Nine Democratic Senators have sent a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urging for “swift implementation” of provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that focus on traffic safety. 

The letter was led by Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), according to a press release from Markey. 

“The IIJA included numerous provisions designed to hit the brakes on the nation’s traffic safety crisis by addressing alcohol-impaired driving, seatbelt nonuse, and distracted driving,” the letter says. “The law also required NHTSA to advance standards related to vehicle design and operation, such as crash avoidance technologies, bumper and hood size, and automatic engine shutoff. As NHTSA has implemented these safety provisions, roadway deaths have fallen by more than 5%.”

The letter highlights NHTSA data that estimates 40,990 people died in vehicle crashes in 2023. It says the number fell 3.6% from 2022 but remains “unacceptably high” with 10,000 more deaths annually than in 2011. 

“The rise in motor vehicle deaths in the last decade has multiple causes. Nearly half of all motor vehicle fatalities involve speeding, alcohol-impaired driving, and lack of seatbelt use. Further, the widespread use of cell phones has contributed to a significant increase in crashes caused by distracted driving,” the letter says. 

An update on 10 safety provisions was requested by the senators, including: 

• • “Recall Completion (Sec. 24202), which directs NHTSA to publish an annual list of recall completion rates. NHTSA’s December 2023 letter indicated this list would be available by early 2024.
  • “Motor Vehicle Seatback Safety Standards (Sec. 24204), which directs NHTSA to issue an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) and final rule if determined appropriate to update Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 207 regarding seatback safety standards. In July 2024, NHTSA published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on car seatback safety.
  • “Automatic Shutoff (Sec. 24505), which directs NHTSA to issue a final rule to require manufacturers of vehicles with keyless ignitions to install a device that automatically shuts off the vehicle after it idles for a certain period. NHTSA’s December 2023 letter indicated it would issue the proposed rule in 2024.
  • “Crash Avoidance Technology (Sec. 24208), which directs NHTSA to issue minimum performance standards for crash avoidance technologies and to require all cars be equipped with a forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking system as well as a lane departure warning and lane keeping assist system. NHTSA finalized a proposed rule on this issue in September 2024.
  • “Reduction in Driver Distraction (Sec. 24209), which directs NHTSA to conduct research on driver monitoring systems to reduce driver distraction and driver disengagement. NHTSA’s December 2023 letter indicated that it would complete this research within the prescribed three-year time period.
  • “Headlamps (Sec. 24212), which directs NHTSA to issue a final rule amending FMVSS 108 regarding performance-based standards for vehicle headlamps. NHTSA’s December 2023 letter indicated NHTSA would compete the rulemaking in 2024.
  • “Hood and Bumper Standards (Sec. 24214), which directs NHTSA to request comment on potential updates to hood and bumper standards. NHTSA’s December 2023 letter indicated NHTSA would request feedback from stakeholders and submit the report to Congress within the prescribed two-year time period.
  • “Early Warning Reporting (Sec. 24216), which directs NHTSA to conduct a study on existing requirements for manufacturers to report information and data to the Department of Transportation to help identify potential safety issues. In May 2023, NHTSA submitted the report to Congress.
  • “Advanced Impaired Driver Technology (Sec. 24220), which directs NHTSA to issue a final rule requiring new vehicles be equipped with impaired driving prevention technology. NHTSA issued an ANPRM in December 2023 and in its December 2023 letter indicated it intended to finalize the rule in an unspecified amount of time.
  • “Child Safety (Sec. 24222), which directs NHTSA to issue a final rule requiring new cars be equipped with a system to alert the driver to check rear seats after the engine is turned off. NHTSA’s December 2023 letter indicated NHTSA would publish the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in 2024, but the Spring 2024 Unified Agenda shows this rule is delayed until at least April 2025.”

NHTSA published a new automatic emergency braking (AEB) mandate earlier this year.

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS 127 will require AEB and pedestrian AEB to come standard by September 2029 on all passenger cars and light trucks weighing up to 10,000 pounds.

By then, AEB must stop and avoid rear-end crashes at up to 62 miles per hour and detect pedestrians in daylight and at night.

The standard will require AEB to engage at up to 90 mph when a collision with a lead vehicle is imminent, and up to 45 mph when a pedestrian is detected.

In a June 24 letter to Congress, Auto Innovators President and CEO John Bozzella said the speed requirements are “practically impossible with available technology” and would result in more rear-end collisions.

The rule would also cost OEMs $200-$4,200 in hardware plus software changes that won’t improve driver or pedestrian safety and will increase the cost of vehicles for consumers, according to an Auto Innovators petition to NHTSA.

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