Most stretch limousines start life as regular sedans and SUVs, which are then cut in half and extended to accommodate more passengers. But because they are custom-made, they are not required to undergo crash tests or meet the same federal safety standards as other vehicles. One such bill would establish an 11-member working group on elastic limousine passenger safety, which would conduct a comprehensive review of issues that influence the safety, adequacy, efficiency and reliability of elastic limousine transportation. The SAFE Limousine Act requires manufacturers of limousines that alter used vehicles to certify that the limousine meets federal safety standards.
Under current law, a limousine manufacturer that modifies a new vehicle to become a limousine must certify that the modified vehicle continues to meet federal safety standards, such as side impact protections and roof crush resistance. Legislation also passed today that would require extendable limousine drivers to have a commercial driver's license with a passenger P endorsement, and that stretch limousines comply with DOT safety regulations and vehicle inspections (A. Legislation passed today would authorize New York State U.S. (DOT) to seize or immobilize extendable limousines that fail DOT security inspections and take them out of service.
For the purposes of the following guide, an altered limousine is defined as a limousine capable of carrying 9 or more people (including the driver).
