The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration may or may not be an agency that our readers are familiar with. The NHTSA is the federal agency most directly tasked with ensuring that automobiles on American roads are safe and that fatal auto accidents are prevented when possible. Although some of our readers may have never heard of the NHTSA before, this agency likely makes a host of decisions on an annual basis that directly impact our readers’ lives and their travel-related safety.

As a result, it is important to remain informed about the efforts that the NHTSA has invested in when this information is made available to the public. By keeping a watchful eye on the actions of the NHTSA, Americans can better understand what roadway travel issues are currently threatening public safety and what the federal government intends to do to address those pressing issues.

Currently, it seems that the NHTSA is particularly invested in a few auto safety issues. The NHTSA has come under a great deal of scrutiny in recent years for failing to prevent auto accidents related to manufacturer defects. The public expects that the NHTSA will run a “tight ship” and will ultimately be able to detect defect issues early and inspire manufacturers to address them. As a result of this scrutiny, the NHTSA will be placing a great deal of emphasis on enforcing existing early warning and defect reporting regulations over the coming months.

Please check back next week as we will be continuing our discussion of this important topic in an upcoming post.

Source: Wards Auto, “What’s Next for NHTSA and Automotive Safety,” Christopher H. Grigorian, May 8, 2015