OLDER DRIVER STUDY.

SEC. 208. OLDER DRIVER STUDY. (a) Contract.—Not later than 30 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall undertake to enter into appropriate arrangements with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a comprehensive study and investigation of (1) problems which may inhibit the safety and mobility of older drivers using the Nation’s roads, and (2) means of addressing these problems. (b) Report.—In entering into any arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences for conducting such study and investigation, the Secretary shall request the National Academy of Sciences to report to the Secretary and Congress not later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act on the results of such study and investigation, together with its recommendations. (c) Availability of Information.—The Secretary shall furnish to such Academy at its request any information which the Academy deems necessary for the purpose of conducting the investigation and study authorized by this section. (d) Pilot Program.— (1) Development of program.—The Secretary shall develop, in conjunction with the study carried out under this section, a pilot program of highway safety improvements to enhance the safety and mobility of older drivers. The program shall be designed to apply known technology at sites in rural and urban areas and on different types of highways and to determine the daytime and nighttime effectiveness of such technology. (2) States encouraged to carry out program.—The Secretary shall encourage the States to carry out the pilot program developed under paragraph (1) with funds available for highway safety improvement projects. In particular, the Secretary shall encourage States with a high percentage of older drivers to give high priority to carrying out the pilot program. (3) Evaluation and report.—Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall evaluate the pilot program under this subsection and shall report to Congress on the effectiveness of such program in improving the safety and mobility of older drivers.