Rollover/Roof Crush

Click here to view “Rollover According to Volvo”

8/21/06

Safety activists say federal standards are too lax

David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — Last year, federal safety officials proposed strengthening a 35-year-old vehicle roof strength standard after studying the contentious issue for more than a decade.

Safety advocates immediately criticized the new proposal as toothless and designed more to protect automakers from new cost burdens than American motorists from crushed roofs in rollovers.

Federal agencies are using arcane regulations and legal opinions to shield automakers and others from challenges by consumers and states.

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Click here to view the Spector/Leahy Judiciary Committee Letter to Acting NHTSA Director Jacqueline Glassman  

NHTSA: Convertibles can’t share standards with fixed-roof vehicles

By Rick Kranz and Harry Stoffer
Automotive News / November 07, 2005

Roof-crush proposalNHTSA proposes to upgrade its standard for roof-crush resistance for the first time since 1971. Key provisions are

Critics: Agency uses wrong method to test strength

By Harry Stoffer
Automotive News / September 05, 2005

A roof over your headNHTSA’s proposed roof-strength rule would make these major changes.

Dennis Douda, WCCO

Wednesday, September 7, 2005

Manufacturers that meet safety standards should be exempt from lawsuits, feds say.

By Jeff Plungis

NHTSA’s policy change

In three recent auto safety proposals, auto safety regulators are proposing to limit manufacturers’ liability from lawsuits if they meet the new federal standards. Critics say it is a dramatic change that may exceed the agency’s legal authority.

U.S. officials say the regulations will reduce deaths. Critics slam an anti-lawsuit provision.By Myron Levin
Times Staff Writer

August 20, 2005

U.S. highway safety officials proposed new rules Friday to reduce deaths and injuries from roof failures when vehicles flip over, extending the standards to cover large sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks.

But consumer advocates denounced the proposal as toothless and attacked a provision that would bar victims of roof failures from suing automakers that meet the new standard.