TABLE 14-1 continued
Multipurpose
Passenger
Number Topic Cara Truck Busb Vehiclec Equipmentd
212 Windshield mounting • • • •
213 Child restraint systems • • • •
214 Side impact protection • • • •
216 Roof crush resistance • • • •
217 Bus emergency exits and window retention and •
release
218 Motorcycle helmets •
219 Windshield zone intrusion • • • •
220 School bus rollover protection •
221 School bus body joint strength •
222 School bus passenger seating and crash protection
223 Rear impact guards •
224 Rear impact protection •
225 Child restraint anchorage systems • • • •
300 Series: Postaccident protection
301 Fuel system integrity • • • •
302 Flammability of interior materials • • • • •
303 Fuel system integrity of compressed natural • • • •
gas vehicles
304 Compressed natural gas fuel container integrity •
305 Electric-powered vehicles: electrolyte spillage • • • •
and electric shock protection
400/500 Series: Other
401 Interior trunk release • •
403 Platform lift systems for motor vehicles •
404 Platform lift installations in motor vehicles • • • •
500 Low speed vehicles
aPassenger cars.
bBusses other than school busses.
cMultipurpose passenger vehicles.
dItem of motor vehicle equipment.
lights, brakes, and other features will improve highway safety. One study found no detectable impact on accident rates between states that required periodic vehicle inspections and those that did not. The main problem is that equipment failures may occur at anytime, whereas inspection occurs only once each year. Random inspections are reported to be as effective as periodic inspections.
Operators
There are many characteristics of drivers that affect the likelihood of an accident. Drivers must be licensed to operate a motor vehicle, and they must pass written and road tests to receive a license.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sets minimum qualifications for
drivers of motor carriers (commercial motor vehicles). Some of the qualifications include
being 21 years old, meeting physical qualifications, having knowledge of safe methods for