Road fatality statistics show a steady decrease in fatalities per 100M VMT from 1966 - 2007. Vehicles are becoming safer because of improved engineering and design by Department of Transportation in collaboration with other stakeholders such as vehicle manufacturers OEMs, suppliers, research centers, advocates, and other government agencies plus education and enforcement programmes to ensure compliance with US regulations. Motorcycle fatalities have increased since an historic low in 1997. Vehicle rollovers continue to be a major contributor towards fatalities. The report addresses the status of current NHTSA Research Programs in the following areas: crashworthiness research; biomechanics; heavy vehicle research - NHTSA's heavy vehicle research program is directed toward improving the collision avoidance capabilities of these vehicles; intelligent technology research; human factors research; and tire safety. NHTSA conducts a motor vehicle crash data collection program through the National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA). It is composed of: the data collected from the states, including Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and the State Data Program, crash investigations, which includes the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) and the Special Crash Investigations (SCI) programs. Significant rulemaking actions have been taken in relation to: door locks and door retention components; electronic stability control systems; controls & displays; side impact protection; fuel economy; convex cross view mirrors (withdrawn); and designated seating position. NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Program consists of rulemaking, enforcement, research, and data collection activities. The main theme of the 10 year vehicle safety strategy is to identify, research, and address critical issues that affect motor vehicle safety, highway traffic safety, and fuel economy. Short and long term priorities are integrated into a single evolving strategic plan. Short term priorities cover issues over a one to two year horizon and long term priorities cover issues over a three to ten year horizon. Both paths integrate mandates from Congressional, industry, and advocacy groups that emerge onto the forefront as immediate needs. This Vehicle Safety Strategy is designed to proactively expand our focus on vehicle safety needs and to dynamically manage our safety programs in a culture of accountability and global leadership. It constitutes a method for managing responses to vehicle safety needs through a flexible but disciplined approach that keeps pace with changing vehicle safety priorities over time. As new opportunities for vehicle safety emerge from this strategy, these methods will help to ensure a clear path of transition of these to main stream vehicle safety programs, such as those described through the body of this paper. For the covering abstract see ITRD E145407.
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