NHTSA's primary constituency is the traffic enforcement industry and they invent the need for the programs, then supply the funds to enforce them. They have devolved into a government propaganda agency run by special interest whose programs advance revenue and power agendas, not public safety.

It's very import to challenge any and all its purported safety standards, because in every instance we have constructive knowledge of, they are one of the following: purely invented, at the request of or to protect special interest, or its own self interest. None are fact based or best practice. NONE!

In fact this is one agency that if eliminated would in short order save lives, and money.

AKA: the Federal Agency of Urban Myth! Pick any NHTSA program or claim, any at all. It will not survive a detailed examination. Their data is always misleading, politically rather than factually correct, or organized to garner large numbers viz. unrelated to the issue data or by simply excluding all unfavorable data.

What’s worse, they continue to spend significant amounts of public money spearheading a movement to undermine sound engineering practices. They now control content and funding (FHWA traffic safety research oversight) and WILL NOT let any project go forward unless it will produce a forgone conclusion that supports its agenda. A few years ago they went so far as to try to divert the funds used to support the most successful traffic engineering safety measure ever, barrier installation and hazard removal, for their own use.

We pride ourselves as a free and fair society, this agency’s practices does not speak well of what our republic has done to us, its citizens, in the name of highway safety.

The unintended consequences of well meaning people is how this all began. In 1966, Congress passed a momentous law that required public safety issues to be based on findings of fact and uniformly applied across the land; The Highway Safety Act of 1966. The law included the authority for a new agency, NHTSA; who was charged with safety on our nation’s highways as its prime directive.

Eight short years later, Congress turned this agency into a propaganda arm of the government in support of its mandated National Speed Limit, where they “knew what was best for the people” despite the fact that their good intentions were contrary to human nature, advancing technology and the findings of the safety engineers. An agency who thinks its duty to lie to us ‘We the People’, and in the process thinks it’s acceptable to lie to the U.S. Congress too, in its ends justifies the means culture.

After 30 plus years, the US Congress had spent many billions in this ill-fated endeavor, at an enormous cost in treasure and lives lost to the nation. ‘We the People’ became hostages of this power play to maintain control over the states, where Congress uses large amounts of cash to keep officials within the states in line. To further support this endeavor, its state run propaganda agencies (Office of traffic safety and Governors’ association) were funded with billions to establish the Urban Myth that equated lower speed limits with safety. Congress spent many billions more building an enforcement industry dependant on NHTSA in many was for its very existence. This force continues on today writing an estimated 50-70 million unsupported citations a year. A for cash and power Empire, not safety!

Governors Association collects and then distributes the grants to their state and local agencies. The overwhelming majority of the GHSA programs provide no safety benefit whatsoever and the states, not their motorists, benefits from this enterprise. AKA Safety Shills

The GHSA's annual meeting is akin to the Flat Earth society sharing new techniques to fleece the subjugated and burn the non believers. Here is an example of one of the keynote speakers: Governor Janet Napolitano introducing her new public theft expansion program, at the expense of safety. for her state of Arizona.

At this year's meeting there were two programs that had actual merit for the common good. Scary! Must be mistake! Haven't seen the fine print yet.

"California Highway Patrol Commissioner Joseph A. Farrow for his development of the Prepare, Understand, Respond, Stop, Utilize and Examine (P.U.R.S.U.E.) video, which offers guidance to police officers on why agencies should establish a formal pursuit policy; Safe Kids Buckle Up, a child safety seat inspection program from Safe Kids Worldwide and General Motor."

Let's not forget that these funds do no come without strings attached and there is a reason they are so coveted by the states and agencies.

Our federal QUOTA systems where agencies can get supplemental funding and their officers can make the highly coveted time and a half overtime pay, that is paid by the USDOT and added to the officer's personal pay checks. Soooo they are getting paid extra to write tickets, for profit. Everybody gets the over time, including the supervisors. It says 3 tickets an hour, but it's up to 4 for seat belts.

More telling, if you fail to meet the quotas you don't get to participate in next months' federal personal income opportunity tickets-for-cash scheme.

 "Application for Grant Funds (AGF) Traffic Enforcement"

GOALS AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES

All departments must help achieve the goals of this program: 
• Increase effective enforcement of traffic-safety related laws to reduce fatal and serious-injury crashes.
• Increase the overall safety belt usage rate among drivers and front-seat passengers from 65 percent in 2005 to 67 percent in 2006. 
• Increase the overall speed compliance.  Reduce the percentage of speed-related fatalities from 34 percent in 2003 to 30 percent in 2006.
• Increase number of DWI arrests.  Reduce the percentage of alcohol-related fatalities from 43 percent in 2004 to 41 percent in 2006.

Here is the ridiculous disclaimer about quotas that don't exist... where NHTSA adds mandates to garner adequate numbers of citations to qualify for future grants, or to justify why you didn't make your quota if you want to participate in future grants??? It walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, thinks it's a duck... but it isn't a duck disclaimer!

Nothing in this grant shall be interpreted as a requirement, formal or informal, that a law enforcement officer issue a specified or predetermined number of citations in pursuance of the department’s obligation associated with the grant.

However, the intent of each patrol is to generate documented stops.   Informational handouts may be distributed, but should not take the place of a citation or warning.

• A minimum of three documented stops per hour is the suggested law enforcement activity under this grant program.  For each Mobilization period, departments are required to document in writing reasons Performance Measures were not met.

IIHS is a PR agency whose constituents derive in excess of 25 percent of their income from traffic citation surcharges. For citations that the FHWA characterized as technical in nature to motorists that are otherwise driving safely.

Most believe IIHS publications, research and public positions are based on fact, nothing could be further from the truth. The newest revelation, besides the billions the insurance industry already make on surcharges, we didn't understand its strong support for enforcement cameras or traffic stops where no points are assessed to drivers. The answer, unknown to policy holders, or regulators, using public records and laws (they sponsored) requiring all agencies to file reports, the underwriters are adding premium surcharges to the vehicle owners' policies. Underwriting practices are proprietary; not subject to review - secret! The only thing a policy holders may notice, is an increase in premiums for no apparent reason.

The one good program (crash test) that does hold the promise of the general good, has some very serious unintended consequences. Rather than focussing on an overall strategy of both dynamic and structural safety, it focusses on 2 test. Causing the manufactures to focus on those test rather than the larger real world needs. Combined with NHTSA reactive rather than reasoned standards, we the people lose.

What we need is International Standards that are both reasoned and balanced. Thereby, allowing manufactures to optimize their efforts to meet the needs of world markets. If Ford, BWW or VW find a better way to accomplish this safety need, and it's universally applicable, it improves safety and reduces consumer cost, too.

Who are these coconspirators that mislead the public with unsafe practices, for porfit, to meet their own ends?

Member groups that wholly support these nefarious efforts:

AAA Mid-Atlantic Insurance Group
AAA Northern California, Nevada, and Utah
Affirmative Insurance
Agency Insurance Company of Maryland
AIG Agency Auto
Alfa Insurance
Alfa Alliance Insurance Corporation
Allstate Insurance Group
American Family Mutual Insurance
American National Property and Casualty Company
Ameriprise Auto & Home
Amerisure Insurance
Amica Mutual Insurance Company
Auto Club Group
Auto Club South Insurance Company
Bituminous Insurance Companies
Bristol West Insurance Group
Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company
California Casualty
Capital Insurance Group
Chubb Group of Insurance Companies
Concord Group Insurance Companies
Cotton States Insurance
COUNTRY Financial
Countrywide Insurance Group
Erie Insurance Group
Esurance
Farm Bureau Financial Services
Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan
Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho
Farmers Insurance Group of Companies
Farmers Mutual of Nebraska
Fireman's Fund Insurance Company
First Acceptance Corporation
Florida Farm Bureau Insurance Companies
Frankenmuth Insurance
Gainsco Insurance
GEICO Group
Georgia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company
GMAC Insurance
Grange Insurance
Hanover Insurance Group
The Hartford
High Point Insurance Group
Homeowners of America Insurance Company
ICW Group
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance
Kemper, A Unitrin Business
Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance
Liberty Mutual
Markel Corporation
Mercury Insurance Group
MetLife Auto & Home
Michigan Insurance Company
MiddleOak
MMG Insurance
Mutual of Enumclaw Insurance Company
Nationwide
Nodak Mutual Insurance Company
Norfolk & Dedham Group
North Carolina Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company
Old American County Mutual Fire Insurance
Oklahoma Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company
OneBeacon Insurance
Oregon Mutual Insurance
Palisades Insurance
Pekin Insurance
PEMCO Insurance
The Progressive Corporation
Response Insurance
Rockingham Group
Safeco Insurance
Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Company
SECURA Insurance
Sentry Insurance
Shelter Insurance
Sompo Japan Insurance Company of America
South Carolina Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company
State Auto Insurance Companies
State Farm
Tennessee Farmers Mutual Insurance Company
Tokio Marine Nichido
The Travelers Companies
Unitrin
USAA
Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance
West Bend Mutual Insurance Company
Zurich North America

21st Century Insurance

The Committee to Stop Red Light Running is financed by the red light cameras companies, and supported by those with a financial or empire building interest to the clear detriment of both safety and due process of law.

If the committee could stop red light running, its sponsors would go out of business. Whereas to be viable they need to identify a deficiency, leave it operating in an unsafe manner with high conflict rates to assure profitability and sustained income.

MADD was a good idea when it began, but since has morphed into a neo-prohibitionist organization that is more interested in its own funding, rather than safety. Like the others here, none of its press releases use factual information. Shortly after they started, they too have learned how effective the use of the "R" word (Related) was for the IIHS, NHTSA et al, when the data doesn't support its safety assertions or program claims.

FHWA is charged with advancing best practices, whereas in reality the USDOT (political special interest) through the FHWA have instituted a policy non enforcement of federal safety standards, and worse, for over a decade now they've been systematically overseeing the removal of best practices when they interfere challenges to speed traps, red light cameras, stop sign use etc. and or standards compliance efforts. In regards to traffic control devices, form and design at great expense has trumped safety function.

"Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety is an alliance of consumer, health and safety groups and insurance companies and agents working together to make America's roads safer."

We helped them here by underlining its prime source of funding. Washington is awash with lobbying groups whose names belie their true interest. Saferoads.org is one of the many.

Each member of these groups of their ilk quotes another with like interests. None publish original research which is empirically peered reviewed nor do they have true expertise in how to make our roads safer.

Most of their anti trucking rhetoric comes from those efforts sponsored by the railroads or trucking firms and groups that want to protect their own self interest (anti competition).

The ATA would be better described as an anti independent or small business trucking lobby.

Regardless of the issue, do not be fooled, they lobby in their own interest. In regards to a national limit for trucks or a new national speed limit, it's absolutely more about increasing cost for the independent trucker, than it's about safety or fuel savings. Because its irrefutable that there is no known safety benefit but there is a real safety hazard, and it would actually increase total energy consumption and the cost of doing business. Example in regards to fuel: Total carbon footprint - How much energy is consumed when what use to take 4 days to accomplish, now takes 5 days, when the truck has to sustain itself parked somewhere; cost of the hotel, food, services, transportation to support this support etc. Net total increase in energy use, not counting the loss of the amortized operation/productivity cost of the driver and the equipment.

The other part, is yes those with fixed schedule and routes can save some money with lower cost by driving slower, at the expense of higher cost and less safe roads for the rest of us. A slow moving vehicle becomes a flow impediment and chaos zone for its entire trip, causing the stream to brake and negotiate this wake of conflict (high risk overtaking). Not only does this destroy the capacity of the roadway and its flow, it causes every other roadway user to increase fuel consumption while they negotiate these obstructions, to return to the natural flow. Add to this two lane highways where these slow moving trucks make passing much more dangerous, and, and, and!

This is passive aggressive and anti-social behavior where they have no concern for the common good, only their self interest.

The nation has no entity or leadership advocating for real industry reform, homogenization of rules and fact based standards. The irony is the most organized and best funded advocacy besides the ATA's anti small carrier efforts, is the railroads who see more efficient and homogenized standards a direct threat.

The National Safety Council is a quasi governmental non profit safety agency that on motorists issues is a parrot of the party line, not an original research organization.

PARS is who's who crime syndicate who with the help of the USDOT has formed a conspiracy to deprive you of your due process, at the expense of safety. An actual crime per 18 USC § 241 - 242 but who will prosecute when the conspiracy includes the IACP, USDOT, IIHS and the financial beneficiaries of their crimes including a healthy mix of politicians that will do anything to get reelected, including quid pro quo packs with these illegal enterprises that require unsafe practices and denial of due process for sustenance.

The evidence of this crime against We the People is clear and convincing!

This is essentially same group use to be the core of the Committee to Stop Red Light Running whose fraud became apparent decided to take on a new feel good name to hide behind.