NHTSA sets industry wide guidelines, issues school bus recalls for purposes of safety compliance, conducts special studies and school bus crash tests, develops bus and child-oriented safety programs, and annually reports the status of school bus safety nationwide. It offers school bus statistics, crash test data, issues interpretation letters that explain how federal law governs the school bus industry, issues press releases and more. NHTSA represents the federal role in school bus safety.
Functioning under the U.S. Department of Transportation, NHTSA was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1970, as the successor to the National Highway Safety Bureau, to carry out safety programs under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 and the Highway Safety Act of 1966. The Vehicle Safety Act has subsequently been recodified under Title 49 of the U. S. Code in Chapter 301, Motor Vehicle Safety. NHTSA also carries out consumer programs established by the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act of 1972, which has been recodified in various Chapters under Title 49.
NHTSA is responsible for reducing deaths, injuries and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes. This is accomplished by setting and enforcing safety performance standards for motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment, and through grants to state and local governments to enable them to conduct effective local highway safety programs.
NHTSA investigates safety defects in motor vehicles, sets and enforces fuel economy standards, helps states and local communities reduce the threat of drunk drivers, promotes the use of safety belts, child safety seats and air bags, investigates odometer fraud, establishes and enforces vehicle anti-theft regulations and provides consumer information on motor vehicle safety topics.
NHTSA also conducts research on driver behavior and traffic safety , to develop the most efficient and effective means of bringing about safety improvements.
NHTSA has a toll-free Auto Safety Hotline to provide recall information, receive motor vehicle SAFETY complaints and furnish consumers with a wide range of information on auto safety. The Hotline operates from 8 am to 10 pm Eastern Time, Monday thru Friday. The nationwide toll-free number is 888-DASH-2-DOT (888-327-4236). In the Washington, DC metropolitan area the number is 202-366-0123. For the hearing impaired the TTY number is 800-424-9153 or 202-366-7800.
Webmaster Note: The description of NHTSA was adapted from the agency's website.
Headlines
NHTSA Sends School Bus Report to Congress , 5/7/02
NHTSA Announces Penalties for Selling Vans as School Buses, 3/18/98
NHTSA Sets Stronger Standards for Small School Buses, 11/4/98
Slater Announces Comprehensive Plan To Enhance School Bus Safety, 8/7/98
School Bus Drivers: NHTSA Offers School Bus Drivers Life Saving Tips
NHTSA FAQs: Common questions about federal school bus safety regulations
Driver Training: Congressional authorization for school bus driver training
NHTSA Seating Guideline: NHTSA's policy on the number of children on a school bus seat
Transit & Yellow School Buses Exchange of correspondance between NHTSA and the Kansas Metropolitan Transit Authority about the use of yellow school buses in public transit service
Departments
Highway traffic safety facts from NHTSA
NHTSA Recalls: NHTSA's school bus and child safety seat recall campaigns
Links to other sites
NHTSA, Nurses & Auto Dealers: NHTSA, nurses and auto dealers team up for child passenger safety
FMVSS 225: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Child Restraint Systems; Child Restraint Anchorage Systems
NHTSA's Dockets Management System Search the Dockets and Documents on the DMS Web. Includes reports with up-to-date filing information. Submit on-line comments and file submission to the Docket Management System.
