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This rulemaking would respond to the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010, which directs the Secretary of Transportation to study and establish a motor vehicle safety standard that provides for a means of alerting blind, and other pedestrians of motor vehicle operation for hybrid and electric vehicles. The PRIA contains an estimate of 2,800 fewer injured pedestrians and pedalcyclists (35 equivalent lives saved) at a total estimated cost of $23.5 million at the 3 percent discount rate, and $22.9 million at the 7 percent discount rate, should the requirements of the NPRM be made final.

Overall Description of Deadline: Legislation requires the Secretary of Transportation to initiate rulemaking by July 2012, and issue a final rule not later than January 2014.

Statement of Need:

The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010, signed into law on January 4, 2011, directs the Secretary to study and establish a motor vehicle safety standard that provides for a means of alerting blind and other pedestrians of motor vehicle operation. The agency's proposed safety standard, issued January 14, 2013, will require hybrid and electric passenger cars, light trucks and vans (LTVs), medium and heavy duty trucks, buses, low speed vehicles (LSVs), and motorcycles to meet specified sound requirements as required by the Act. This standard will ensure that blind, visually-impaired, and other pedestrians are able to detect and recognize nearby hybrid and electric vehicles. The proposal estimated that 2,800 total pedestrians injured will be avoided, due to this proposal's representation of 35 equivalent lives saved.

Summary of the Legal Basis:

Section 30111, title 49 of the U.S.C., states that the Secretary shall prescribe motor vehicle safety standards.

Alternatives:

The Agency considered and sought public comment on alternatives including: (1) taking no action; (2) requiring alert sounds based on recordings of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles; (3) specifying acoustic requirements for synthetic sounds that would closely resemble sounds produced by ICE vehicles; (4) setting requirements for alert sounds that possess aspects of both sounds produced by ICE vehicles and acoustic elements that contribute to detectability; and (5) using psychoacoustic principals to develop requirements for alert sounds that would have enhanced detectability, but would not necessarily have a reference to sounds produced by ICE vehicles.

Anticipated Costs and Benefits:

In 2010 dollars at a 7 percent discount rate, the total costs are estimated to be $24.4 million and monetized benefits at $134.1 million, with net benefits estimated at $109.7 million.

Risks:

The Agency believes that there are no significant risks associated with this rulemaking, and that only beneficial outcomes will occur.