S. 4936 — STOP Frontovers Act of 2026

This section defines "backover" as a low-speed incident in which a non-occupant is struck by a motor vehicle moving in reverse and "frontover" as a low-speed incident in which a non-occupant is struck by a motor vehicle moving forward in an area the driver cannot see. It also defines "motor vehicle" by reference to 49 U.S.C. 30102(a) and "Secretary" as the Secretary of Transportation.

This section directs the Secretary of Transportation to initiate a rulemaking within 1 year to promulgate a Federal motor vehicle safety standard that reduces deaths and injuries from frontovers and low-speed incidents. The standard must establish a direct visibility requirement and mandate detection of motor vehicles, pedestrians including toddlers and small children, bicyclists, vulnerable road users, wheelchair users, micromobility and motorcycle riders, and other objects in the driver’s direct field of vision and blind zones, along with a driver notification system, an active intervention system, and distinct auditory and visual alerts. The Secretary must issue the final standard within 1 year of initiating the rulemaking and require full compliance within 2 years thereafter, with authority to establish a data-driven phase-in period. The section also requires reports to Congress every 90 days if the standard is delayed. It amends 49 U.S.C. 30129 to require a final rule within 2 years setting a compliance date no later than 2 years after enactment for all passenger motor vehicles manufactured for sale in the United States.

This section directs the Secretary to add elements for frontover and backover incidents to the data maintained and summary reports published under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Non-Traffic Surveillance System within 30 days of enactment, and to notify Congress upon completion. It also authorizes consideration of additional mechanisms, including changes to state crash report requirements, to improve reporting on such incidents.