H.Con.Res. 67 — Introduced in House

IV 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 67 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 25, 2022Mr. Cleaver (for himself and Mr. Graves of Missouri) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that passengers in motor vehicles should be educated and encouraged to advocate for their own safety and the safety of others during National Passenger Safety Week, January 23 through 29, 2022, and throughout the year. Whereas everyone has an important role to play in increasing road safety; Whereas passenger deaths accounted for 25 percent of all traffic deaths nationwide in 2019; Whereas traffic deaths increased 7 percent in 2020 and 18 percent in 2021 according to the preliminary estimates of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA); Whereas passenger vehicle occupant deaths rose 5 percent in 2020; Whereas these historic increases in traffic deaths occurred as there was a 13 percent decrease in vehicle miles traveled; Whereas NHTSA’s data show the main behaviors leading to this increase were speeding, impaired driving, and failure to wear seat belts; Whereas, whether a driver is impaired by alcohol or drugs, speeding, driving too aggressively, driving distracted, or unable to stay awake at the wheel, bad driving choices put passengers at risk of serious injury or death; Whereas many lives might have been saved had a passenger in the car insisted that the driver slow down, stop texting, or not get behind the wheel in the first place; Whereas passengers, especially teens and young adults, need education and encouragement to empower them to save lives by calling out unsafe driving in the car as it happens; and Whereas parents also need education and encouragement to teach their children about the importance of speaking up or not getting in the car with someone who is drunk, under the influence of drugs, or distracted: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that passengers in motor vehicles should be educated and encouraged to advocate for their own safety and the safety of others during National Passenger Safety Week and throughout the year.