2016 US Code
Title 49 - Transportation
Subtitle VI - Motor Vehicle and Driver Programs
Part A - General
Chapter 301 - Motor Vehicle Safety
Subchapter IV - Enforcement and Administrative
Sec. 30170 - Criminal Penalties

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Citation 49 U.S.C. § 30170 (2016)
Section Name §30170. Criminal Penalties
Section Text

(a) Criminal Liability for Falsifying or Withholding Information.—

(1) General rule.—A person who violates section 1001 of title 18 with respect to the reporting requirements of section 30166, with the specific intention of misleading the Secretary with respect to motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment safety related defects that have caused death or serious bodily injury to an individual (as defined in section 1365(g)(3) 1 of title 18), shall be subject to criminal penalties of a fine under title 18, or imprisoned for not more than 15 years, or both.

(2) Safe harbor to encourage reporting and for whistle blowers.—

(A) Correction.—A person described in paragraph (1) shall not be subject to criminal penalties under this subsection if: (1) at the time of the violation, such person does not know that the violation would result in an accident causing death or serious bodily injury; and (2) the person corrects any improper reports or failure to report within a reasonable time.

(B) Reasonable time and sufficiency of correction.—The Secretary shall establish by regulation what constitutes a reasonable time for the purposes of subparagraph (A) and what manner of correction is sufficient for purposes of subparagraph (A). The Secretary shall issue a final rule under this subparagraph within 90 days of the date of the enactment of this section.

(C) Effective date.—Subsection (a) shall not take effect before the final rule under subparagraph (B) takes effect.


(b) Coordination with Department of Justice.—The Attorney General may bring an action, or initiate grand jury proceedings, for a violation of subsection (a) only at the request of the Secretary of Transportation.

Source Credit

(Added Pub. L. 106–414, §5(b)(1), Nov. 1, 2000, 114 Stat. 1803.)

Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT

Section 1365(g)(3) of title 18, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), was redesignated section 1365(h)(3) of title 18 by Pub. L. 107–307, §2(1), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2445.

The date of the enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(B), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 106–414, which was approved Nov. 1, 2000.

Footnotes

1 See References in Text note below.

Publication Title United States Code, 2012 Edition, Supplement 4, Title 49 - TRANSPORTATION
Category Bills and Statutes
Collection United States Code
SuDoc Class Number Y 1.2/5:
Contained Within Title 49 - TRANSPORTATION
SUBTITLE VI - MOTOR VEHICLE AND DRIVER PROGRAMS
PART A - GENERAL
CHAPTER 301 - MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY
SUBCHAPTER IV - ENFORCEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE
Sec. 30170 - Criminal Penalties
Contains section 30170
Date 2016
Laws In Effect As Of Date January 6, 2017
Positive Law Yes
Disposition standard
Statutes at Large References 114 Stat. 1803
116 Stat. 2445
Public Law References Public Law 106-414, Public Law 107-307
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