Interpretation ID: aiam1827
House of Representatives
Washington
DC 20515;
Dear Mr. Mollohan: This is in response to your letter of February 19, 1975, requestin information concerning correspondence from one of your constituents, Mr. Charles E. Allard, criticizing the recent proposal to reduce the performance requirements of the Federal bumper standard.; The proposal was based primarily on the results of two agency sponsore studies which indicated that the cost and weight of many current production bumpers, in light of inflation and fuel shortages, made the bumpers no longer cost-beneficial. Information presented at public hearings on the bumper notice and comments submitted to the docket in response to the proposal have brought to light additional data. The NHTSA has carefully examined all of this evidence and reviewed its studies in light of the new information. As a result, the agency has concluded that the 5-mph protection level should not be reduced. This decision is contained in a Federal Register notice that was issued on March 7, 1975 (Docket No. 74-11, Notice 7, Docket No. 73-19, Notice 6).; I would like to point out that the bumper standard, as it currentl exists, has no direct effect on occupant safety in collisions. The safety benefits of the standard relate to the prevention of damage to safety-related components such as headlamps, fuel and cooling systems, and exhaust systems. It is the after-crash dangers that would exist if a vehicle were driven with any of the specified vehicle systems inoperative that the standard focuses on. Therefore, a reduction in the performance requirements would not expose occupants to greater hazards during a collision itself.; We appreciate your interest and that of Mr. Allard. Sincerely, William T. Coleman, Jr.