Transport i bezpieczeństwo · 9/28/1998

Exemption From the Make Inoperative Prohibition

NHTSA is proposing a limited exemption from a statutory provision prohibiting dealers, repair businesses and other specified commercial entities from removing safety equipment or features installed on motor vehicles pursuant to the Federal motor vehicle safety standards and from altering the equipment or features so as to adversely affect their performance. Repair businesses and dealers would be exempted from the prohibition to facilitate their modification of motor vehicles so that persons with disabilities can drive or ride in them. The exemption would permit modifications that have an unavoidable adverse effect on safety equipment or features installed pursuant to some, but not all requirements of the Federal safety standards. The requirements tentatively selected for inclusion in the exemption were chosen after carefully balancing their safety significance against the types of modifications needed for persons with disabilities. By specifying which modifications may be made, the proposal rule would provide universal, comprehensive guidance to all modifiers and would thereby enhance the safety of vehicles modified to accommodate people with disabilities.