This is the 14th report on Highway Safety. Although prepared in 1981, the activities induced in this report were accomplished in 1980 under the previous administration. The report includes: Part one: Introduction-Trends and issues; Highway Safety Program; Support for Highway Safety; Part two: The role of the Federal Highway Administration; Appendices: (A) Statistical Compilation; (B) The National Highway Safety Advisory Committee-1980 Membership; (C) Funding Tables; (D) Publications of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Highway Administration; and (E) Current Research Grants and Contracts and the problems they address. As a first step, the Agency plans to simplify and redirect the highway safety grant program under section 402 of the Highway Safety Act. In the future, Federal aid will be directed only to programs with a verifiable payoff in terms of reduced deaths and injuries, and to safety problems that are truly national in scope, turning back to the States those activities that rightfully should be their responsibility. After a review of all programs funded under Section 402, several successful programs were identified for continued eligibility for Federal funding. They are: alcohol safety; police traffic services; emergency medical services; safety belts and child restraints; and traffic records. Despite funding restrictions in many traditional program areas, NHTSA will continue to offer technical assistance to the States to improve their safety projects, and each State still has the option of using a portion of its basic safety funds for programs that it considers necessary.
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