Interpretation ID: nht94-4.36
TYPE: INTERPRETATION-NHTSA
DATE: September 26, 1994
FROM: Frank Lautenberg -- U.S. Senator
TO: Susan Slye -- Congressional Affairs, Federal Highway Administration
TITLE: None
ATTACHMT: ATTACHED TO LETTER DATED 10/28/94 FROM PHILIP R. RECHT TO FRANK LAUTENBERG (A42; REDBOOK 2; STD. 108)
TEXT: Enclosed is a copy of a letter I received from Dr. Mark Bauman concerning an automobile courtesy signal.
Please review the issues raised by Dr. Bauman and advise me on your findings in the matter. Please direct your response to Andrea Edwards at my Barrington office.
Thank you for your assistance in this case.
538 Justice Drive
Marlton, NJ 08053-5345
August 31, 1994
The Honorable Senator Frank Lautenberg 208 White Horse Pike Barrington, NJ 08007
Dear Senator Lautenberg,
I had the pleasure of speaking with your very able assistant, Ms. Andrea Edwards, last Friday regarding the letter which was forwarded in response to my assistance on our Automobile Courtesy Signal. Enclosed please find a copy of our schematic/installat ion instructions for the signal (we do have a working prototype of the signal). This, in addition to the material which I have sent you earlier this year, should hopefully be sufficient for initial review by the appropriate federal agency.
Thank you and your staff very much for your assistance in this matter. I look forward to a favorable response.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mark L. Bauman
AUTOMOBILE COURTESY SIGNAL INSTALLATION
(TEXT AND GRAPHICS OMITTED) 538 Justice Drive
Marlton, NJ 08053-5345
August 18, 1994
The Honorable Senator Frank Lautenberg 208 White Horse Pike Barrington, NJ 08007
Dear Senator Lautenberg,
I am in receipt of your letter of August 5 with the enclosed response from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. I am somewhat confused about some of the comments made by Mr. Hart, the acting Administrator.
First, he indicates that his agency is not authorized to approve or endorse specific devices and that each manufacturer must certify that its equipment meets applicable safety standards issued by that agency. If there are standards, could we attempt to "test" our signal based upon these standards with information that we already have? If there is such a "self-certification" process, do we have to already be a manufacturer in order to see if our signal will be certified as safe? That would be cost-pro hibitive at this point unless we could be given some way to test our signal based upon our working prototype and other pertinent data.
Secondly, Mr. Hart states that there are many suggestions for auxiliary signal devices but states further that there is no objective or scientific evidence that these devices will result in a net safety improvement. I am willing, as a doctor trained in objectivity, to concede that objective data is important in establishing a set of conditions. However, if one observed improvements in medicine, science, etc. throughout history it would be apparent that there are many situations that are simply obvious !! While I would also concede that we don't necessarily have the most perfect solution to this problem, there is no doubt that something should be done to cut down on intersection accidents or potential accidents and we feel that our signal at least has as valid a reason for existence as any other. There are many such instances for this need every day; the conglomeration of statistics should be able to confirm, while at least not denying, such evidence.
Mr. Hart eventually indicates that such signal devices could confuse other motorists rather than assisting them and that our device may not be any better than any others. Would it not be beneficial to be able to test such a device objectively or at leas t observe it rather than make such an assumption without observation?
I sent a letter to Vice President Gore last fall about such similar matters because he reportedly believes that there is too much bureaucracy in our government. He eventually replied, agreeing with me. How can this nation advance if there are such rest rictive regulations everywhere?
If you have any suggestions as to how I can proceed please be so kind as to inform me. You are, after all, the Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee!!
Thank you and your staff very much for your assistance in this matter.
Dr. Mark L. Bauman