WASHINGTON (Dec. 14, 2011) — The Senate Commerce Committee today approved four bills designed to enhance highway safety.
The four bills included S. 1449, the Motor Vehicle and Highway Safety Improvement Act of 2011. Also known as Mariah's Law—in honor of a teenager who was killed in an auto accident caused by her texting behind the wheel—the bill directs the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to address programs to address emerging safety issues such as texting, distracted driving and sudden unintended acceleration.
The other three bills were:
—S. 1950, the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2011;
—S. 1952, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety Act of 2011; and
—S. 1953, the Research and Innovative Technology Administration Reauthorization Act of 2011.
In his opening remarks before the committee, Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, D-W.Va., said he hoped passage of these bills would be the prelude to passage of a comprehensive surface transportation bill early next year.