On April 1, 2014, Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman and eight Energy and Commerce Committee Democrats introduced H.R. 4364, the Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

The Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2014 would enhance the quality and transparency of passenger motor vehicle safety information collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  Manufacturers would be required to report additional information on fatal incidents to NHTSA’s Early Warning Reporting system, and NHTSA would be required to:  (1) improve the availability and accessibility of all online vehicle safety information (including Early Warning data, studies, investigations, inspections, incident reports, and other materials); and (2) provide immediate public notice on its website of all agency inspection and investigation activities and any resulting enforcement actions.

The bill would also improve accountability, by ensuring corporate responsibility for safety information reported to NHTSA, allowing individuals to appeal the denial of a defect petition, and restricting NHTSA employees responsible for vehicle safety from certain post-employment activities.

Lastly, the bill would strengthen NHTSA’s vehicle safety program by providing the agency with additional funding and enhanced NHTSA enforcement authorities, specifically through increased civil penalties for violations of federal safety standards and the authority to expedite a recall in the case of an imminent hazard to the public.

Provisions in H.R. 4364, Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2014, are based on language passed out of the Energy and Commerce Committee in May 2010 during the 111th Congress (H.R. 5381).