Amy Klobuchar: “I am introducing this bill today with Senator Hoeven, who has been a true leader on this issue. When he was Governor, he…”

“I am introducing this bill today with Senator Hoeven, who has been a true leader on this issue. When he was Governor, he worked to pass a similar law in North Dakota. As Senator Hoeven just described, the Driver Privacy Act will strengthen safety and protect consumer privacy. I think the bipartisan support Senator Hoeven has gathered for this bill--seven Republicans, seven Democrats, and people all over the country from Hawaii to Georgia to Oregon to Alaska, not to mention the two of us from the middle of the country--demonstrates the strong support and the concerns people have about emerging technology. We want this technology, but I figure our laws have to be as sophisticated as the technology we have out there. Right now our laws are lagging and this information is not protected. There is no roadmap on how it should be protected, and that is why we are introducing this bill. I have long supported improving safety on the roadways. Too many people die on our highways, and we need to do something about it. In 2010, there were more than 30,000 fatal crashes and more than 1.5 million crashes that resulted in injuries. This is unacceptable. Rural road safety is a critical issue for my State, as well as for Senator Hoeven's State. Only 23 percent of the country's population lives in rural areas, and yet 57 percent of all traffic fatalities occur in rural America.…”