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Assess Safety of Automotive Adaptive Equipment

Because of the relatively small population of persons with disabilities, very little data are available for crashes involving these persons. This project attempts to be pro-active and address potential safety problems before they occur. These problems are anticipated due to the growing number of vehicle operators who have some disability. The project will monitor the problem and react accordingly.

NHTSA has limited experience with adaptive driving equipment. There are no FMVSS directly regulating adaptive driving controls or combinations of equipment that may result in an unsafe vehicle adaptation. In theory, each device used to replace the function of equipment originally provided by the vehicle manufacturer should pass the applicable FMVSS. Otherwise the installer of that equipment would be guilty of "rendering inoperative" a device installed in a vehicle in compliance with FMVSS. Historically, NHTSA has responded to questions regarding installation of adaptive equipment, and whether it will comply with FMVSS, by considering any violation as justified by public need, if it was done in the adaptation of a vehicle for a disabled driver. Now the Agency has responded in an NPRM to allow specific areas of vehicles to be altered t accomodate persons with disabilities. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 211,000 Americans use some sort of adaptive equipment in their vehicles. NHTSA established a Working Group on Automotive Safety for Persons with Disabilities (WGASPD) in April of 1994 to familiarize the agency with the needs and problems of persons with disabilities who use motor vehicles. This goal was accomplished and a research team was formed in its place to identify areas of research.

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