April 4, 2019—The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday it was dropping a 2012 proposal to harmonize U.S. vehicle window safety standards with international rules, according to the Insurance Journal.
NHTSA said it was now withdrawing the proposal because it could not conclude that harmonizing the rules “would increase safety.” The agency cited crash data that suggests “current glazing materials are performing acceptably.” The rules were previously adopted by the European Union.
The United States already has performance requirements in place for car windows to reduce injuries resulting from impact, ensure transparency for driver visibility, and to minimize the possibility of occupants being thrown through windows in collisions, according to the report.
The NHTSA said safety issues around glazing had been substantially reduced since the 1960s, adding that it still planned to conduct additional glazing research.
