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Chaos in USA

20th February 1976
Page 25
Page 25, 20th February 1976 — Chaos in USA
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

IN the past two months the situation regarding anti-skid systems in the USA has changed so rapidly that for a spell truck and trailer manufacturers were building vehicles without anti-skid systems, and now they are not sure what they should be doing.

It all started when the regulations governing braking were altered so that anti-skid systems became essential on trucks, trailers and buses. So many problems were encountered that a public meeting was held last October. As a result, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration decided to suspend the regulation-121—as it applied to buses for 12 months from January I, 1976. It also pro posed that the maximum stopping distance from 97 km/h (60 mph) be increased from 84.5m (277ft), to about 88m (290ft), to overcome criticism that front braking was too "aggressive."

Into this complicated situation, the 9th District Federal Court threw a bombshell when on January 16, it suspended the regulations for trucks and trailers for 60 days, on the understanding that if the situation were not clarified by then, the suspension could be renewed. Immediately, truck and trailer manufacturers set about building vehicles without anti-skid systems, whose high cost had held down sales. Before they could really get organised, though, the authorities got their lawyers working overtime, and on January 29, the Supreme Court over-ruled the Federal Court decision, and reinstated 121 for trucks and trailers !

It is generally expected that the manufacturers will have produced an unusually large number of vehicles during the two-week suspension of 121. The question now being asked Is whether these vehicles will be legal. But in any event, it is quite clear that the NHTSA has taken a severe blow to its credibility over 121, and may yet take a tumble as there are still some law-suits pending.


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