Statement of Congressman John D. Dingell, Ranking Member
Committee on Energy and Commerce

SUBCOMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, TRADE, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION HEARING ON
“MOTOR VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY AND THE CONSUMER: VIEWS FROM THE NATIONAL
HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION”

July 18, 2006

Mr. Chairman, regulation of motor vehicle safety is a significant responsibility under the jurisdiction of this Committee. It has been one year since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has testified before this panel regarding vehicle safety. In that time there have been significant developments and a laundry list of items upon which the agency must focus its attention. This hearing provides us with the opportunity to discuss several of these matters with the new Administrator, Nicole Nason, and I welcome her today.

First, it was announced last year that virtually all the world’s automobile manufacturers entered into a voluntary agreement with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety regarding crash compatibility. In an age when small passenger cars share the road with large sport utility vehicles and pickups, this agreement strives to make large and small vehicles more compatible during collisions. The cooperative voluntary nature of this agreement is bringing life-saving changes to reality more quickly than a traditional regulatory process. Whether it serves as a model to improve other categories of vehicle safety remains to be seen, and this committee – along with NHTSA – should continue monitoring its progress in light of that question.

Second, we reauthorized NHTSA as part of the highway bill during the first session of this Congress. That legislation provided the agency with the authority and resources it requested. It also established a set of regulatory and research priorities with which the agency must comply. We will continue monitoring the agency’s implementation of these complex requirements, including evaluating the safety implications of tire aging, studying back-over avoidance technologies, and establishing new safety standards for rollovers and side impact crashes.

Third, this year has also brought the departure of Dr. Jeff Runge as NHTSA Administrator. Under his leadership, the agency created its first-ever multi-year priority plan for new regulations to improve the safety of vehicles. In addition to laying out a logical framework in which the agency intended to proceed, it also forecast for automakers the direction in which the regulatory process was evolving. This is an important development that enabled manufacturers to plan products in advance while continually improving the safety of their vehicles.

 Also under his leadership, we have seen an increase in safety belt usage, which remains one of the best and least expensive means to save lives during an automobile accident. His strong efforts supporting “click it or ticket” programs and the passage of primary seatbelt laws across the country has saved lives. I have seen the results of these efforts in my home State of Michigan. When it passed a primary seatbelt law six years ago, belt usage increased from 70 percent to 83 percent. Upon the conclusion of a successful “click it or ticket” campaign earlier this year, Michigan can now boast that 94 percent of its residents buckle-up on a regular basis. These programs are simple, and they do work.

Madame Administrator, again I thank you for joining us today. In this new position you bear a heavy responsibility, and you have a great many challenges ahead of you. I encourage you to continue the good work of your predecessor and proceed diligently on the life-saving priorities set before you. On all of these matters, I urge you to exercise great caution. These are complicated issues that directly affect the lives of consumers, automakers, and their employees. Before moving forward with new regulations or requesting new authority from Congress, it will be important first to have a complete understanding of the problem you seek to solve, and second to evaluate the implications of proposed solutions thoroughly to avoid unintended consequences.

Mr. Chairman, I look forward to working with you and the new Administrator to ensure the continued safety of the motoring public.

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(Contact: Jodi Seth, 202-225-3641)