Budget in Brief Table of Contents | DOT.gov

U.S. Department of Transportation
Fiscal Year 2009 Budget In Brief

NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

Overview: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducts critical behavioral and vehicle programs, and provides grants to the States for the administration of highway traffic safety programs. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people in the United States ages 2 through 34. In 2006, motor vehicle crashes claimed 42,642 lives and accounted for over 90 percent of transportation-related deaths. The economic cost of motor vehicle crashes is estimated to be more than $230 billion annually. Emerging demographic trends include a continuing increase in the number of drivers, a significant growth in both older and teenage drivers, and a marked increase in motorcycle ridership and fatalities, particularly by older returning riders of large engine-size motorcycles. These trends pose increased traffic safety challenges that must be addressed. The FY 2009 budget request includes $851 million for NHTSA to carry out its mission and support Departmental efforts towards the achievement of its strategic goals and performance targets, specifically in new key focus areas: passenger vehicle occupants, non-occupants (pedestrians, cyclists, etc.), motorcycle riders, and large trucks and buses.

FY 2009 Budget

For FY 2009, NHTSA requests $851 million from the Highway Trust Fund to support its programs. NHTSA's total FY 2009 budget request has been authorized by SAFETEA-LU.

Vehicle Safety Research: The FY 2009 budget request includes $122 million in Highway Trust Funds for Vehicle Safety Research activities to reduce highway fatalities, prevent injuries, and significantly reduce their associated economic toll. Research projects will include promulgation and enforcement of Federal motor vehicle safety standards; biomechanics, crash avoidance and mitigation technologies; and vehicle safety issues regarding fuel efficiency and alternative fuels. Included in this request is:

• Rulemaking Programs — The $16.7 million of funded activities through this program will support the Department's Safety goal through the promulgation of Federal motor vehicle safety standards for the motor vehicle fleet, and related safety equipment. Rulemaking also supports the Safety goal through testing programs for the vehicle fleet and the development of consumer information on motor vehicle safety, including the New Car Assessment Program. Additionally, rulemaking programs support the Departmental goal of Environmental Stewardship through automotive fuel economy standards required by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.
• Enforcement Programs — $17.5 million is requested to fund NHTSA's enforcement programs by ensuring industry compliance with motor vehicle safety standards, investigating safety-related defects in motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment, enforcing the Federal odometer law, encouraging enforcement of State odometer laws, and ensuring that manufacturers conduct recalls to remove unsafe motor vehicles and equipment from the highways.

• Research and Analysis — $29.2 million is requested for vehicle safety research and analysis. This program supports all NHTSA programs, including the collection and analysis of crash data to identify safety problems, develop alternative solutions, and assess costs, benefits, and effectiveness. Research activities will continue to concentrate on advancing vehicle safety technology, improving vehicle crashworthiness and crash avoidance, decreasing alcohol involvement in crashes, decreasing the number of rollover crashes, improving vehicle-to-vehicle crash compatibility, and improving data systems.

• Vehicle Safety Research Administrative Expenses — Funding in the amount of $58.7 million is requested to fund NHTSA's salaries and administrative expenses associated with carrying out the agency's Vehicle Safety Research programs. Included are the costs associated with the salaries and benefits for NHTSA employees who work on and support these programs, together with other related expenses such as transportation, rent, communications, utilities, printing, supplies and equipment.

Highway Safety Research and Development: The FY 2009 budget request includes $105.5 million in Trust Funds for Highway Safety Research and Development activities to reduce highway fatalities, prevent injuries, and significantly reduce their associated economic toll. Funds will be used to conduct research into the development of, and analysis of the effectiveness of, programs focused on driving issues, such as licensing, alcohol and drug impaired driving, older drivers, and motorcycle safety; safety of occupants, such as occupant protection, seat belts, and pupil transportation; non-occupants, such as pedestrians and cyclists; emergency medical services; emerging traffic safety issues; and continued maintenance/improvement of the efficiency of vehicle crash data bases. Included in this request is:

• Highway Safety Research and Development Programs — NHTSA requests $42 million for highway safety programs activities including behavioral research, demonstrations, technical assistance, and national leadership activities emphasizing alcohol and drug countermeasures, vehicle occupant protection, traffic law enforcement, emergency medical and trauma care systems, licensing, and State and community evaluations. Safety programs for motorcycle riders, pedestrian and bicycle safety, pupil transportation, and young and older driver safety programs are also included in this request. NHTSA coordinates with numerous Federal partners, State and local governments, the private sector, universities, research units, and safety associations and organizations to leverage resources and achieve optimal delivery of safety messages.
• Research and Analysis — $26.9 million is requested for the identification of safety trends, development of alternative solutions, and the assessment of costs, benefits, and effectiveness. Research activities will continue to concentrate on advancing vehicle safety technologies, decreasing the number of rollover crashes, improving vehicle-to-vehicle crash compatibility, and improving data systems.
• Highway Safety Research and Development Administrative Expenses — NHTSA is requesting $36.6 million for salaries and administrative expenses associated with carrying out the agency's Behavioral Safety Research programs. Included herein are the costs associated with the salaries and benefits for NHTSA employees who work on and support these programs together with other related expenses such as transportation, rent, communications, utilities, printing, supplies and equipment.

National Driver Register: A total of $4 million in Trust Funds is proposed for NHTSA's National Driver Register (NDR) in FY 2009. Included in this total is $2.5 million for maintaining and operating the Problem Driver Pointer System (PDPS). This database system improves traffic safety by assisting State motor vehicle administrators in communicating effectively and efficiently with other States to identify drivers whose licenses have been suspended or revoked for serious traffic offenses, such as driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. The remaining $1.5 million will be used to support salaries and benefits, travel, and operating expenses within each program area.

Highway Traffic Safety Grants and High Visibility Enforcement: NHTSA's eight highway traffic safety grants programs will help reduce motor vehicle crashes, deaths and injuries by supporting implementation of proven and innovative countermeasures aimed at a wide range of factors contributing to crashes and injuries. The FY 2009 budget request of $601 million in Trust Funds implements current SAFETEA-LU initiatives and includes the grant programs identified below. The remaining $18.5 million will be used for salaries and operating expenses related to the administration of the Grant Programs, the National Occupant Protection User Survey (NOPUS), and Behavioral Safety Research programs.

• State and Community Grants (Section 402) — $235 million was reauthorized in SAFETEA-LU for the State and Community Highway Safety formula grant program to support State highway safety programs designed to reduce traffic crashes and resulting deaths, injuries, and property damage. A State may use these grant funds only for highway safety purposes; at least 40 percent of these funds are to be expended by political subdivisions (i.e., communities) within the State.
• Alcohol-Impaired Driving Countermeasures Incentive Grants (Section 410) — SAFETEA-LU amended the alcohol-impaired driving countermeasures incentive grant program to include $139 million to encourage States to adopt and implement effective programs to reduce impaired driving and its tragic consequences. States can qualify for a Section 410 grant as either a high-alcohol fatality rate State, a low-alcohol fatality State, or a programmatic State by meeting several eligibility criteria.
• Seat Belt Performance Grants (Section 406) — SAFETEA-LU established $124.5 million for a new program of incentive grants to encourage State efforts to increase seat belt usage. States can qualify for a grant by enacting a primary seat belt use law or, beginning in 2008, achieving a State-wide seat belt use rate of 85 percent for the two prior consecutive years. A State may use these grant funds for any safety purpose under Title 23, any project that corrects or improves a hazardous roadway location or feature, or proactively addresses highway safety problems. At least $1 million of amounts received by States must be obligated for behavioral highway safety activities.
• State Traffic Safety Information System Improvements (Section 408) — SAFETEA-LU authorized $34.5 million for a new program of incentive grants to encourage States to adopt and implement effective programs to improve the timeliness, accuracy, completeness, uniformity, integration, and accessibility of State data needed to identify national, State, and local highway and traffic safety program priorities. Section 408 grants are intended to improve the ability of highway safety practitioners at the State and local level to collect, analyze and evaluate data to make resource allocation decisions. A State may use these grant funds only to implement such data improvement programs.
• High Visibility Enforcement (Section 2009) — SAFETEA-LU provides $29 million to support States' seat belt and impaired driving enforcement programs through the continued provision of national paid media during mobilization and crackdown efforts.
• Occupant Protection Incentive Grants (Section 405) — SAFETEA-LU amended Section 405 (a) of Chapter 4 of Title 23, and includes $25 million to encourage States to adopt and implement effective programs to reduce deaths and injuries from riding unrestrained or improperly restrained in motor vehicles. A State may use these grant funds only to implement and enforce occupant protection programs.
• Child Safety and Child Booster Seat Safety Incentive Grants (Section 2011) — SAFETEA-LU authorized $7 million for a new incentive grant program to make grants available to States that enact and enforce a child restraint law for children too large to be restrained in a child safety seat. To qualify, States must be enforcing a child restraint law covering children up to age 8, unless the child is 4'9” tall or 65 pounds. These grant funds may be used only for child safety seat and child restraint programs.

• Motorcyclist Safety (Section 2010) — SAFETEA-LU authorized $7 million for a new program of incentive grants to encourage States to adopt and implement effective programs to reduce the number of single and multi-vehicle crashes involving motorcyclists. A State may use these grants funds only for motorcyclist safety training and motorcyclist awareness programs, including improvement of training curricula, delivery of training, recruitment or retention of motorcyclist safety instructors, and public awareness and outreach programs.