Contents

THIS IS NHTSA

The mission of the 

National Highway Traffic 

Safety Administration 

(NHTSA), an agency of 

the U.S. Department of 

Transportation (DOT), 

is to save lives, prevent 

injuries, and reduce 

economic costs due to road 

traffic crashes, through 

education, research, 

safety standards, and 

enforcement activity. 

NHTSA was established by the Highway 

Safety Act of 1970 to carry out safety 

programs previously administered by 

the National Highway Safety Bureau. 

Specifically, the agency directs the 

highway safety and consumer programs 

established by the National Traffic 

and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966, 

the Highway Safety Act of 1966, the 

1972 Motor Vehicle Information and 

Cost Savings Act, and succeeding 

amendments to these laws.

Since NHTSA’s inception, the Nation’s 

rate of fatalities due to motor vehicle 

crashes has declined steadily and is now 

the safest on record. However, crashes 

continue to kill tens of thousands of 

Americans and injure millions more 

every year. Motor vehicle crashes remain 

a leading cause of death for Americans 

of all ages and drain more than $230 

billion from the economy annually. 

Yet these motor vehicle crashes and 

their related deaths and injuries are 

preventable.

Dedicated to achieving the highest 

standards of excellence in motor vehicle 

and highway safety, NHTSA works 

daily to help prevent such crashes and 

their attendant costs, both human and 

financial. The agency strives to exceed 

the expectations of its customers 

through its core values of Integrity, 

Service, and Leadership. 
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Contents

NHTSA’s approach to fulfilling its mission can be found in the following four sections:

Vehicles

NHTSA oversees the safety of motor vehicles and equipment.

Safety Standards ............................................................................................................................ 1

Safety Defects ................................................................................................................................ 2

Recalls ............................................................................................................................................ 3

Fuel Economy ............................................................................................................................... 3

Odometer Fraud ........................................................................................................................... 3

Auto Theft ...................................................................................................................................... 4

International Activities ................................................................................................................ 4

People

NHTSA encourages the safe behavior of drivers, vehicle passengers, pedestrians, 

cyclists, and others. 

Impaired Driving .......................................................................................................................... 5

Occupant Protection .................................................................................................................... 5

Motorcycle Safety ......................................................................................................................... 7

Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety ................................................................................................... 7

School Bus Transportation .......................................................................................................... 7

Older Driver Safety ...................................................................................................................... 8

Driver Licensing ........................................................................................................................... 8

National Driver Register .............................................................................................................. 8

Driver Education and Graduated Driver Licensing ................................................................. 8

Speed Enforcement ...................................................................................................................... 9

Emergency Medical Services ...................................................................................................... 9

Highway Safety Grant Programs .............................................................................................. 10

State and Community Outreach ............................................................................................... 11

NHTSA Regional Offices .......................................................................................................... 11
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Research & Development

NHTSA undertakes research and collects and analyzes data to foster improved safety.

Research Related to Vehicles and Equipment ......................................................................... 13

Research Related to People ........................................................................................................ 13

Intelligent Transportation Systems .......................................................................................... 14

Vehicle Research and Test Center ............................................................................................ 14

National Center for Statistics and Analysis ............................................................................. 15

Information

NHTSA offers easily available and consumer-friendly information.

DOT Vehicle Safety Hotline ...................................................................................................... 16

Web Site ....................................................................................................................................... 16

New Car Assessment Program ................................................................................................. 17

Access to Agency Information and Records ........................................................................... 18

Career Opportunities at NHTSA ............................................................................................. 18

For More Information ............................................................................................................... C3
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NHTSA sets safety standards for motor vehicles and associated equipment, 

investigates possible safety defects, assures that products meet safety standards 

and are not defective (through recalls if necessary), and tracks safety-related 

recalls. The agency also enforces regulations on fuel economy, odometer fraud, 

and vehicle theft.

Safety Standards

All new vehicles and certain types of automotive equipment (such as child restraints, 

tires, and lights) sold in the United States 

must meet Federal motor vehicle safety 

standards. These standards cover the parts 

of the vehicle that most affect its safe operation (brakes, tires, lighting, etc.) or that 

protect drivers and passengers in the event 

of a crash (safety belts, air bags, energy-absorbing steering columns, child safety seats, 

and motorcycle helmets). 

NHTSA is responsible for setting new Federal motor vehicle safety standards and reviewing existing ones to determine if they 

can be improved. The agency also regulates 

modifications made to vehicles used by 

people with disabilities. 

In adopting or amending a safety standard, 

NHTSA proceeds through a multi-step 

process. The agency:

•	 Conducts research to define the

problem; 

•	 Develops and evaluates countermeasures, or methods to address the 

problem; and

•	 Establishes and validates tests used to

ensure compliance with the standard. 

A proposed standard must be practicable, 

meet the need for motor vehicle safety, and 

be stated in objective terms. 

After a standard is developed, the agency 

issues a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in 

the Federal Register to obtain feedback on 

the proposal from manufacturers, trade associations, insurers, consumer groups, and 

private citizens. After public review and 

comment, the agency may issue a final rule 

adopting or modifying the standard.

Once a standard is in effect, the agency tests 

and monitors motor vehicles and equipment to make sure that they meet the relevant safety standards. NHTSA has also established procedures to assure that vehicles 

imported into the United States were either 

built to U.S. safety standards or are modified to meet these standards. 

Vehicles
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Safety Defects

NHTSA is alerted to investigate a potential 

safety defect through a variety of sources, 

primarily consumers who call the DOT Vehicle Safety Hotline (888-237-4236) or visit 

NHTSA’s vehicle and equipment safety Web 

site (www.safercar.gov) to submit a Vehicle 

Owner Questionnaire. The agency receives 

approximately 4,000 reports each month of 

potential safety problems with vehicles and 

equipment through these channels. 

To strengthen and expedite the process 

of discovering safety problems, the 2000 

Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation (TREAD) 

Act empowered NHTSA to expand sources 

of information on potential defects. In response, the agency developed the Early 

Warning Reporting system, which requires 

vehicle and equipment manufacturers to 

notify NHTSA of fatalities, injuries, property damage claims, consumer complaints, 

and safety campaigns that have come to 

their attention. If a review of all available 

information indicates that a safety defect 

may exist, NHTSA officials open an investigation. NHTSA can also be petitioned to 

undertake an investigation into an alleged 

Vehicles

safety defect; if the petition is granted, an 

investigation is opened. If the petition is 

denied, the reasons for the denial are published in the Federal Register. 

When an investigation is opened, agency 

engineers conduct a preliminary evaluation 

and request information from the 

manufacturer, such as data on complaints, 

injuries, warranty claims, modifications, or 

parts sales. The manufacturer also has an 

opportunity to present its views regarding 

the alleged defect.

The preliminary evaluation leads NHTSA 

officials to either close the investigation or 

to move to the next step in the process — an 

engineering analysis. However, before the 

decision to close or to move forward with 

the investigation is made, the information 

gathered in the preliminary evaluation 

may convince the manufacturer to 

undertake a recall.

In the engineering analysis, the agency 

gathers additional information about the 

alleged defect, sometimes conducting 

tests or surveys. At the conclusion of this 

analysis, the investigation may be closed 

without further action. If the investigating 

officer believes a safety-related defect exists, 

the agency may send a “Recall Request 

Letter” to the manufacturer.

If the manufacturer does not conduct a 

recall, NHTSA may issue an initial decision 

that a safety-related defect exists. The 

agency then holds a public meeting to let 

all interested parties present their views. 

The material gathered in the investigation 

is provided to the manufacturer and made 

available to the public in the NHTSA reading 

room (see “Access to Agency Information 

and Records”, page 18).

The investigative record, including the information submitted at the public meeting, 
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Vehicles

is presented to the NHTSA Administrator, 

who may issue a final decision that a safety 

defect exists and order a recall. Manufacturers can challenge the recall order in a 

Federal District Court. The agency can also 

go to court to compel a manufacturer to 

comply with its order, but rarely has to do 

so as most issues are usually resolved before 

this stage.

Recalls

When a safety defect or a failure to comply 

with a safety standard is found, the vehicle 

or equipment manufacturer must take 

specific corrective steps known as recalls. 

NHTSA oversees the recall process to assure 

these steps are adequate. Information on 

recalls and other safety issues is available at 

www.safercar.gov, the NHTSA vehicle and 

equipment safety Web site. 

While most recalls (78%) are initiated by 

manufacturers, the majority of vehicles 

recalled (62%) have been the subjects of 

NHTSA investigations. If a safety defect or 

failure to comply with a safety standard is 

discovered, the manufacturer must notify 

vehicle owners, dealers, distributors, and 

NHTSA. 

The manufacturer is also required to remedy 

the problem free-of-charge to owners by 

repairing, replacing, or repurchasing the 

vehicle or piece of equipment in question. 

The manufacturer initially decides what the 

remedy will be, but if it’s not effective, the 

manufacturer may be required to change it. 

These recall requirements apply to vehicles 

and equipment up to 10 years old and to 

tires up to 5 years old.

NHTSA maintains records for all safety 

recalls and monitors them to ensure 

that the scope is appropriate and that the 

completion rate and remedy are adequate.

Fuel Economy

NHTSA is responsible for setting and 

enforcing the Corporate Average Fuel 

Economy (CAFE) standards, which were 

created after the oil embargo of 1973 in 

recognition of the country’s vulnerability 

to foreign oil supplies and pricing. Separate 

CAFE standards are set for passenger cars 

and light trucks. 

These standards apply to a manufacturer’s 

overall production — not just to one specific 

model line. Compliance is determined 

annually for each manufacturer’s new 

passenger car and light truck fleets. Thus, 

for example, a manufacturer that produces 

one line of cars with low fuel economy can 

still meet the car standard if it produces 

enough cars with high fuel economy.

Odometer Fraud

Turning back the odometer on a vehicle to 

increase its retail value is a criminal activity. 

NHTSA estimates that each year, millions 

of used vehicles have their odometers 

turned back — a maneuver that defrauds 

the buyer by falsely inflating the vehicle’s 

value, sometimes by thousands of dollars. 

NHTSA enforces Federal prohibitions 

against tampering with motor vehicle 

odometers and enforces Federal require-
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Vehicles

ments that odometer disclosure statements 

be provided when vehicles are sold. The 

agency’s odometer fraud enforcement staff 

works closely with State and local officials 

to identify and prosecute violators.

Auto Theft

NHTSA helps prevent auto theft by 

requiring that certain vehicle parts be 

marked with the vehicle’s identification 

number (VIN). Effective September 1, 2006, 

all passenger cars and multipurpose vehicles 

(MPVs) will be subject to parts-marking 

requirements. Based on the likelihood of 

theft, NHTSA will determine which lightduty truck (LDT) lines should also be 

subject to partsmarking. Vehicles with antitheft devices, however, can be exempted 

from parts-marking requirements. NHTSA 

establishes standards aimed at reducing 

motor vehicle theft and provides consumers 

with theft rates and comprehensive 

insurance information. This information is 

available online at www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

International Activities

Motor vehicle performance requirements, 

test procedures, and methods for certifying 

compliance vary widely among nations. 

Some of these variations produce different 

levels of safety protection, while others place 

unnecessary burdens on manufacturers 

who market internationally and result in 

extra costs for consumers. 

NHTSA seeks to improve vehicle safety 

in the United States while minimizing 

unnecessary differences in international 

standards by participating in relevant 

international forums, identifying the best 

safety practices from around the world and 

harmonizing them with U.S. standards. 

In 2004, the United States and more than 

20 other nations agreed on establishing 

new safety standards known as Global 

Technical Regulations (GTRs), which 

marks the first international vehicle safety 

regulations agreement. The first GTR, a 

new door lock and retention standard, 

is the result of three years of research, 

development, and negotiations. 

On the horizon are several additional standards that would regulate head restraints, 

motorcycle brakes, the installation of lighting devices, vehicle window glazing, and 

pedestrian safety, among others. In the end, 

harmonized vehicle safety standards can 

bring about a better level of safety at a lower 

cost for the consumer. 

In addition, NHTSA has a long history 

of working with the international community on behavioral-related safety issues. Through a science- and data-based 

approach, NHTSA collaborates with international organizations to improve road 

traffic safety by identifying best practices in 

traffic safety and by sharing data system, intervention, and technology experiences. 
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People

NHTSA works through State highway safety agencies and other partners to 

encourage the safe behavior of drivers, occupants, cyclists, and pedestrians across 

the country. Since traffic safety problems affect people in all communities, the 

effort to implement programs to improve safety involves people at all levels of 

government, within businesses and organizations, and individual volunteers. 

Impaired Driving

Alcohol is the single largest factor involved 

in motor vehicle deaths in the United States 

today. In recent years, Federal, State, and 

local efforts to reduce alcohol-related traffic fatalities have resulted in a slow decrease 

in such fatalities, leading to approximately 

2.9-percent fewer deaths between 2002 and 

2003, another 2.4-percent decline between 

2003 and 2004, and approximately 5-percent fewer deaths since 1998. 

However, alcohol remains involved in approximately 40 percent of all fatal traffic 

crashes nationwide. Use of other drugs, 

whether illegal, prescription, or over-thecounter, also contributes to traffic deaths 

and injuries — and is a significant part of 

the overall impaired-driving problem. 

NHTSA works to discourage impaired 

driving through a three-pronged strategy: 

high-visibility law enforcement with supporting media campaigns; enhanced prosecution and adjudication; and medical 

screening and brief intervention for alcohol 

abuse problems. Special emphasis is placed 

on reaching high-risk populations; including those under age 21, those ages 21 to 34, 

repeat offenders, and high-BAC (blood alcohol concentration) offenders.

Fortunately, broad support exists to fight 

impaired driving. NHTSA collaborates 

with State and local governments, businesses, safety organizations, and citizen groups, 

such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving 

(MADD), to increase public awareness of 

the problem, effectively address it, and help 

prevent impaired-driving deaths and injuries. In addition, the agency operates www.

stopimpaireddriving.org, which provides 

information, research, and tools to a wide 

variety of audiences to help them successfully fight the impaired-driving problem. 

Occupant Protection

The use of safety belts and child safety seats 

has reached historically high levels, saving 

thousands of lives every year. A decade ago, 

overall safety belt usage in the United States 

was approximately 58 percent. In 2004, an 

80 percent usage rate was achieved, which 

saved an estimated 15,000 lives in that year 

alone. In June of 2005, safety belt use in the 
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United States reached 82 percent, the highest level yet recorded. Air bags saved an 

estimated 2,647 lives in 2004, and an 

estimated total of 16,905 lives from 1987 

through 2004. 

NHTSA is dedicated to continuing this 

positive trend through leadership in the 

planning and development of traffic safety 

programs related to safety belts, child safety 

seats, and automatic protection devices. 

Working in cooperation with public- and 

private-sector partners, NHTSA promotes 

occupant protection through support for 

effective State safety belt use laws, the highvisibility enforcement of such laws, and increased public awareness of the proper use 

and overall effectiveness of occupant protection devices. 

All States and the District of Columbia have 

laws requiring that young children ride in 

approved safety seats, but many children 

still are not properly secured in safety seats 

or safety belts. NHTSA also strongly encourages the use of booster seats for children who are too big for child safety seats 

but not big enough to fit properly in an 

adult safety belt. This applies to children 

ages 4 to 8, unless they are 4’ 9” or taller.

NHTSA supports efforts that help families 

to acquire and install child safety seats 

correctly. New vehicles are required to be 

equipped with a LATCH (Lower Anchors 

and Tethers for Children) system to simplify 

proper installation. The agency also works 

with States and local communities to enable 

parents who cannot afford a child safety or 

booster seat to borrow or purchase one. 

NHTSA developed The National Standardized Child Passenger Safety Training Program curriculum, which is used 

to train technicians around the country 

to help parents purchase and properly 

install child safety seats in vehicles. 

Certified child passenger safety technicians are available to inspect 

child safety seats and to ensure the 

seats are correctly installed. Information on child safety seat inspection 

locations can be found oline at 

www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cps/cpsfitting or by 

phone at 888-327-4236. This information is also available at www.seatcheck.org

and 866-SEATCHECK.

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Motorcycle Safety

NHTSA’s motorcycle safety program focuses on three areas: preventing crashes, preventing crash-related injuries, and limiting 

the seriousness of these injuries through 

appropriate emergency medical response. 

Per mile traveled, motorcyclists in 2003 

were about 32 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash and 

about six times more likely to be injured.

Motorcycle crash prevention efforts are 

targeted at motorcyclists (improving skills 

and licensing, decreasing alcohol and drug 

impairment) and at other drivers (increasing awareness of motorists’ responsibility to 

share the road with motorcyclists).

NHTSA’s injury control initiatives include 

promoting the use of protective gear, including helmets, which have shown to be 

about 37-percent effective in preventing 

fatal injuries to motorcyclists. NHTSA also 

supports rider training and licensing and 

programs to reduce impaired driving.

Pedestrian and

Bicyclist Safety

Pedestrians most at risk are children, older 

adults, and people who are impaired by alcohol. Bicyclists most at risk are children, 

although the majority of bicycle fatalities 

involve unhelmeted bicyclists (children 

and adults).

NHTSA works with the Federal Highway 

Administration and other partners to reduce pedestrian and bicycle crashes. Programs focus on research, promotion of bicycle helmet use, public information, technical assistance and training, law enforcement, and safer traffic engineering.

School Bus 

Transportation

School buses are the safest form of motor 

vehicle transportation. NHTSA sets safety 

standards for school bus construction and 

equipment that provide a high level of protection to bus occupants in the event of a 

crash. NHTSA also requires safety equipment that increases the safety of passengers 

getting on and off of a school bus. 

The greatest risk to school bus passengers 

occurs when they enter and exit a school 

bus. Other school bus safety issues include 

driver-training, illegal passing of school 

buses by motorists, and safety restraints for 

pre-school-age children traveling on school 

buses. To address these issues, NHTSA develops safety programs targeting school bus 

operators, motorists, and school bus riders.

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Older Driver Safety 

Age-related physical changes and illnesses 

put older drivers at an increased risk of 

dying in a motor vehicle crash. NHTSA, 

through its Older Driver Program, works 

to provide older drivers and those around 

them with the information necessary to 

mitigate this increased risk. The program 

also works to equip medical and social ser-

vices providers, licensing professionals, and 

law enforcement officials with the training 

and tools necessary to help senior drivers 

remain safely mobile for as long as possible. 

In addition, NHTSA helps to educate the 

families of older drivers about ways to ap-

proach their loved ones in discussing safedriving issues and alternative transportation options. Driver Licensing 

The authority to issue a driver’s license falls 

within the purview of the 50 States and the 

District of Columbia. To ensure the in-

tegrity of licensing, NHTSA is working in 

partnership with the States to improve co-

ordination and uniformity in the way State 

departments of motor vehicles issue driver 

licenses and exchange driver licensing in-

formation. Emphasis is placed on reducing 

fraudulent driver licenses and IDs through 

training and the use of state of the art tech-

nology. These efforts reduce the number of 

illegal or unsafe drivers with invalid licens-

es, and contribute to national security by 

reducing the ease by which persons enter-

ing the country illegally can move about. 

National Driver Register

NHTSA manages the National Driver 

Register (NDR), which Congress established 

in 1960 as a central index of State reports on 

drivers who have been convicted of serious 

traffic violations or whose privileges have 

been suspended or revoked. State licensing 

agencies routinely check the NDR Problem 

Driver Pointer System to verify that an 

applicant’s license is not currently revoked 

or suspended, or has not otherwise been 

denied by any other State. Driver Education 

and

Graduated Driver

Licensing 

Compared to many other countries, drivers 

are licensed at a relatively young age in 

the United States (typically age 16), which 

contributes to an overrepresentation of 

young drivers involved in fatal crashes. In 

fact, per mile driven, 16-year-old drivers 

have the highest rate of involvement in 

fatal motor vehicle crashes in the country. 

To address this problem, many States are 

enacting graduated driver licensing (GDL) 

laws, which require that young novice 

drivers successfully graduate from partial to 

full licensure. These programs have proven 

successful in consistently reducing crashes, 

injuries, and fatalities among teen drivers. 

NHTSA is working in partnership with the 

States to improve current GDL programs by 

researching and evaluating the effectiveness 

of various components, such as passenger 

restrictions, safety belt restrictions, and 

parent-taught driver training.

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Speed Enforcement

NHTSA works with States and communities to discourage speeding and aggressive 

driving through engineering, enforcement, 

and education strategies. Speeding — exceeding the posted speed limit or driving 

too fast for conditions — is one of the 

most common factors in traffic crashes and 

fatalities. Speeding is cited as a contributing factor in nearly one-third of all highway deaths. 

NHTSA has joined with the Federal 

Highway Administration and the Federal 

Motor Carrier Safety Administration to 

form a speed management team. The team 

works with State and local governments to 

develop strategies to reduce speed-related 

crashes. These strategies include setting and 

enforcing rational speed limits, conducting 

research on speeding risks, exploring new 

technologies to address speeding, and 

implementing effective public information 

and education programs to deter speeding. 

In June 2005, the team released the 

Department of Transportation Speed 

Management Strategic Initiative, which is 

designed to outline strategies and action 

steps to better address speed management. 

Emergency Medical 

Services 

The mission of NHTSA Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is to support comprehensive EMS system development and enhancement, and serve as the lead Federal 

agency for technical and policy expertise 

on EMS systems. NHTSA focuses its EMS 

efforts on the role of pre-hospital emergency care and transportation, the reduction 

of mortality and morbidity related to traffic crashes, and the improvement of emergency care and transport for people with all 

types of illnesses and injuries. Since 1966, 

Federal EMS product and program development designed to advance our Nation’s 

EMS systems has rested with NHTSA and 

its predecessor agency, the National Highway Safety Bureau. 

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Areas of NHTSA EMS responsibility include:

•	 Establishing, in concert with the

national EMS community, vision and 

goals for EMS systems, as well as the 

development of strategies to achieve 

these objectives.

•	 Facilitating nationwide EMS

education system development and 

implementation. 

•	 Developing and promoting strategies for

a stable and robust EMS workforce. 

•	 Enhancing the quality of EMS research.

•	 Improving the accuracy and consistency

of pre-hospital EMS data collection and 

analysis.

•	 Promoting effective EMS

communications and enhanced 911 

systems to assure public access to 

emergency response services. 

•	 Continuing a consensus-based process

with Federal agencies and other 

national partners in the development 

and implementation of EMS policies, 

programs, and strategies.

To further enhance the quality of EMS care 

and systems nationwide, NHTSA works 

closely with its Federal partners at the 

Department of Health and Human Services (HRSA, CDC, Office of Public Health 

Emergency Preparedness) and Department 

of Homeland Security (United States Fire 

Administration, Chief Medical Officer, Infrastructure Protection, NIMS Integration 

Center) and others. The 2005 Department 

of Transportation reauthorization bill, 

SAFETEA-LU, established the Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services (FICEMS), staffed by NHTSA, 

to provide additional Federal EMS coordination and reporting to Congress.

Highway Safety Grant 

Programs

The Highway Safety Act of 1966 created a 

partnership among Federal, State, and local 

governments to improve and expand the 

Nation’s highway safety activities. Every 

State, U.S. territory, and Indian Nation, 

along with the District of Columbia and 

Puerto Rico, has an agency responsible for 

coordinating its highway safety programs.

NHTSA, under Section 402 of the Highway 

Safety Act, distributes State and community 

grant funds to these agencies, based on 

a statutory formula. The grants support 

highway safety plans, provide start-up 

money for new programs, and give new 

direction to existing programs. 

Program activities include promoting the 

proper use of safety belts, air bags, and 

child safety seats; discouraging impaired 

driving; promoting motorcycle, bicycle, 

and pedestrian safety; improving law 

enforcement traffic services and attendant 

adjudication issues; and improving 

emergency medical services. 

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Additional State grant programs have been 

created to target safety belt and child safety 

seat use, impaired-driving prevention, and 

highway safety data collection activities.

State and Community 

Outreach

NHTSA’s 10 regional offices deliver 

valuable highway safety support at the 

local level. These offices and their staffs 

help States identify their highway safety 

problems and evaluate safety programs and 

activities; provide training to local program 

managers; and offer NHTSA publications 

and program manuals, safety promotional 

materials, and other resources. 

The following is a list of the NHTSA regional 

offices, including contact information and 

the States served by each office: 

New England Region

Volpe National Transportation 

Systems Center

55 Broadway, Kendall Square, Code 903, 

Cambridge, MA 02142 

Phone: 617-494-3427 / Fax: 617-494-3646 

e-mail: region1@nhtsa.dot.gov

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New 

Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont

Eastern Region

222 Mamaroneck Avenue, Suite 204, 

White Plains, NY 10605 

Phone: 914-682-6162 / Fax: 914-682-6239 

e-mail: region2@nhtsa.dot.gov

New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, 

Virgin Islands

Mid-Atlantic Region

10 S. Howard Street, Suite 6700, 

Baltimore, MD 21201 

Phone: 410-962-0090 / Fax: 410-962-2770 

e-mail: region3@nhtsa.dot.gov

Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, 

Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia

Southeast Region

Atlanta Federal Center 

61 Forsyth Street, SW., 

Atlanta, GA 30303 

Phone: 404-562-3739 / Fax: 404-562-3763 

e-mail: region4@nhtsa.dot.gov

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, 

Mississippi, North Carolina, South 

Carolina, Tennessee

Great Lakes Region

19900 Governors Drive, Suite 201, 

Olympia Fields, IL 60461 

Phone: 708-503-8822 / Fax: 708-503-8991 

e-mail: region5@nhtsa.dot.gov

Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, 

Ohio, Wisconsin

South Central Region

819 Taylor Street, Room 8A38, 

Fort Worth, TX 76102 

Phone: 817-978-3653 / Fax: 817-978-8339 

e-mail: region6@nhtsa.dot.gov

Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, 

Oklahoma, Texas, Indian Nations

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Central Region

901 Locust Street, Room 466, 

Kansas City, MO 64106 

Phone: 816-329-3900 / Fax: 816-329-3910 

e-mail: region7@nhtsa.dot.gov

Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska

Rocky Mountain Region

12300 West Dakota Avenue, Suite 140, 

Lakewood, CO 80228-2583 

Phone: 720-963-3100 / Fax: 720-963-3124 

e-mail: region8@nhtsa.dot.gov

Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South 

Dakota, Utah, Wyoming

Western Region

201 Mission Street, Suite 2230, 

San Francisco, CA 94105 

Phone: 415-744-3089 / Fax: 415-744-2532 

e-mail: region9@nhtsa.dot.gov

Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, 

American Samoa, Guam, North 

Mariana Islands

Pacific Northwest Region

3140 Jackson Federal Building 

915 Second Avenue, 

Seattle, WA 98174 

Phone: 206-220-7640 / Fax: 206-220-7651 

e-mail: region10@nhtsa.dot.gov

Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington

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NHTSA conducts and sponsors a wide range of research and development projects. 

Examples include crash data collection and analysis, crash tests, research on human 

behavior, and analytical studies of vehicle components. Results of these activities 

are disseminated via technical reports, conferences and briefings, at workshops 

and public meetings, and online at www.nhtsa.dot.gov and www.safercar.gov.

Research Related to 

Vehicles and Equipment

NHTSA conducts research on how vehicle 

improvements can decrease the likelihood 

of crashes (crash avoidance) and, given that 

crashes occur, how to better protect vehicle 

occupants from death or injuries in crashes 

(crashworthiness).

Crash avoidance research examines technologies to improve braking, visibility, and 

driver assistance systems. 

Crashworthiness research develops improvements to a vehicle’s structure and 

safety restraints (e.g., safety belts and air 

bags) based on problems identified using 

the agency’s extensive databases of crashes.

NHTSA also conducts research on improving the safety of heavy trucks and buses. 

This research supports the agency’s rulemaking and consumer information efforts 

and can speed up the adoption of new safety technologies.

Research Related to 

People

NHTSA conducts national research, 

demonstration, and evaluation programs 

related to driver, passenger, pedestrian, 

pedalcyclist, and motorcyclist behavior, 

providing a solid scientific foundation 

for behavioral programs. Topics include 

impaired driving (alcohol and other drugs), 

safety belt and child safety seat use, speeding 

and other unsafe driving behaviors, older 

drivers, driver education, enforcement, 

adjudication, emergency medical services, 

and driver fatigue and distraction. 

Further, NHTSA conducts evaluations of 

significant agency behavioral campaigns, 

such as Click It or Ticket (designed to 

increase safety belt usage), and documents the results of these campaigns in 

reducing injury and fatalities on our 

Nation’s highways. 

NHTSA also studies the driver-vehicleenvironment interaction to reduce crashes 

caused by driver error using new research 

tools, such as the National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS). Located at the University of Iowa, NADS is used to study isResearch and Development
14

This is NHTSA l people saving people

sues associated with driver performance 

and behavior. Research that would be extremely hazardous on a real roadway can 

be conducted and repeated within the safe 

confines of the NADS research laboratory.

Using engineering principles and techniques, NHTSA conducts biomechanical research on impact injuries. Based on 

this knowledge, the agency develops crash 

test dummies, injury test criteria, and 

performance limits to provide the best 

possible safety for people in crash situations. A complete “family” of crash test 

dummies — including infants, children, 

adolescents, adults, and pregnant women 

— is used to ensure that all safety systems 

required by NHTSA regulations provide 

protection for everyone.

Intelligent 

Transportation Systems

An Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) 

encompasses a range of wireless and wireline control and electronics technologies. 

When integrated into the transportation 

system infrastructure and in vehicles themselves, these technologies will help save 

lives, time, and money. NHTSA is a leader 

in the safety initiatives of DOT’s ITS program. In this role, NHTSA investigates 

how advanced technology systems can be 

used to help avoid collisions on the Nation’s 

highways. 

Vehicle Research and

Test Center

NHTSA’s Vehicle Research and Test Center 

(VRTC) in East Liberty, Ohio, is an in-house 

laboratory that conducts agency research 

and development in vehicle handling 

and stability, mechanics of crash injuries, 

crashworthiness, defects investigations, and 

vehicle crash tests. Both short- and longterm research programs are conducted.

research and Development
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National Center for

Statistics and Analysis

NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and 

Analysis (NCSA) conducts data collection 

and analysis to support the agency’s motor vehicle and highway safety activities. 

Reliable databases of crash statistics are essential to identify and analyze traffic safety 

problems and to measure the effectiveness 

of safety efforts.

NCSA conducts major studies of crash 

data through research programs such as 

the National Automotive Sampling System 

(NASS), Special Crash Investigations (SCI), 

and the Fatality Analysis Reporting System 

(FARS), an annual census of all motor vehicle fatalities in the country. NCSA provides 

information to other Federal agencies, State 

and local governments, citizens, industry 

members, researchers, and the international safety community. The Center also works 

with States in the development, implementation, and use of integrated highway safety 

information systems.

NCSA develops and conducts economic, 

statistical, and other impact analyses required to support proposed and final rulemakings and in order to estimate the costs 

of motor vehicle crashes. The Center directs, 

coordinates, and conducts evaluations of final rules a few years after they have taken 

effect to determine their costs and benefits 

in reducing crashes, fatalities, and injuries. 

NCSA crash data is available from the 

NHTSA Web site at www.nhtsa.dot.gov or 

toll-free by phone at 800-934-8517.

Research and Development
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This is NHTSA l people saving people

Information

Keeping the public informed is a particularly important NHTSA responsibility. As 

the Federal authority on traffic safety issues, the agency works with the national 

news media, automotive industry trade press, and other sources to provide the 

public with information that can make motor vehicle travel much safer.

DOT Vehicle Safety 

Hotline 

Administered by NHTSA, the toll-free 

DOT Vehicle Safety Hotline (888-327-

4236) functions as the “single point of 

contact” for the agency, assisting consumers 

with vehicle safety and equipment issues of 

all kinds. The TDD number for persons 

with hearing impairments is 800-424-9153 

(outside metro Washington, DC) and 202-

366-7800 (inside metro Washington, DC).

The Hotline provides a critical link for 

motorists, mechanics, and others to report 

motor vehicle and motor vehicle equipment 

safety problems and to obtain timely recall 

and other safety information. Accessible 

in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, 

Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the 

Hotline accepts calls 24 hours a day, seven 

days a week. Spanish-speaking Hotline 

representatives are available between 8 a.m. 

and 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. 

Consumers can also access Hotline 

resources via the NHTSA Web site and 

at www.safercar.gov. In addition, some 

popular Hotline information, such as 

publications concerning child safety seats, 

uniform tire quality grading, and the New 

Car Assessment Program, can be faxed to 

consumers upon request. 

Web Site

The NHTSA Web site, www.nhtsa.dot.

gov, is a popular resource for the general 

public, safety organizations, manufacturers, 

universities, and government agencies. The 

site receives millions of visits each month, 

includes more than 60,000 documents, 

and offers the Fatality Analysis Reporting 

System (FARS) and National Automotive 

Sampling System (NASS) as sources of 

information on vehicle crashes. 
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This is NHTSA l people saving people

The public can visit the site to report safetyrelated problems with their motor vehicles 

and related equipment. These reports are 

used to help NHTSA determine whether 

a safety defect investigation should be 

opened, which could lead to a safety recall. 

Other site features include crash test and 

rollover ratings, vehicle and child safety 

seat recalls, child safety seat information, 

safe driving campaign planners, service 

bulletins, and safety alerts. 

Many of these resources are also available at 

www.safercar.gov, the agency’s user-friendly Web site designed specifically to meet the 

motor vehicle safety needs of consumers. 

Individuals and communities interested in 

learning more about impaired driving and 

how to fight it more effectively will find a 

wealth of information and resources on 

www.stopimpaireddriving.org, a NHTSA 

Web site dedicated to the issue. 

New Car Assessment 

Program

The NHTSA New Car Assessment Program 

(NCAP) provides comparative safety 

data for consumers to use in their vehicle 

purchasing decisions. In testing vehicles, 

NHTSA utilizes stars as a measurement of 

safety, with five stars being the best rating. 

This is why NCAP is sometimes referred to 

as Government Star Ratings. 

The NHTSA frontal and side-impact crash 

ratings illustrate how well new vehicles 

protect drivers and passengers in those 

types of crashes. Rollover ratings indicate a 

vehicle’s propensity to roll over in a singlevehicle crash. 

In the frontal crash test, new cars and light 

trucks are crashed head-on into a fixed 

barrier to approximate a head-on collision 

between two identical vehicles each moving 

toward the other at 35 mph. Comparisons 

for frontal impact ratings are meaningful 

only when made between vehicles of the 

same type (passenger cars, vans, etc.) and 

within a similar weight range (within 250 

pounds of each other).

In the side-impact crash test, a moving barrier rams the side of a vehicle, approximating an intersection-type collision where a 

vehicle moving at 34 mph strikes a vehicle 

traveling 17 mph.

Rollover ratings are used to indicate the 

relative likelihood of a vehicle rolling over 

in a single-vehicle crash. The ratings are 

derived from the measurement of the height 

of a vehicle’s center of gravity and its track 

width, and by dynamic vehicle testing. 

Information
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This is NHTSA l people saving people

NHTSA announces NCAP results regularly 

through news releases. The data can also be 

found on the NHTSA vehicle and equipment safety Web site at www.safercar.gov

or in the agency’s Buying a Safer Car brochure.

NHTSA also provides Ease-of-Use Ratings 

for child safety seats, giving consumers 

detailed information on which seat systems 

and models provide which features, and 

how easy or difficult it is to properly install 

a particular seat.

Access to Agency 

Information and

Records

Information regarding defects investigations, safety-related recall campaigns, 

technical service bulletins, consumer 

complaints, compliance test reports, and 

crash tests are on the NHTSA vehicle 

and equipment safety Web site at 

www.safercar.gov.

A wide variety of highway safety-related 

documents are available for public viewing 

and copying in the agency’s Technical Information Services (TIS) reading room. Materials include complete NHTSA docket files 

concerning motor vehicle theft and vehicle 

identification numbers (VIN) and NHTSA 

docket files for years 1997 and earlier. 

The reading room is located at NHTSA’s 

headquarters in the main DOT Building 

(the Nassif Building), 400 Seventh Street 

SW., Washington, DC 20590, in the new 

plaza-level location, Room PL-402. The 

TIS phone number is 800-445-0197, the fax 

number is 202-493-2833, and the e-mail 

address is tis@nhtsa.dot.gov. The reading 

room is open to the public on weekdays 

from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed on 

Federal holidays. 

DOT’s Dockets Management Facility 

maintains and provides public access to 

NHTSA’s more current docket files for 

years 1998 to present. The facility is located 

at 400 Seventh Street SW., Room PL401, Washington, DC 20590. The phone 

number is 800-647-5527, and the Docket 

Management Web site is http://dms.dot.

gov/search.

Career Opportunities 

At NHTSA

If you are interested in joining a prestigious 

professional agency whose mission is 

to save lives and reduce injuries, then 

explore a career at NHTSA. A part of the 

Department of Transportation, NHTSA is 

an exciting and progressive organization 

that welcomes people who are committed 

to improving traffic safety.

NHTSA offers unique job opportunities in 

a wide range of fields, including behavioral 

science and medicine, engineering, outreach, communications, statistical analysis, 

and law.

A diverse workforce is essential to NHTSA’s 

ability to bring forward new ideas and 

approaches to eliminating safety threats on 

America’s roadways. NHTSA’s people are 

its most important asset. 

To learn more about career opportunities 

at NHTSA, please visit our Web site at 

www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

NHTSA is an 

Equal Opportunity Employer

Information
For More Information

DOT Vehicle Safety Hotline: 888-327-4236

DC Metro Area Hotline: 202-366-0123

TDD Number for Persons with Hearing 

Impairments: Toll Free 800-424-9153

DC Metro Area TDD Number for Persons 

with Hearing Impairments: 202-366-7800

NHTSA Web Site: www.nhtsa.dot.gov

New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) 

Web Site: www.safercar.gov
DOT HS 810 552

January 2006