NHTSA News

2014 One of Worst Years Ever for Vehicle Safety: NHTSA

Carmakers recalled about 64 million vehicles in the U.S. last year, more than double the previous record set in 2004, according to official government data. The tally released Thursday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration closes the book on …

U.S. Adds Automatic Braking to Recommended Car Safety Features

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration plans to add what it considers two “cutting-edge” automatic emergency braking systems to the recommended safety features included under its rating system for consumers. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said it is recommending two automatic …

Japan Transport Ministry Weighs Additional Air Bag Recalls

Japan’s investigation into dangerous air bags is leading to a remote scrapyard in the central Gifu prefecture, where the explosion of a car model not included in current recalls suggests automakers may have to yet again expand their safety campaigns. …

Chrysler’s Recall Refusal of 2.7M Jeeps Could Invite Major Liability

A defiant Chrysler is refusing to recall about 2.7 million Jeeps the government says are at risk of a fuel tank fire in a rear-end collision. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sent Chrysler a letter asking that the company …

Motorcycle Injuries Rise After Helmet Laws Weakened: Study

The average medical claim from a motorcycle crash rose by more than one-fifth last year in Michigan after the state stopped requiring all riders to wear helmets, according to an insurance industry study. Across the nation, motorcyclists opposed to mandatory …

Deaths of Bicyclists, Large Truck Occupants Rise as Other Traffic Fatalities Fall

Deaths of bicyclists and occupants of large trucks rose sharply last year even as total traffic fatalities dropped to their lowest level since 1949, federal safety officials said Monday. Bicyclist deaths jumped 8.7 percent and deaths of occupants of large …

U.S. Transportation Department Proposes Black Boxes in All Cars

Devices that record crash-related data would be required in all new cars and light trucks under a U.S. Department of Transportation proposal made on Friday to broaden their growing use in the United States. The proposed rule, which may stir …

Electronic Stability Control in Cars Saving Lives: NHTSA

Electronic stability control technology (ESC) is saving an increasing number of lives each year, according to a three-year study by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The NHTSA study estimates that ESC saved 2,202 lives …

US Safety Regulator Warns about Counterfeit Airbags

The U.S. safety regulator issued a warning on Wednesday to consumers with repaired vehicles that they may have air bags that don’t inflate in an accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said testing had revealed the problem involving the …

Traffic Deaths Spike 13.5% in First Quarter

Traffic deaths soared 13.5 percent in the first quarter of the year compared to the same period last year, and the number of deaths per miles driven also rose significantly, according to preliminary government estimates. An estimated 7,630 people died …