ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 115
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
217th LEGISLATURE
INTRODUCED MARCH 3, 2016
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman L. GRACE SPENCER
District 29 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Urges National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to mandate installation of carbon monoxide detectors in motor vehicles.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolutionurging the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to mandate the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in motor vehicles.
Whereas, Carbon monoxide, which is produced by fossil-fuel burning devices such as building heaters and motor vehicles, is often called the "silent killer" as it is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and toxic gas that causes people to lose consciousness within minutes often resulting in serious injury or death; and
Whereas, According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning is responsible for serious injuries in an estimated 10,000 people annually and causes an average of 500 deaths annually; and
Whereas, Recognizing that many carbon monoxide deaths and serious injuries could be avoided, many state governments, including New Jersey, have acted within their power and duties to protect the general public from avoidable injury by requiring carbon monoxide detectors in buildings; and
Whereas, State laws and regulations that require carbon monoxide detectors in buildings cannot, however, address the injuries and deaths from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning caused by motor vehicles; and
Whereas, The regular snow fall that blankets the streets, communities, and motor vehicles in New Jersey and many other states during the winter months have caused many to have to quickly shovel out their cars in preparation for work and school, often overlooking snow-clogged tailpipes, which cause the toxic gas to seep into motor vehicles; and
Whereas, Only the federal government, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and its issuance of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), has the authority to uniformly regulate equipment in motor vehicles and address this safety hazard; and
Whereas, The FMVSS, which are the regulations promulgated by the NHTSA that the manufacturers of motor vehicles and equipment are required to conform, can require the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in motor vehicles to prevent future injuries and additional loss of life; and
Whereas, In 2005, the NHTSA considered, but denied, a petition for rulemaking that would have included within the FMVSS a new safety standard to require car manufacturers to install carbon monoxide detectors in all new motor vehicles and design retrofit devices for older motor vehicles; and
Whereas, These proposed carbon monoxide detectors would alert the occupants of dangerous levels of carbon monoxide are present within the passenger cabin and shut off the engine or open the windows if the occupants do not respond; and
Whereas, These carbon monoxide detectors installed in motor vehicles have the potential to save countless lives, including the life of Sashlynn Rosa of Passiac, New Jersey, who along with her one year-old son, Messiah, died of carbon monoxide poisoning and whose three year-old daughter was also gravely injured as they sat in their motor vehicle waiting for it warm as the children's father cleared the snow that surrounded the motor vehicle; and
Whereas, In order to avoid future tragedies, it is in the best interest of the citizens of this State and the nation for the NHTSA to issue a new safety standard to be included within the FMVSS that mandates the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in the passenger cabins of motor vehicles; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House urges the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue a new safety standard to be included within the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards that mandates the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in the passenger cabins of motor vehicles.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation, the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and each member of the United States Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This House urges the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to mandate the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in motor vehicles.
Carbon monoxide, which is produced by fossil-fuel burning devices, is often called the "silent killer" as it is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and toxic gas that causes people to lose consciousness within minutes often resulting in serious injury or death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning is responsible for serious injuries in an estimated 10,000 people annually and causes an average of 500 deaths annually.
Recognizing that many carbon monoxide deaths and serious injuries could be avoided, many state governments have acted to protect the general public from avoidable injury by requiring carbon monoxide detectors in buildings. State laws and regulations cannot, however, address the injuries and deaths from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning caused by motor vehicles. Only the federal government, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and its issuance of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), has the authority to uniformly regulate equipment in motor vehicles and address this safety hazard.
In 2005, the NHTSA considered, but denied, for inclusion within the FMVSS a new safety standard that requires car manufacturers to install carbon monoxide detectors that would alert the occupants of dangerous levels of carbon monoxide are present and shut off the engine or open the windows. These carbon monoxide detectors installed in motor vehicles have the potential to save countless lives. In order to avoid future tragedies, it is in the best interest of the citizens of this State and the nation for the NHTSA to issue a new safety standard to be included within the FMVSS that mandates the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in motor vehicles.