Gate fatalities spur new federal legislation
'Simple and affordable safety mechanisms can prevent tragic accidents caused by poorly designed or maintained gates. We've seen the devastating impact of these preventable incidents, such as the tragic death of 7-year-old Alex Quanbeck, who was crushed by a falling gate, and the death of Esther Nakajjigo at Arches National Park,' said Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah.
'By codifying industry standards, our Alex Gate Safety Act will save lives and prevent needless heartbreak.'
Curtis, along with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., introduced the act Monday.
In 2019, Alex Quanbeck was playing football with friends during recess when he attempted to close the schoolyard gate to stop the ball from rolling away. However, as he pushed the gate closed, it detached from its supporting hardware and collapsed on him — an accident which could have been prevented had the gate been equipped with a simple safety feature that costs no more than $50.
The next year, Esther 'Essie' Nakajjigo was killed by an unsecured gate at Arches National Park during a camping trip. A strong wind blew the metal gate into her car, decapitating Nakajjigo.
Outside Magazine reported that Nakajjigo was a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist. Her family was awarded $10 million from the federal government, the largest federal wrongful death award in Utah history.
Consumer advocates, industry professionals, independent experts and standards organizations came together to update the voluntary industry standards.
Specifically, the Alex Gate Safety Act would:
Direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue a consumer product safety standard for vehicular and large gates within one year of enactment.
Allow the commission to modify standards if it determines that a modification would further reduce the risk of injury associated with covered gates.
Launch a national campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of covered gates, including those that detach or fall.
The Alex Gate Safety Act is supported by The Hummingbird Alliance, a nonprofit organization founded by Alex Quanbeck's parents; the American Fence Association; the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association; and ASTM International.
'The true tragedy in our son Alex's death is that it was preventable, and today we honor his memory by advancing bipartisan, commonsense legislation to protect Americans from falling gates like the one that collapsed on him,' said Dayna and Eric Quanbeck, the parents of young Alex and co-founders of The Hummingbird Alliance.
'The American Fence Association has worked with industry partners on gate safety standards for over twenty years,' said Michael Reed, executive director of the American Fence Association.
'The Alex Gate Safety Act of 2025 reflects many of these life-saving standards. We thank Sen Curtis and Sen. Klobuchar for introducing such important legislation, which will be to the benefit of all Americans.'
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