991, all MPV and/or buses with a gross vehicle weight less than 10,000 pounds are required to have Type 1 or Type 2 occupant restraints at all seated positions. Also, all outboard occupants or passengers are required to have three point shoulder harness. We also understand school buses are exempt from the outboard shoulder harness. Are these statements correct and are there any exceptions to these rulings? 2. We build under 10,000 GVW buses for the day care industry that use school bus safety seats and lap belts at all locations. The exterior of the bus is commercial. Would these buses require the outboard shoulder harness? We would appreciate your earliest reply as we have new buses in production that will be effected by this law. |
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ID: nht91-6.26OpenDATE: October 16, 1991 FROM: Frank Vestergaard -- M-CO Denmark TO: NHTSA -- Department of Transport TITLE: Request fore statement. ATTACHMT: Attached to letter dated 12-10-91 from Paul Jackson Rice to Frank Vestergaard (A38; Std. 125) TEXT: When we in your country as well as in the rest of the world, in 1992 are planing to sell a new - patentet warning triangle, fore the precence of halted vehicles, under the name Warn-Mill. The means with this request, is to get establish, if there is some lawful legal obstructions - fore the use of Warn-Mill. Warn-Mill is intended at this stage, as supplements to the stateutory warning triangle. As shown on the enclosed pictures,the mill is a strong reflecting triangle,mounted at a magnetfoot. To improve the visibility there is bild-in a bearing,so that the triangle rotates, even with weak winds. The strongness at the magnet is adapted, so that the mill falls of if the vehicle drives without dismount. In case of further questions, i would be at your services. Further vocher: Copy of the Danish authorities approval in Denmark.
Attachments Warn-Mill. Description: (Picture omitted) Strong reflecting white triangle, surrounded by red frame, monted at a magnetfoot, to be placed at the roof of a halted vehicle. The warning sign rotates with even weak winds, which in daylights means that the warning sign is presented from all angles. And in the elucidate the sign.
Letter dated 4-23-91. Photos of the Warn-Mill. Letter from Henrik Waaben dated 5-23-90.
(Text and graphics omitted) |
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ID: nht91-6.27OpenDATE: October 16, 1991 FROM: S. Suzuki -- Managing Director, Suzusho Trading Co. TO: Director, Office of Public and Consumer Affairs, NHTSA TITLE: Ref. No. ST-9015/91 ATTACHMT: Attached to letter dated 1/31/92 from Paul Jackson Rice to S. Suzuki (A39; Std. 108) TEXT: RE: NEW TYPE OF HIGH-MOUNTED STOP & FLASHER LAMPS. We have already learned the Merit of High Mounted Stop Lamp, therefore, the late models are coming with it from the factory, then we improved this High-Mounted Stop Lamp which is attached Flasher Lamps to give driver's informations to behind drivers quickly. We introduced our High-Mounted Stop & Flahser Lamps to CHRYSLER CORPORATION then, Mr. Michael M. Fischer introduced us to contact to you about rear lighting because rear lighting on highway vehicles is regulated by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards administered by NHTSA. We made some hand-made samples and did the market research, then we could have so much requests to introduce. Everybody said that it was simple but it will convey driver's informations to behind drivers and help us not to be involved crash. RE: MERITS FOR HIGH-MOUNTED STOP & FLASHER LAMPS 1). If drivers use it and stepped on brake pedal, the Normal Brake Lamps and High-Mounted Stop Lamp will be put on, in case, the behind driver's eye will watch High-Mounted Stop Lamp more than Normal Brake Lamps becuase it is on the eye-line. Therefore, the Flasher Lamps should be together with Stop Lamp not to make any delayed. 2). If we use our High-Mounted Stop & Flasher Lamp, the Normal Stop and Flasher Lamps will work normaly which means working together with. It will work as assistant Flasher Lamps. 3). From this reason, if drivers use our High-Mounted Stop & Flasher lamps, they can see Flasher Lamps easily without moving their eyes from High-Mounted Stop Lamp to the Normal Flasher Lamp. Our "Safety Shot" will give driver's informations of STOPPING and CHANINGING LANE/DIRECTIONS to behind drivers quickly not to be involved crashes. 4). The Snow countries, a lot of snow on the roof, bonnet, trunk etc., and snow melted roads, the rear side of cars should be dirty and it will be difficult to see. All drivers will remove snow on the Front/Rear and both side of Glasses to see before they start driving. In case, if drivers use our "SAFETY SHOT" High-Mounted Stop & Flasher lamps, behind drivers will be able to see it easily and we will be able to avoid crashes etc., 5). There is a lot of clouds of spray when we drive high speed on the Highway in the rain day, in case this clouds of spray will disturb Normal Stop and Flasher Lamps, however, the Center of Rear Glass scheild should be the ravine from the both side clouds of spray and we can see High-Mounted Stop Lamp well, therefore, we should put Flasher Lamps together with Stop Lamp. We think that it will be important very much to save drivers if we had an accident such as Airbag System, Door Side Beem etc., but if we can have somethings not to cause accidents or to avoid accidents, it will be much valuable for drivers. Drivers will not hesitate to pay extra expenses to save themselves but they expect these devices are not expensive. We need High-Mounted Stop Lamp on the busy Highway. If the highway is very empty, we do not need it at all. All big cities in the world, many cars are on the road, therefore, all drivers would like to know the former driver's informations, STOPPING, CHANGING DIRECTIONS, etc., and if we can know tow or three former driver's informations, we can change our lane soon and we can avoid the trafic jam, too. Of course, there are many differnt countries and different way of thinking and different people, therefore, everybody will not agree the above suggestions, however, if we have to reply which is more safety, to use our High-Mounted Stop & Flasher Lamp or not to use it. In case, everybody will reply, it will be more safety if the "SAFETY SHOT" is built-in rear window. We are pleased to enclose our hand-made samples (pictures) for your study as under: * " Safety SHOT - Type I" : L.E.D. Use. * " Safety SHOT - Type II" : L.E.D. Use. * " Safety SHOT - Type III" : General Electric Bulb Use. We will produce goods and introduce them in our domestic market, therefore, is it possible to use it in the U.S.A. or not. We are much appreciated if we can received your comments on this matters. Thanking you for your best co-operations and looking forward to hearing from you soon, we remain, yours very truly. |
Request an Interpretation
You may email your request to Interpretations.NHTSA@dot.gov or send your request in hard copy to:
The Chief Counsel
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, W41-326
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20590
If you want to talk to someone at NHTSA about what a request for interpretation should include, call the Office of the Chief Counsel at 202-366-2992.
Please note that NHTSA’s response will be made available in this online database, and that the incoming interpretation request may also be made publicly available.