Schumer: Feds haven't done enough to investigate limo safety
WASHINGTON (AP) On the heels of a horrific limousine crash that killed 20 people in upstate New York, the Senate's top Democrat is pointing to glaring gaps in safety data that he says exist because federal officials have not done enough to investigate limo wrecks.
"The sad fact here is that right now everyone is talking about limo safety when we could have been studying it for the past few years," Schumer said. "The NTSB knows they need to fix this situation so we can have as much information as possible available."
The agency - charged by Congress to conduct independent probes and make safety recommendations - agreed to investigate limo crashes on a case-by-case basis after a 2015 wreck that killed four women on New York's Long Island.
But Schumer says that since then, multiple crashes should have been investigated and would have netted "critical safety data" about the structure and safety components of limousines. Federal crash data compiled by The Associated Press shows there were seven limousine crashes in 2015 and two in 2016.
Factory-built limousines must meet stringent safety regulations. But luxury cars converted to limos, like the one in last week's crash, often lack such safety components as side-impact air bags, reinforced rollover protection bars and accessible emergency exits.
Few federal regulations govern limos modified after leaving the factory, and regulations often vary by state.
Schumer: Feds haven't done enough to investigate limo safety