It’s being called one of the most significant safety measures put into place over the last two decades.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration is requiring all cars have emergency automatic braking by 2029.
The rule will save roughly 360 lives a year according to safety experts.
Automatic emergency braking systems literally take control of the vehicle and slow it down or stop it, potentially saving another persons life as the driver fails to pay attention to the road.
Following a recent spike in fatal crashes, safety advocates have been lobbying for change, which came in the form of the new federal regulation.
“Every day more than 115 people are killed on our roadways, that equates to 43,000 people being killed. Can you imagine if that happened in any other form of transportation?” Cathy Chase with Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety said.
Chase also said that it’s unnecessary because there is technology available. She and her colleagues have been putting pressure on the Department of Transportation to do more to help save people from suffering, from tragedy.
In a 27-page statement sent to the US House of Representatives last September, she argued motor vehicle crashes are a public health crisis that demands immediate action. She says mandating emergency braking systems is a huge step in the right direction.
“Now, could there be more improvements to it? Sure. It does not include detection for bicyclists or other vulnerable road users. So, you know, we’re not giving up the fight here. This was a monumental game-changing rule. But of course, we will always continue to push for more safety, until there are no fatalities happening on our roadways,” Chase said.
Under the new rule taking effect September 2029:
- Requires vehicles to stop and avoid hitting a vehicle in front of them at speeds up to 62 miles per hour.
- Vehicles must automatically apply the brakes at up to 90 mph when a collision with vehicle ahead is imminent.
- The systems also have to spot pedestrians during the day and night.
- Must stop and avoid a pedestrian at 31 mph to 40 depending on the pedestrian’s location and movement.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says nearly 2.2 million rear-end crashes were reported to police nationwide in 2019, killing nearly 2000 people. According to the latest research, emergency braking systems are currently reducing rear end collisions by 50%. Chase says the law will be influential in Florida, where statistics reveal the road is a dangerous place.
“Unfortunately Florida is one of the most dangerous states in the country with nearly 4000 people being killed in 2022. We do a roadmap to safety report every year. And we look at the number of different highway safety laws that have been proven to save lives. And then we rate the states based on whether they have the laws or not. And unfortunately, Florida has the most dangerous rating of red,” Chase said.
The NHTSA estimates adding the technology as part of all design changes on new cars will cost automakers about $82 per vehicle to install but the benefits to the public will save taxpayers billions of dollars.