National Traffic Safety Act

It has been 55 years since the National Traffic Safety & Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 ushered in an era of improved safety. Imagine all of the technological changes which have occurred since then. Yet motor vehicle crashes are still a leading cause of death. Why is this so?

Despite this senseless loss of life, safety advocates struggle to catalyze significant change. Efforts to save lives are restricted by the ongoing political tug-of-war over infrastructure legislation. Is it time for a new comprehensive National Traffic Safety Act to pass as a stand-alone bill?

National Traffic Safety Act of 2021

National Traffic Safety Act of 2021 Brochure

Let’s not get stuck in same old/same old strategies. Think outside of the box and come together collaboratively to bring about sweeping changes. Victims of traffic tragedies — gone in the blink of an eye — never come back. Protect the people.

On September 3, 1969, according to the Congressional Record from that day, Congress discussed plans to fund and expand the National Traffic & Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966. Although we have made progress since that time, still today there are way too many people dying on our roads. We have not made it a national priority to address these deaths and serious injuries.

A National Traffic Safety Act of 2019 would provide a framework for a National Traffic Safety Ombudsman to oversee a Towards Zero Traffic Safety Task Force of diverse stakeholders to collaborate for Safer Vehicles, Safer Trucks, Safer Streets, and Safer Drivers to address the national public health and traffic safety crisis in order to make a significant reduction of the 36,560 annual traffic-related deaths in the United States (2018).

Russell Mokhiber, Corporate Crime Reporter, published an interview on this proposed strategy on October 29: Marianne Karth Calls for Creation of National Traffic Safety Ombudsman.

Congress, the ball is in your court: Will you act now to end these deaths?