Pennsylvania Auto Product Recall Attorneys

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is a federal agency with a broad mandate to regulate road safety in the US.

The NHTSA owes a debt of gratitude to perennial presidential candidate, Ralph Nader, who back in the 1960s advocated for far greater federal oversight of motor vehicle safety. His landmark book, Unsafe at Any Speed, wormed its way into the American consciousness and spurred national interest in legislation concerning consumer protection from unsafe or defective automobiles.

Just a few years after Nader published his book, Congress passed a major bill known as the Highway Safety Act, which established the NHTSA to oversee safety, fuel efficiency, and other key functions. Today, the NHTSA regulates everything from the U.S. vehicle identification number system, safety testing, greenhouse gas emission standards, and vehicle licensing and importing.

NHTSA champions point to the significant decline in fatal car accidents from the 1970s as a sign that the agency has made serious progress towards fulfilling its mandate. For instance, in 1979, the US saw over 50,000 fatalities on the road; whereas by the turn of the millennium, that number had dropped to just above 40,000 fatalities per year.

It is difficult to tease out cause and effect when analyzing the impact of NHTSA regulations, safety standards, and fuel efficiency standards. Numerous dynamic factors are constantly at play, including changes in driver attitudes about risk, alterations in design and safety features, and changes in roadway conditions and safety education.

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