Consumers Union Comments on National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Proposal for Dynamic Testing of Vehicles for Rollover Propensity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2002

MEDIA ADVISORY:

Consumers Union Comments on
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Proposal for
Dynamic Testing of Vehicles for Rollover Propensity

CU voices preliminary support for NHTSA rulemaking

WHY:	NHTSA is proposing new standards for the dynamic testing of vehicles to measure their rollover propensity as it was mandated to do by Congress under the TREAD Act of 2000. The act called upon NHTSA to develop a dynamic test for rollover risk that would be the basis for "developing meaningful consumer information". "NHTSA's proposed dynamic rollover tests will give consumers a valuable new tool for comparing vehicle safety and ultimately save lives," said CU Senior Vice President for Technical Policy, R. David Pittle. "Consumers Union has pressed the federal government for rollover tests since 1988. We are very pleased with the comprehensive nature of NHTSA's test program and look forward to the day when these new ratings are available to consumers."
WHAT:	Consumers Union experts can discuss: · Why consumers need better information on rollover risk. · Why CU believes that a combination of dynamic and static tests is the best approach for evaluating rollover propensity.
WHO:	· R. David Pittle, Senior Vice-President, Technical Policy · Sally Greenberg, Senior Product Safety Counsel · David Champion, Director of Automotive Testing
HOW:	For more information, or to set up interviews, contact: Douglas Love, (914) 378-2437, lovedo@consumer.org Jennifer Shecter, (914) 378-2402, shecje@consumer.org
MORE:	NHTSA's full proposal is available on the agency's web site at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/rulings/Rollover/2001Standards/RolloverResistance.htm Extensive Background information is available online at: http://64.224.99.117/i/Product_Safety/SUV_Rollover/index.html CU's comments/recommendations to NHTSA in September, 2001: http://www.consumersunion.org/other/rollover_dc_1101.htm Senior Vice President for Technical Policy R. David Pittle's speech on rollover ratings to the Society of Automotive Engineers: http://www.consumersunion.org/products/pittle402.htm

Consumers Union has been in the forefront of testing vehicles for routine handling and emergency handing, as well as braking acceleration, fuel economy, comfort and convenience for decades. CU has been testing vehicles since 1936. The test results appear in Consumer Reports, on www.ConsumerReports.org, and in other CU publications such as the Consumer Reports' Sport Utility Special, an annual buying guide.

View Files Sorted By Office: Consumers Union OPI, New York - Washington DC Office
West Coast Regional Office - Southwest Regional Office - Consumer Policy Institute

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