THE ROAD AHEAD: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Strategic Plan 2016 - 2020National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationNHTSA_82aeb79f-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471The National Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration (NHTSA) was established bythe Highway Safety Act of 1970 as an agencywithin the U.S. Department of Transportation tocarry out highway safety programs previouslyadministered by the National HighwaySafety Bureau.We are responsible for reducing deaths, injuries,and economic losses resulting from motorvehicle crashes. We do this by setting andenforcing safety performance standards formotor vehicles and equipment, identifying safetydefects, and through the development anddelivery of effective highway safety programs forState and local jurisdictions. Mark R. Rosekind, Ph.D.AdministratorEliminate traffic fatalities and major injuries on the Nation’s roadways. _82aec478-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce economic costs due to road traffic crashes through education, research, safety standards, and enforcement activity. _82aec479-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471LeadershipNHTSA leads through the development ofinnovative approaches to highway and vehiclesafety driven by data and sound science.InnovationNHTSA fosters innovation in thedevelopment and delivery of highway andvehicle safety programs and policies, as wellas internal operations.TransparencyNHTSA is committed to appropriately sharingnon-proprietary information with stakeholders toimprove communications and accountability.ServiceNHTSA delivers outstanding service, internallyand externally, through mutual respect,collaboration, and accessibility. SafetyMake traffic as safe as practical._82aec47a-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684711Safety is NHTSA's top priority. We are the leadagency for traffic safety in the United States, withthe mission to save lives, prevent injuries, andreduce economic costs due to roadway crashesthrough education, research, safety standards,and enforcement activities. Fatalities & InjuriesReduce Fatalities and Injuries_82aec47b-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684711.1Since reaching a near-term high in 2005, therewas an unprecedented decline in traffic fatalitiesand the fatality rate. The number of fatalitiesdropped 25 percent over the next decade, andin 2014, the fatality rate of 1.08 per 100 millionvehicle miles traveled (VMT) was the lowest onrecord. This is a result of our efforts to ensuresafer vehicles through the development ofvehicle safety standards, and by deliveringprograms that promote safe behaviors by all roadusers.However, 2015 sounded a bleak wake-up call:35,092 people lost their lives on our roadways,an increase of 7.2 percent over 2014’s record-lownumber of traffic fatalities. And the data remindsus that three persistent facts remain in trafficsafety:* Forty-eight percent of passenger vehicleoccupants killed in crashes are unbelted;* Twenty-nine percent of highway fatalitiesinvolve impaired driving; and* Ninety-four percent of crashes involve anelement of human error.This is why we will continue to strengthencore safety programs while boldly seeking newpartners and new strategies to affect changein order to reverse the increase in fatalities in2015, and then seek to eliminate fatalities on ourroadways altogether.Traffic safety is a complex responsibility sharedby many partners, and it requires a multidisciplinaryapproach. We work closely withFederal, State, tribal and local partners, alongwith industry, safety advocates, law enforcement,public health agencies, and many others toaccomplish NHTSA’s goals. The Agency providesgrants to States and local governments vital tothe success of our behavioral and data programs.These partnerships help develop and enforcelaws against drunk and distracted driving,technical assistance on graduated driver licensingand other safety issues, and to support a widerange of activities that save lives. Impaired DrivingReduce Impaired Driving_82aec47c-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 1.1.1Nearly one-third of traffic fatalities each yearoccur in crashes that involve an impaireddriver (in which a driver or motorcycle riderhad a blood alcohol concentration [BAC] of.08 or greater). Approximately one-third ofimpaired driving offenders are subsequentlyre-arrested for impaired driving. Therefore,appropriate sentencing and supervision arecritically important to reducing impaired driving incidents. However, according to Fatality AnalysisReporting System (FARS) data, the majority ofimpaired drivers involved in fatal crashes had notpreviously been convicted of impaired driving(during the last three years). Therefore, in additionto addressing recidivism, effective preventionand intervention strategies also are necessary.Since impaired driving systems are complexand involve many interrelated elements, Statesmust consider a comprehensive and strategicapproach to their countermeasure developmentand implementation.With the legalization of marijuana in severalStates, comprehensive research in the areaof drug-impaired driving is especially urgentas additional States consider legalization ofmarijuana use. NHTSA plans to conduct researchto improve the understanding of the magnitudeof the drug-impaired-driving problem sothat States can appropriately scale and targetcountermeasure activities, and complete a studyon marijuana impaired driving as required by theFixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST)Act of 2015. In this study, we will examine theeffect of key State policy differences on theprevalence of marijuana use by drivers and willconduct a descriptive analysis of State policiesto control the use of marijuana. Occupant ProtectionIncrease Occupant Protection Use_82aec47d-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 1.1.2Vehicle OccupantsWearing a seat belt is the single most effectivemeans of saving lives and reducing injuries incrashes, and thankfully, seat belt use remains highacross the Nation at 88.5 percent. National highvisibilityenforcement campaigns, coupled withstrong primary belt laws have made an immenseimpact on belt use. However, while seat beltuse has increased since 2000, the fact remainsthat the nearly half of all fatalities are those ofunrestrained occupants.In order to make new strides in belt use, we haveto reach audiences typically resistant to belt orchild-restraint use. We will continue to work withlaw enforcement to address fatalities in Stateswith secondary seat belt laws, States with primaryenforcement laws and low belt use rates, andin suburban and rural areas where a significantportion of those killed in motor vehicle crashesare not restrained. Additionally, we will engagethe public health and medical communities indeveloping messages and programs to increasethe use of occupant protection, especiallyamong hard-to-reach populations and resistantcommunities. We will also explore new way toincrease belt use through new and acceleratedtechnologies. SurvivabilityIncrease Survivability From Crashes_82aec4fa-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684711.2Safe vehicles are a vital component of preventingroadway fatalities. NHTSA’s vehicle safetyresearch considers the entire spectrum of a crashto improve our understanding of the benefitsof crash avoidance technologies, and ensuringoccupant protection. In addition to choosingsafer vehicles, drivers and passengers can alsoimprove their survivability by adopting safebehaviors, such as wearing seat belts, avoidingdriver distractions, and not driving impaired.Additionally, advancing post-crash emergencyresponse will save lives. The National EmergencyMedical Services (EMS) community, otherFederal agencies and State EMS offices relyupon NHTSA's EMS program for leadership andcoordination in improving EMS functions andprocesses. Recent studies show that effectivesystems of emergency trauma care can improvesurvival from severe injuries by as much as 25percent. Counties with coordinated systems for trauma care have been shown to have crash fatality rates as much as 50 percent lower thancounties without trauma systems.For almost 50 years, the 911 system has providedefficient, effective public access to emergencyhelp for all types of emergencies (i.e., crime, fire,medical emergencies, traffic crashes, naturaldisasters, acts of terrorism). Every incident, largeor small, starts with a call to the 911 system forhelp. Unfortunately, while the 911 system hasbeen a success, its infrastructure is incompatiblewith the methods of personal communicationsthat we use today, such as smartphones. Anupdate is planned to allow citizens to securelysend text messages, video, photographs andother data to 911, and in turn allow 911 to sendthis and location information to emergencyresponders -- something that isn't possible today.Data shows that the ability to accurately locatecrash victims and quickly assess injury typesgreatly improves patient outcome.CrashworthinessImprove Vehicle Crashworthiness_82aec6a8-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 1.2.1Crashworthiness is a vital component of vehiclesafety that focuses on protecting occupants inthe event of a crash. Making vehicles strongerand more stable, as well as ensuring occupantsare secured and remain within the vehicle inthe event of a crash helps reduce fatalities andinjuries.Crashworthiness research encompasses newand improved vehicle design, biomechanics andinjury causation, field data collection and analysisof serious injury cases, safety countermeasuresand vehicle equipment to enhance occupantsafety. We develop and upgrade test proceduresand devices, such as crash dummies, to evaluatethe safety of motor vehicles and restraint systemsfor passenger vehicles, heavy trucks, schoolbuses and motorcoaches.We use a broad range of crash test dummiesthat have allowed us to drive improvements tooccupant protection and vehicle safety overthe years. As the vehicle fleet evolves, we areconstantly gauging the impact of those changeson vehicle occupants in a crash scenario. Weare developing test procedures with newer,more human-like dummies to improve ourunderstanding of crash dynamics, particularly infrontal and side impact crashes. These new testswill allow us to develop test criteria and applytools such as virtual modeling to improve safetyfor a wider range of occupants based on age,stature, gender, and those with vulnerabilities dueto medical issues.In coming years, we will also conduct feasibilitystudies on highly automated vehicles. We willexplore occupant design issues, such as seatingconfiguration, to explore what role this placeson both crashworthiness and driver acceptance.We will also look at how such vehicles interactwith other road users, such as pedestrians andbicyclists. Standards ComplianceEnforce Compliance With Vehicle Safety Standards_82aedf94-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 1.2.2Our Vehicle Safety Compliance programdevelops and implements performance teststo help ensure the auto industry’s compliancewith the FMVSS, thus saving thousands of lives inrecent years through crash protection and crashavoidance. NHTSA’s tests and investigations helpprotect millions of consumers from the risksposed by noncompliant vehicles and items ofequipment. Emergency ResponseSave Lives Through Improved Emergency Response_82aedf95-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 1.2.3When crashes occur, the rapid response oftrained emergency responders can mean thedifference between life and death. NHTSA is therecognized national leader for the coordinationand support of Federal efforts to improveprehospital EMS. A comprehensive EMS systemis essential to highway traffic safety and tothe health of the Nation; it provides the lastopportunity to reduce fatalities and minimizeinjuries from motor vehicle crashes and othermedical emergencies. Our EMS programprovides essential leadership and coordinationfor developing a nationwide emergency medicalservices system.The National 911 Program provides nationalleadership and coordination of comprehensive,data-driven and evidence-based Next Generation(NG) 911 systems to reduce fatalities andminimize injuries from motor vehicle crashesand other injuries. The program was created as aFederal point of coordination for activities among911 stakeholders and to provide information thatcan be used by State and local 911 authoritiesto improve the 911 system. We work towardachieving these goals through collaboration withFederal agencies, national organizations, and 911authorities at the State and local levels involved in911 emergency communications. We develop avariety of resources with their active involvement,including tools that can be used to plan andimplement Next Generation (NG) 911.We are also committed to working towardthe next generation of automatic collisionnotification (ACN). In the event of a traumaticcrash, a patient's outcome greatly improveswhen they are routed to an appropriated traumacenter as soon as possible. ACN technology hasthe potential to convey patient data in real time,from the vehicle to trauma centers, improvingcrash outcomes. CostsReduce Economic Costs_82aedf96-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684711.3Car crashes on our Nation's roadways cost$242 billion annually, including lost productivity,medical costs, legal and court costs, emergencyservice costs, insurance administration costs,congestion costs, property damage, andworkplace losses. This represents $784 perperson each year and 1.6 percent of the U.S.Gross Domestic Product.Additionally, our efforts to improve fueleconomy will also lead to economic savings.In July 2011, President Obama announced anhistoric agreement with 13 major automobilemanufacturers to increase fuel economystandards each year from 2017 to 2025, whichthe Administration estimated would achieve54.5 miles per gallon equivalent for cars andlight-duty trucks by Model Year 2025, if all of theimprovements are made with fuel-economy increasingtechnologies.Fuel EconomyImprove Fuel Economy_82aedf97-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 1.3.1U.S. DOT has set Corporate Average FuelEconomy (CAFE) standards since the late1970s with the passage of the Energy Policyand Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA). TheCAFE program continues to play a key rolein addressing the intertwined and criticallyimportant challenges of dependence on oil, energy security and climate change facing theNation. In the coming years, it’s necessary thatwe maintain leadership in establishing nationalfuel economy standards for passenger and heavyvehicles, without adversely impacting vehiclesafety.In July 2016, the Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA), DOT, NHTSA, and the CaliforniaAir Resource Board (CARB) took the first step inthe mid-term evaluation of the National Programfor greenhouse gas emissions and fuel economystandards for light-duty cars and trucks byreleasing a draft Technical Assessment Report(TAR) for public comment. The release of theTAR delivers on a commitment that EPA madein 2012 as part of the rulemaking establishing aNational Program for the 2017-2025 period. Thedraft TAR covers model years 2022-2025.The National Program is designed to letconsumers to choose the car or truck they want,while ensuring that the vehicle also reducescarbon emissions and saves on fuel costs. Theprogram will apply to passenger cars and lightdutytrucks through model year 2025. It requiresmanufacturers to improve average fuel efficiencyand reduce average greenhouse gas emissionsover time. The National Program standards wereprojected by MY 2025 to double fuel economyand cut Green House Gas emissions in half, save6 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide pollutionand 12 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime ofMY 2012-2025 vehicles, and deliver significantsavings for consumers at the gas pump.On August 16, 2016, EPA and NHTSA jointlyfinalized fuel economy standards for mediumandheavy-duty vehicles that will improvefuel efficiency and cut carbon pollution,while bolstering energy security and spurringmanufacturing innovation. The final standardswere called for by President Obama’s ClimateAction Plan, and respond to the President’sdirective in early 2014 to develop new standardsthat run into the next decade.Heavy-duty trucks currently account for about20 percent of GHG emissions and oil use inthe U.S. transportation sector. Globally, GHGemissions from heavy-duty vehicles are growingrapidly and are expected to surpass emissionsfrom passenger vehicles by 2030. The finalstandards are expected to lower CO2 emissionsby approximately 1.1 billion metric tons, savevehicle owners fuel costs of about $170 billion,and reduce oil consumption by up to two billionbarrels over the lifetime of the vehicles soldunder the program. Overall, the program willprovide $230 billion in net benefits to societyincluding benefits to our climate and the publichealth of Americans, and addresses the secondlargest segment of U.S. transportation in terms ofemission and energy use. Odometer FraudReduce Odometer Fraud_82aeeade-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 1.3.2Odometer fraud often masks the actualcondition of used vehicles, which increases thesafety risks associated with their use and couldhide the need for necessary safety maintenanceand repairs. Strong enforcement of the Federaland State odometer laws through prosecutionswith stiff sentences appears to be the mosteffective way to address the problem. NHTSA’scriminal investigators conduct investigations oflarge-scale odometer fraud schemes and workclosely with Department of Justice’s Office ofConsumer Litigation prosecutors to ensure thatworthy cases are effectively prosecuted.Since 1984, odometer fraud investigations haveresulted in more than 273 criminal convictionsin 36 States with prison sentences ranging from 1 month to 10 years, criminal fines totaling morethan $3 million, and court ordered restitutiontotaling more than $16 million. Vehicle TheftReduce Vehicle Theft_82aeeadf-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 1.3.3In 2014, there were 689,527 motor vehiclesreported stolen in the United States -- that's avehicle stolen every 46 seconds. Nearly 45percent of these vehicles are never recovered.The estimated total value of vehicles stolennationwide is more than $4.5 billion. NHTSApublishes an annual report to identify vehicle andmotor vehicle equipment thefts.In January 2016, NHTSA published a notice forproposed rulemaking proposing an alternativemethod for manufacturers to obtain anexemption from the parts-marking requirementsof the theft prevention standard, (49 CFR Part541). This final rule amends the procedures forobtaining an exemption from the vehicle theftprevention standard for vehicles equipped withanti-theft devices by adding performancecriteria for immobilizers.The adoption of these performance criteria forimmobilizers would bring the U.S. anti-theftrequirements more in line with those of Canadaand also support the harmonization initiativesbeing undertaken pursuant to ongoing bilateralregulatory cooperation efforts between the U.S.and Canada. Vehicle SafetyProactive Vehicle Safety_82aeeae0-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684712The automotive industry has experienced severalyears of unprecedented recall activity, and weresponded with unprecedented enforcementactivity. We did this because it was best for publicsafety. However, the paradigm must change ifwe are to eliminate roadway fatalities in anage of automation.We are rapidly accelerating into a new era ofautomotive safety. For more than a century,safety professionals held the assumption thatcars would crash, and for that reason, focusedtheir efforts on reducing the damage when itoccurred. Today, we see a new possibility -- thepossibility that we can prevent those crashesfrom ever happening in the first place.Highly automated vehicles hold amazingpotential to save lives; however, it also demandsour utmost trust in the vehicle that we areenabling to protect our most precious cargo.While we will continue to use all regulatory andenforcement tools at our disposal when theyare needed, we are committed to working withvehicle and equipment manufacturers to makeproactive safety the industry norm. Proactivesafety allows for the identification of risk andremedy of design flaws before they are built. Truesafety is preventing tragedy from happening, notreacting after a tragedy. PrinciplesPromote the Proactive Safety Principles_82aeeae1-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684712.1On January 15, 2016, U.S. DOT, NHTSA, and 18manufacturers adopted a historic set of ProactiveSafety Principles. Broadly, the group committedto improving the safety culture of the automobileindustry by exploring a more effective dialogon cross-industry safety issues and trends tofoster proactive safety solutions, and enhancetimely, consistent issue identification. We remaincommitted to implementing and expandingthese principles as way to improve vehicle safety.Proactive SafetyEnhance and Facilitate Proactive Safety_82aeeae2-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 2.1.1The first principle is, "Enhance and FacilitateProactive Safety," in order to emphasize andactively encourage steady improvements invehicle safety across the industry. The groupis exploring how effective cross-industrycommunication on safety issues and trends canfoster proactive safety solutions and enhancetimely, consistent issue identification, buildingon existing tools, such as complaints and EarlyWarning Reporting (EWR) data. EWR DataEnhance Analysis and Examination of EWR Data_82aeeae3-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 2.1.2The Transportation Recall Enhancement,Accountability, and Documentation (TREAD) Actof 2000 required us to prescribe rules requiringmanufacturers to provide data and informationdesigned to assist in the early detection andremedy of safety defects in vehicles. To betterhone that tool for the benefit of proactive safety,we, along with the automobile manufacturerscommitted to forming an agency/industryworking group to analyze the current EWR data set, reporting, and use, and then exploreenhancements, as well as the use of advancedanalytics to improve risk-identification.Additionally, we conducted an assessment ofcurrent industry reporting practices in order toidentify inconsistencies and best practices acrossthe industry. While additional improvements toEWR reporting may require future rulemaking,which is a lengthy process, we have establisheda timeline for annual review and update ofagency guidance, incorporating emergingdevelopments and newly identified trends. Byproviding regular guidance based on real-world,cross-industry data, we can make progressiveimprovements within the scope of our currentregulatory authority. Recall ParticipationMaximize Safety Recall Participation Rates_82aeeae4-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 2.1.3Our vision is to achieve a 100-percentcompletion rate for every recall by improvingcommunication at every level, at every stepof the way. Yet, the current rate of completioncan be much lower, leaving vehicles withpotentially deadly safety defects on the road.On April 28, 2015, we hosted a day-longRetooling Recalls event that brought togetherleading transportation officials, automotiveindustry representatives, safety advocates,and researchers to examine how to increaseunacceptably low recall completion rates.Participation in this event in no small part led toheightened awareness that by working togetherand engaging non-traditional partners, industrycould collaborate in an unprecedented wayto improve recall completion rates. Throughthe Proactive Safety Principles, NHTSA and theauto industry have committed to identifyingand implementing effective strategies to informconsumers of safety defects. We envision thatthese coordinated efforts will bolster our internalrecall campaign efforts, as well as those of themanufacturers to improve completions rates. Automotive CybersecurityEnhance Automotive Cybersecurity_82aeec14-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 2.1.4In an age where computers increasingly governkey decision-making in the driving environment,the cybersecurity of those computers isparamount to passenger safety. Electronicsystems in a typical passenger car now controldozens of features, from entertainment andnavigation to active safety applications like antilockbrakes (ABS), electronic stability control(ESC), automatic emergency braking (AEB), andlane keeping assist (LKA). As these active safetytechnologies become increasingly automated,the cybersecurity of the electronic systemsgoverning them is of the utmost importance.In January 2016, the automotive industry, atour recommendation, stood up an informationsharing and analysis center (ISAC) to identifyand share vulnerabilities across the industry. TheAuto-ISAC role is to coordinate the voluntarysharing of cybersecurity threats across theindustry, as well as to enhancing it with commoncountermeasures over time. The Proactive SafetyPrinciples show strong support of the Auto-ISAC,and we remain committed to providing proactiveleadership to be ahead of, and eliminate,potential vehicle cybersecurity challenges. TheAuto-ISAC released cyber security best practicesfor light-duty vehicles in July 2016, and NHTSAis also planning to release cyber security bestpractices for all vehicle manufacturers. RecallsRetool Recalls_82aef088-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684712.2Our system for identifying and addressingdefective vehicles came under intense scrutinyin 2014 with the GM ignition switch recall. Muchof that scrutiny came from the outside -- fromCongress, the media, and safety advocates. Wewelcomed the constructive suggestions of thosewho share our dedication to saving lives. But wealso scrutinized ourselves, and began to makechanges to our processes and our partnershipsin order to improve our recall program.On April 28, 2015, we hosted a day-longworkshop with leading transportation official,automotive industry, safety advocates, andresearchers to examine ways to improve therecall completion rate across the country. Thisbecame starting a block for a year-long sprintthat would lead to historic discussion aboutproactive safety, and would further improve ourrecall program in the future. Safety DefectsIdentify and remedy issues earlier in the safety defect identification process. _82aef3e4-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 2.2.1Office of Defects Investigations EnhancementsWhile moving to protect the driving public byenforcing the 2014 GM ignition switch recall,we also looked inward to examine how toimprove the structure, resources and processeswithin our Office of Defects Investigations(ODI). Since the GM recall, ODI has evolved toallow the agency to identify defects and trendsearlier, despite a historic increase in consumercomplaints and other data sources. In 2014, webegan implementing the Corporate InformationFactory (CIF) to integrate multiple databases thatfacilitate data mining across internal and externaldata sources. We continue to enhance the CIF,allowing ODI to use more sources of data toidentify trends and detect unsafe vehicles andequipment earlier.On June 5, 2015, U.S. DOT Secretary AnthonyFoxx announced the release of two documents:one that outlined our investigation into theGM ignition switch recall and the changesNHTSA has adopted to strengthen our defectinvestigation work, and a comprehensiveworkforce assessment that detailed ouroptimal staffing needs to more effectivelyidentify safety defects.ODI is currently realigning its structure to enable ODI to identify and remedy issues earlier in the safety defect identification process. RecallsConduct Campaigns To Improve Recall Completion Rates_82aef5ce-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 2.2.2In order to achieve our vision of a 100-percentcompletion rate for every recall, we are focusedon improving communication at every level,at every step of the way. In January 2016, welaunched our first ever national recalls campaign.The Safe Cars Save Lives campaign’s mainobjective is to raise public awareness of theimportance of finding out if your vehicle is undera recall and getting it fixed if it is.The ad messages are very simple and clear:taking action on a safety recall keeps youand the ones you love safe. The campaign ishighlighted with a national online advertisingbuy that directs consumers to a dedicatedcampaign page – Safercar.gov/checkforrecalls.The page encourages consumers to take one oftwo actions: use the VIN look-up tool or use theMake/Model search tool to check their vehiclesfor a recall. It also features NHTSA’s Driven bySafety videos that educates consumers on a widevariety of safety subjects related to their vehiclesas well as offers consumers the opportunity tosign up for e-mail alerts and to file a complaint on their vehicles. As an off-shoot of thiscampaign, we launched the Safe Cars Save Livesbus tour from August 9-13, 2016, to spread theword about vehicle and passenger safety, takinga team of safety experts to the streets to talkto motorists about recalls, tires, car seatsand heatstroke.We are exploring new ways and new partnershipsto achieve 100-percent completion. We willimplement a two-year pilot program to evaluatethe feasibility and effectiveness of an innovativeState process for informing consumers of openrecalls at the time of motor vehicle registrationin the State. U.S. DOT proposed the pilot inits GROW AMERICA surface transportationreauthorization proposal and Congress includedit in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation(FAST) Act.As mentioned previously, we are working withindustry, trade groups, and non-traditionalpartners as part of the Proactive Safety Principlesto explore new ways to reach consumers aboutrecalls and to develop and share best practices toimprove recall completions. Information & EmpowermentInform and Empower Consumers_82aef984-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684712.3Consumers play an invaluable role in creatinga national traffic safety culture. Over the years,we have successfully proven that adoptingsafer behaviors on the road improves safety foreveryone, but the consumer’s role in creatingsafer vehicles is not as apparent. By highlightingtheir role in the development of safer motorvehicles and equipment, and encouraging saferdriving behavior, we can empower them tobecome active partners in improvingvehicle safety.Similarly, we know that people make saferchoices while driving, riding, and walking whenthey are educated about roadway dangers, andthe countermeasures that can protect them.The success of our early campaigns, such asVince and Larry's "You Can Learn A Lot Froma Dummy," and "Buckle Up for Safety," areexcellent examples of our pioneering work usingcommunications to affect public health.We provide reliable, timely, and accurate trafficsafety information to the public, consumers,partners, and news organizations through anaggressive media and public education effort.This information reaches the public through avariety of medium including broadcast, digital,and print. But the general public is usuallynot aware of the agency by name. The lackof awareness and recognition can negativelyimpact our overall mission. For example, werely on vehicle owners to report problems withtheir vehicle in order to identify vehicle defecttrends. By increasing public awareness ofNHTSA, we can improve defect data collectionto support investigation activities. Additionally,public partners leverage our data resources andstatistics that help us make policy and programdecisions that improve road safety.We have developed a robust communicationsprogram over the years, and effectively use avariety of available communications and mediaplatforms to disseminate information. Socialmedia is the newest channel to share researchresults and promote safety campaigns. Weare actively engaged on Facebook, Twitter,Instagram and YouTube to share vehicle and behavioral safety information with a wideaudience. By increasing our use of socialmedia, we raise the visibility of important trafficsafety issues to new audiences. For example,we host live Twitter parties on hot topicissues and campaigns using hashtags such as#TheRightSeat, #CheckforBaby, #BuzzedDriving,#BuckleUpAmerica, and #CheckForRecalls.Techniques like these provide interactionbetween us and the communities we serve, andhelp consumers easily find traffic safety tips theycan use to keep them and their loved ones safe. New Car AssessmentImprove the New Car Assessment Program_82af1036-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 2.3.1Since its inception, the New Car AssessmentProgram (NCAP) has proven highly effective;its success can not only be measured by thenumber of injuries prevented and lives saved,but in how consumers use NCAP star ratingsto influence their vehicle purchasing decisions.When consumers select safer vehicles, vehiclemanufacturers are incentivized to make safetyimprovements to new vehicles.NCAP crash-tests new vehicles every year andcurrently rates them on how well they protectoccupants in frontal, side and rollover crashes.Results from these tests are compiled into arating of 1 to 5 stars, with more stars indicatinga safer car. The vehicle safety ratings appear onwindow stickers of new cars, and searchableratings are available on the agency’s Safercar.govwebsite. The current program also includesa checklist of recommended advancedtechnology features, such as rear-visibilitycameras, lane departure warning, and forwardcollision warning.In recent years, it is clear that vehiclemanufacturers are responding quickly to NCAPprogram enhancements by making additionalsafety improvements to their vehicles in orderto earn top NCAP performance ratings andrecommendations. Although it took nearlythree decades for most vehicles to achieve theprogram’s highest star rating of 5 stars for theoriginal crash test, it has taken only a few yearsfor manufacturers to achieve similar levels ofsafety performance for more recently addedtests. Today, more than ever before, consumersconsider safety to be an influential factor whenmaking vehicle purchasing decisions, and aredemanding ever-increasing levels of safety.In December 2015, we announced plans toimprove the 5-Star Safety Ratings program,known as NCAP. We held two public meetingsin January 2016 on the proposal, known asNCAP Tomorrow, and we intend to analyze thecomments received from those, as well as fromthe public docket, and issue a final decisionnotice on the planned changes. We will launcha consumer awareness effort to help vehicleshoppers understand the new ratings, as well asbriefing industry and safety stakeholders. Public UnderstandingEnhance Public Understanding of NHTSA's Programs_82af1324-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 2.3.2NHTSA has a breadth of data, knowledge andexpertise readily available to assist everyonefrom small children to public policy makers inmaking safe decisions about vehicles, occupantprotection and traffic safety. Yet we need toimprove the public’s understanding of what wedo, in order to share these resources. Throughour website and other outreach tools, we areworking to make sure consumers recognize us as the trusted agency for all things related to vehicleand traffic safety. Our new logo and marketingmaterials aim to make the public more aware ofthe breadth of NHTSA's programs.WebsiteUpdate NHTSA's Website_82af186a-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 2.3.3When consumers need information, the firstplace they typically turn is to the Internet. Weare consolidating our consumer-facing websites(NHTSA.gov, Safercar.gov, and Distraction.gov)into a comprehensive, user-friendly platform thatwill serve as the premier source of traffic andvehicular safety information. It will incorporatemobile-friendly responsive design, optimizesearch capabilities, and integrate our socialchannels in order to spread important, timelysafety messaging. Road SafetyCoordinate Global Road Safety_82af1acc-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684712.4According to the World Health Organization(WHO) estimates in its Global Status Reporton Road Safety, more than 1.25 million peopledie and nearly 50 million are injured each yearon the world’s roads. We work with road andvehicle safety experts around the world toshare our experience and countermeasuresand programs we have developed andimplemented to curb the road crash fatalitiesin the United States. We exchange informationwith other nations concerning emergingtraffic problems, countermeasure strategies,and program evaluations, as well as providecritical technical assistance for developing andnewly motorizing nations to prevent escalatingvehicle related fatalities as a result of increasingmobility. Additionally, we work with internationalpartners in an effort to evaluate advanced motorvehicle safety technologies and investigatealternative regulatory approaches to ensure safedeployment of these technologies and set thestage for harmonized standards andregulations for vehicle safety. Best PracticesPromote Best Traffic Safety Practices Globally_82af1cc0-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 2.4.1We work with domestic and foreignstakeholders to gather and exchangeinformation on road crashes in order toconsider appropriate strategies and developeffective countermeasures. HarmonizationImprove Motor Vehicle Safety Through Global Harmonization_82af2238-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 2.4.2We will work with foreign governments, nongovernmentalstakeholder groups, the motorvehicle industry and automotive safety consumergroups to cooperate on global harmonizationof vehicle regulations as a means for improvingmotor vehicle safety. Automated VehiclesEnsure the safety of new vehicle technologies._82af231e-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684713Vehicle ManufacturersAdvanced vehicle technologies promise torevolutionize roadway safety by preventingcrashes from ever occurring. Automated drivingsystems, including fully self-driving vehicles, willpioneer a new world of vehicle operation andsafety. As the Federal agency responsible forvehicle safety, and having been actively engagedin advanced safety technology research fordecades, we are uniquely positioned to movebeyond the traditional regulatory approaches toensure the safety of new vehicle technologiesthrough innovation, research, and partnerships.In addition to the many policy issues surroundingautomated vehicles (AV), we will continueresearch on safety performance measures andtests for these systems. We will also study theeffects of automation on human capability,and conduct feasibility studies to addressoccupant design issues. Automated VehiclesProvide National Leadership for the Safe Deployment of Automated Vehicles_82af231f-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684713.1On September 20, 2016, the Departmentreleased the Federal Automated VehiclesPolicy, an unprecedented, proactive measureto safely test and deploy automated vehicleswithout stifling innovation. The four-part policywas thoughtfully developed with extensivepublic input, including two public meetingsand an opened a public docket to engage asmany stakeholders as possible as we buildpolicies governing automation innovations. Thecomponents include:* The Vehicle Performance Guidancefor Automated Vehicles -- This offersmanufacturers, developers and otherorganizations guidance on the safe design,development, testing and deployment ofautomated vehicles. It includes a 15-pointSafety Assessment that outlines objectiveson how to achieve robust design whileallowing for flexibility in how the objectivesare met. The Guidance asks manufacturersto document how the objectives are met.* Model State Policy -- This section presentsa clear distinction between Federal andState responsibilities for regulation ofhighly automated vehicles, and suggestsrecommended policy areas for statesto consider with a goal of generating aconsistent national framework for thetesting and deployment of highlyautomated vehicles.* NHTSA's Current Regulatory Tools -- Thisdiscussion outlines NHTSA's currentregulatory tools that can be used to ensurethe safe development of new technologies,such as interpreting current rules to allowfor greater flexibility in design and providinglimited exemptions to allow for testing ofnontraditional vehicle designs in a moretimely fashion.* Modern Regulatory Tools -- This discussionidentifies new regulatory tools and statutoryauthorities that policymakers may considerin the future to aid the safe and efficientdeployment of new lifesaving technologies.Our goal in all these efforts is a nimble, flexibleframework that allows us to keep pace with thebreathtaking speed of vehicle innovation, themost significant technology leap in more than acentury of automotive history. We also recognizethat we are in a time of rapid change. We willcontinue public outreach and we are committedto routine updates to each component of thePolicy as we accelerate down the revolution inroadway safety. Performance GuidanceImprove, Expand and Oversee Vehicle Performance Guidance_82af2a62-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 3.1.1While few regulatory burdens stand in the wayof full vehicle automation in the United States,entities still bear the responsibility to prove theircompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle SafetyStandards (FMVSSs). In addition, though manyautomated vehicle functions may not be coveredby specific regulations, entities designing newautomated vehicle systems are still requiredby the Motor Vehicle Safety Act to ensure theirsystems are free of unreasonable risks to motorvehicle safety (typically known as defects). Thus,while we continue to execute our researchprogram, we expect entities planning to test anddeploy highly automated vehicles to use the deployment guidance, industry best practices,and a number of their internal processes andstrategies to ensure that their systems will besafe under real world conditions.The Vehicle Performance Guidance offersbest practices for entities designing, testingand planning to deploy highly automatedvehicle systems. It includes a 15-point SafetyAssessment, which outlines objectives of robustdesign, and asks manufacturers to proactivelydocument how their design choices and riskmethodologies have addressed potentialsafety risks.As with all other sections of the FederalAutomated Vehicles Policy, the Guidance isa living document, with many next steps. Weintend to pursue public input, including a publicworkshop and an expert review. We will formallyrequest actions from specific industry to furtherenhance the guidance in areas such as datacollection and test procedures. We will alsopursue anonymous data sharing mechanisms.Longer term, we will consider updates to FMVSS,and consider rulemakings to require the safetyassessment and to require entities planningto test or operate AVs on public roadways toregister with the agency.Laws & PoliciesFacilitate a National Framework of Laws and Policies To Govern Automated Vehicles_82af2a63-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 3.1.2Automation promises not only to revolutionizehow we drive, but also how we license, register,inspect, and train people to use such vehicles.To avoid a patchwork system of State policiesthat might impede interstate travel, we issued theModel State Policy.State governments play an important rolein facilitating AVs, ensuring they are safelydeployed and promoting their lifesavingbenefits. The Model State Policy confirms thatStates retain their traditional responsibilitiesfor vehicle licensing and registration, trafficlaws and enforcement, and motor vehicleinsurance and liability regimes while outliningthe Federal role for HAVs. We will continueto work with stakeholders to develop nimblemodel State policies to assist States with theirrole in governing automated vehicles. We willexplore mechanisms to educate State officials onavailable technologies, as well as NHTSA's rolesand activities. We will also develop a work plan toengage specific stakeholders' help to continuallyenhance the Model State Policy. Oversight AuthoritiesExplore NHTSA's Current Authorities Pertaining to Oversight Of Automated Vehicles_82af2a64-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 3.1.3We have, and will continue to explore waysto use our current authorities -- rulemaking,exemptions, and interpretations -- todevelop a nimble, orderly process fordeployment, in addition to our defectsand enforcement authorities.In order to help manufacturers of AV understandthe use of these tools, we prepared newinformation and guidance documents for thoseseeking to request exemptions and lettersof interpretation. We've also streamlined ourreview process, and we’ve committed to issuingsimple AV-related interpretations in 60 daysand exemptions in six months -- processesthat typically take much longer. As with otherelements of the policy, we will seek publiccomment and provide routine updates toguidance on our current authorities. Leadership & Oversight ToolsExplore Modern Regulatory Tools for Federal Leadership and Oversight of Automated Vehicles_82af2a65-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 3.1.4While we are committed to the innovative use ofthe many tools and authorities at our disposal,we anticipate new ones will be needed. Wewill explore new authorities, such as safetyassurance, pre-market approval, cease-anddesistauthority, and post-sale regulation ofsoftware changes. In order to test and monitorthe safety of AVs, we will explore new tools,such as variable test procedures, functionaland system safety, enhanced data collection,recordkeeping, and reporting. Lastly, we will lookat ways to broaden existing agency expertise andknowledge through a network of experts, as wellas exploring special hiring tools. V2V CommunicationsProvide Federal Leadership for the Deployment of Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications_82af3912-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684713.2NHTSA has been researching Vehicle-to-Vehicle(V2V) communication technology for morethan a decade, in partnership with others inthe U.S. DOT, the automotive industry, andacademic institutions. V2V is a crash avoidancetechnology, which relies on the communicationof information between nearby vehicles topotentially warn drivers about dangeroussituations that could lead to a crash. V2V canenable warnings that are not currently availableto drivers. Two potential applications of V2Vtechnology include:* Intersection Movement Assist (IMA): IMAwarns the driver when it’s not safe to enteran intersection because of an increasedpotential for collision with another vehicle.* Left Turn Assist (LTA): LTA warns the driverwhen there is strong probability of collisionwith an oncoming vehicle when making aleft turn, even when the driver's line-of-sightis blocked by a vehicle also making a leftturn from the opposite direction.Many more potential applications exist, butNHTSA estimates that these two alone willprevent up to 600,000 crashes, up to 270,000injuries and save over 1,000 lives each yearwhen implemented across the entire fleet. Vehicle CybersecurityEnable a Robust, Layered Framework for Vehicle Cybersecurity_82af3913-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684713.3Over the last few decades, our lives have been integral to our daily lives, so too did the potentialrevolutionized by the rapid connectivity made for attacks to those same systems. Cybersecuritypossible by computers, the Internet, satellites and rose out of necessity to protect these vitalother technologies. As these systems became systems and the information contained within them. Applied to vehicles, cybersecurity takeson an even more important role: systemsand components that govern safety must beprotected from malicious attacks, unauthorizedaccess, damage, or anything else that mightinterfere with safety functions.For these reasons, vehicle cybersecurity wasnever an afterthought for us. In exploring thepotential of connected vehicles and otheradvanced technologies, we remained aware thatcybersecurity would be essential to the publicacceptance of vehicle systems and to the safetytechnology they govern.To ensure a robust cybersecurity environmentfor these dynamic new technologies, wemodified our organizational structure in 2012 tofocus on vehicle electronics and cybersecurity.Since then, we've developed vital partnerships,adopted a layered research approach, consideredlegislative additions, and encouraged membersof the industry to take independent steps to helpimprove the cybersecurity posture of vehiclesin the United States. Our goal is be ahead ofpotential vehicle cybersecurity challenges, andseek ways to address or avoid them altogether. LeadershipProvide Leadership in Automotive Cybersecurity_82af3914-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 3.3.1In January 2016, we held two cybersecurityroundtables with industry and cybersecurityexperts to facilitate the development andadoption of vehicle cybersecurity standardsand best practices. By proactively bringingmanufacturers, suppliers, technology companies,researchers, and government agencies together,we identified actionable steps for stakeholdergroups to take to continuously improvevehicle cybersecurity.We support industry’s efforts to continuouslyupdate best practices on handling cyberincidents, and will continue to develop our own.We will also seek ways to formalize lessonslearned in order to facilitate knowledge sharingbetween industry, suppliers and the agency.While we work to implement the researchprogram that supports our current cyber securityposture and policies, we will continue to expandour in-house capabilities to do so. This will allowus to continue to provide leadership and partnerwith our stakeholder groups, including suppliersand heavy vehicle manufacturers, to improve theindustry’s ability to deftly respond to and remedycyber incidents. DemocratizationDemocratize Safety Technologies_82af4588-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684713.4The full potential of advanced safetytechnologies won’t be realized until all vehicleson the road are similarly equipped. Historically,safety features have initially only been availablein high-end vehicles, or as expensive add-onpackages. Over time, as these technologiesbecome cheaper to produce, they make theirway into more affordable vehicles. It is estimatedthat penetration of safety technologies can taketwenty years or more with this approach.Yet, we know that people are keeping theirvehicle longer than ever before. While someof this is due to improvements in engineeringand materials, much of this is due to economicdisparity and the inability to purchase newvehicles with new safety features. We want tomake sure that lifesaving vehicle technologies areas widely available to everyone as possible, andnot just to the wealthiest among us. Automatic BrakingPromote the Deployment of Automatic Emergency Braking in All Vehicles_82af4678-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 3.4.1On March 17, 2016, NHTSA and the InsuranceInstitute of Highway Safety (IIHS) announceda groundbreaking commitment on the partof 20 automobile manufacturers to provideAutomatic Emergency Breaking (AEB) in virtuallyall passenger vehicles by 2022. AEB systemshave enormous lifesaving potential, by detectingimminent crashes and applying the brakes ifthe driver doesn’t take action quickly enough.Knowing how long a traditional rulemaking torequire AEB in vehicles would take, NHTSA andIIHS charged the auto industry to find a way todo it faster. This historic commitment means thata feature now only available on high-end modelswill be a standard safety feature on virtually allnew cars by 2022, and on heavier trucks andSUVs by 2025.We will also develop more advanced testprocedures for AEB to assist in preventingcrashes with other road users, such aspedestrians and bicycles. Expanding AEB toother vehicle types, such as heavy vehicles andmotorcoaches, is another strategy wewill explore. Alcohol DetectionDevelop Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety_82af4cb8-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 3.4.2The Driver Alcohol Detection System forSafety (DADSS) program began in 2008 as acollaborative research partnership betweenNHTSA and the Automotive Coalition for TrafficSafety (ACTS), representing 17 automobilemanufacturers to assess and develop alcoholdetectiontechnologies to prevent vehicles frombeing driven when a driver’s BAC exceeds thelegal limit. The program focuses on developingnon-invasive, seamless technologies to measuredriver BAC and reduce the incidence of drunkdriving. The devices must be able to measurealcohol accurately, precisely, and reliably in avery short time (325ms) so the sober driver isnot inconvenienced. The devices are intendedto prevent alcohol-impaired drivers (BAC ≥ .08)from driving their vehicles.In 2013, we extended our agreement with ACTS,and the project entered Phase 2, which includesadditional research and testing of the twotechnology prototypes to reduce the size andclose gaps in performance relating tospeed, accuracy and precision.The DADSS team has made great progress,reducing the size of the breath-based unit by 85percent and the touch-based unit by 93 percentfrom the original prototype sizes. The teammust and is continuing to further reduce thesize and cost of the units; improve their speed,accuracy and precision; and conduct real worldtests for reliability and durability. As the researchcontinues, the team is focused on making surethe technology meets the strict PerformanceSpecifications set related to precision, accuracyand reliability.As part of the ongoing research, the breathbasedand touch-based prototypes will beintegrated into vehicles for a series of field tests,to thoroughly test the systems in real-worldscenarios. The first of these multi-vehicle fieldoperational trials is targeted to begin early 2017. Human ChoicesDevelop innovative evidence-based strategies and programs on traffic-safety-related behavioral change methods._82af4cb9-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684714Over the past 50 years, we developed awide range of evidence-based strategies andprograms on traffic-safety-related behavioralchange methods. These strategies, summarizedin Countermeasures that Work, 8th Edition, havecontributed to the record low fatality rate seenin 2014. But to strive toward zero fatalities, it'snecessary to develop innovative new approachesto complement those proven to work. Firstand foremost is to develop a social norm inthe United States that refuses to accept 35,092fatalities every year as unavoidable and simplyan act of fate. If a 747 airline jet crashed everyweek, the public would demand an immediatecall for change. Yet that is the equivalent of whathappens every week on American roadways.Building a more proactive safety culture in theUnited States would create the conditions tosupport and sustain new strategies and programsto reach the ambitious goal of zero fatalities. Behavioral SafetyPromote Innovative Solutions for Behavioral Safety_82af4cba-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684714.1While advanced safety technologies will playan important role in reducing the impact ofpoor human choices, we can’t wait until thattechnology is available. We must seek newstrategies to encourage people to make the rightchoices when getting behind the wheel, in thecar, or on the road. CoalitionFacilitate a Coalition For Behavioral Safety_82af56fe-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 4.1.1Coalition For Behavioral SafetyWith hundreds of millions of us using the roadsevery day, no one is in road safety alone. In early2016, we held 6 regional summits across thecountry to cast a wide net for new solutionsto pervasive problems like drunk, drugged,distracted and drowsy driving. In August, weheld a technical workshop where we envisionan innovative approach to address distraction byfocusing on its inverse -- situational awareness-- to overcome the barriers that often impedeinnovation and progress. Then on October 5,2016, we convened the Road to Zero Conferenceto address behavioral safety challenges in a new,comprehensive way, starting with the goal ofattaining zero road traffic deaths and buildingour strategy from the ground up. We were joinedby the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA),Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration(FMCSA), and the National Safety Council (NSC),in addition to safety advocates, the automobileindustry, State and local partners, public healthofficials, transportation partners, and others tolook at innovations in education, State laws, andenforcement. We challenged them to establisha near-term action plan to reduce traffic deaths,and collaborate with us over the next year todevelop a long-term, scenario-based plan toeliminate road traffic deaths. Drowsy DrivingEnd drowsy driving crashes_82af58b6-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 4.1.2Drowsy Driving Initiative -- Drowsy driving is a dangerous behavior thatleads to thousands of deaths and injuries eachyear. It is also a controllable behavior that driverswill modify if given sufficient information andmotivation. We developed the March 2016 Drowsy Driving Research and Program Plan toguide our efforts to end drowsy driving crashesover the next several years.The plan is our initial effort to enhance thescience and program initiatives around drowsydriving and addresses six broad focus areas.We will focus on improving measurement andproblem identification by working with lawenforcement to better identify drowsy drivers,through the analysis of new data sources andthe use of new methodological approaches.However, since drowsiness is inherently morechallenging to observe and enforce than otherrisky behaviors, more emphasis will be placedon education strategies and policy development,along with in-vehicle warning systems, andenvironmental countermeasures like rumblestrips. The proposed program is also intendedto establish a strong evidence-based foundationon which an ongoing, comprehensive drowsydriving program can be built.Distracted DrivingReduce Distracted Driving_82af58b7-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 4.1.3Like drowsy driving, distracted driving is apervasive public health issue that must beapproached in a multi-disciplinary fashion. Wecontinue to conduct research on the causes andscope of distraction in order to develop effectivecountermeasures, and we are committedto working with States as they implementcomprehensive programs based on their specificdemographic data.Additionally, we are enacting the distracteddriving grant program as modified by the FASTAct, which allows more dedicated funding fordistracted driving programs to qualifying States. Diverse & Vulnerable PopulationsAddress Diverse and Vulnerable Populations_82af63ce-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 4.1.4Diverse PopulationsVulnerable PopulationsNHTSA is a data-driven agency, and our data isrecognized globally as the preeminent sourceof U.S. road safety statistics. We use this data toinform our programs and regulations, so thatwe know we are addressing the issues withthe most potential to save lives. Our data oftenpoints us to vulnerable road users, such as youth,pedestrians, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and olderroad users, who are disproportionately involvedin certain types of crashes.When we identify these issues, we explorecountermeasures and vehicle standardsto provide added safety benefits for thesepopulations. As we continue to developprograms that protect such groups, we alsohave to address the nation's growing diversity.The effectiveness of our programs relies on theiracceptance by a variety of different audiences,based on age, gender, and language. We muststrive to reach these diverse groups with ourprograms and regulations.Pedestrian & Bicyclist FatalitiesReduce Pedestrian and Bicyclist Fatalities_82af6748-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 4.1.5PedestriansBicyclistsUnlike the steady decline in overall fatalities,pedestrian and bicyclists have proven to bevulnerable road users for several years. In 2015,the fatality rates for pedestrians and bicyclistrose 9.5 and 12.2 percent over 2014, respectively.With an increase in demand for more livablecommunities with diverse transportation options,we are working with internal U.S. DOT partnersas well as external stakeholders to exploreand recommend strategies that expand theseenvironmentally friendly transportation optionswhile making them safer. We will continue to provide technical assistanceto State and local partners to adopt policies andprograms needed to protect pedestrians andbicyclists. We support FHWA’s strategic agendaon pedestrians and bicyclists by providingexpertise on behavioral, educational andenforcement elements for comprehensive Stateand local programs.In the Fixing America's Surface TransportationAct (FAST Act) of 2015, Congress identifiedpedestrian and bicyclist safety as a NationalPriority Safety Program, by establishing a newNon-Motorized Safety Grant program. Thegrant program provides funding for States inwhich non-motorized (primarily pedestrian andbicyclist) fatalities are more than 15 percent oftheir overall highway fatalities. Older Road-UsersEnhance Older Road-User Safety_82af6a2c-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 4.1.6Older Road-UsersOlder road users are overrepresented in vehiclecrashes. In 2015, 15 percent of the total U.S.resident population, or 47.8 million people, wereage 65 or older. They also made up 18 percentof all traffic fatalities. They tend to be morevulnerable, and less able to withstand even minorcrashes compared to younger counterparts.Strategies to protect older road users and helpthem maintain their mobility are essential, asthe number of people reaching 65 in the nextdecade will reach record numbers. In November2016, we will hold a summit on older drivers thatwill help us to establish our next five year plan tokeep older road users mobile and safe. Youth Traffic SafetyEnhance Youth Traffic Safety Efforts_82af6edc-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 4.1.7YouthRecognizing that motor vehicle crashes are theleading cause of death for people ages of 11 and16 -24 (2014), we employ youth engagementstrategies to keep young road users meaningfullyinvolved in highway traffic safety efforts andactively engaged in their own health and safety.Tasked with reducing deaths, injuries andeconomic losses resulting from motor vehiclecrashes, we strive to improve youth trafficsafety across the areas of impairment, occupantprotection, speed, distraction, graduated driverlicensing, driver education, and pedestrian,bicycle, motorcycle, and school bus safety. Whileour current efforts include research, education,outreach, enforcement, adjudication, andsystemic improvements to promote and increaseresponsible behaviors, we will work with youth toimprove our Nation's traffic safety culture.Motorcycle SafetyEnhance Motorcycle Safety_82af733c-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 4.1.8MotorcyclistsIn 2015, 4,976 motorcyclists died on Americanroads, an 8.3-percent increase from 2014. We arecurrently updating our motorcycle safety planto address these increases. As with many of ourprograms, we rely on the principles of education,engineering and enforcement to form effectivemotorcycle safety countermeasures. We willcontinue to develop and deliver comprehensivetraining courses to motorcycle safetystakeholders in the States, as well as educationalmaterials for motorists on sharing the road withmotorcyclists. We will continue to maximizemotorcycle safety by promoting helmet use andrider acceptance. We also develop responsive and timelyregulations of motorcycle equipment, promotingnew technologies to enhance motorcyclistsafety. Finally, we will work with law enforcementto improve their ability to enforce motorcyclelaws, particularly in area of impaired driving,where motorcyclists are overrepresentedin fatalities.Pupil TransportationImprove Pupil Transportation Safety_82af75b2-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 4.1.9PupilsSchool Bus OperatorsOn July 23, 2015, we held a meeting, SchoolBus Occupant Protection: Taking Safety to aNew Level. We held the meeting to update thecurrent state of knowledge in the technologyof three-point belt systems, identify operationaland policy challenges and solutions, andexplore other mechanisms to improve pupiltransportation safety. Building on the discussionfrom the meeting, we are taking meaningfulsteps to address the challenges identified by theexperts in the years ahead, and will hold anothermeeting in December 2016 to identify additionalareas of research, education, and collaboration.In the next several years, we seek to work withschool systems that already use seat belts,particularly three-point seat belts systems, todevelop a best practices guide and seat beltuse policy. We will also look at the use of seatbelts on school buses to determine if theyreduce disruptive student behavior and thereforedecrease driver distraction. Finally, we willfacilitate the update of the school bus operatortraining to include the newest Child PassengerSeat training, and include seat belt policy anduse guidance. Heatstroke PreventionEstablish a National Heatstroke Prevention Plan_82af7b34-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 4.1.10From 1998-2015, 661 children across the Nationdied due to heatstroke in hot vehicles. Suchdeaths are a leading cause of non-crash-relatedfatalities for children 14 and younger.Fifty-four percent were “forgotten” bya caregiver.Twenty-nine percent were playing in anunattended vehicle.Seventeen percent were intentionally leftin the vehicle.In 2012, we began our Where’s Baby? LookBefore You Lock campaign after a first-of-its-kindroundtable and series of town hall discussionsaround the country that helped identify waysto mitigate these tragedies. Building on thiscampaign, we are developing a vehicularheatstroke prevention plan. The plan will leveragethe network of more than 400 safety coalitionsthat have worked with us to spread awarenessof the issue, outline targeted social mediaengagements, and provide updated resourcesvia our Parents Central website.The plan will also explore technologicaldetection and reminder solutions. We havetested products, met with inventors, and havelearned about numerous efforts to developadd-on or child seat devices. This is a promisingdevelopment and we plans to evaluate this andother types of vehicle-based systems once theyare available. PartnershipsLeverage Law Enforcement Partnerships_82af7e04-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684714.2Law Enforcement AgenciesResearch has consistently demonstrated that high visibility enforcement, and integration oftraffic enforcement into routine operations,results in reductions of crashes, fatalities andserious injuries. A high-visibility enforcement effort, coordinated through the Law Enforcement Liaison (LEL) network, provideseffective and efficient delivery of traffic safetycountermeasures. Place-based and data-driven enforcement operations further enhances lawenforcement’s ability to focus limited resources where they can have the greatest impact for improving safety outcomes. These enforcement strategies combined with prosecutorial and judicial training, and Driving While under the Influence (DWI) courts result in improved safety and a reduction in social harm for the community. HVESeek Active Nationwide Participation in High-Visibility Enforcement (HVE) Activities_82af8174-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 4.2.1One of the most effective countermeasuresin reducing highway traffic fatalities is creatinggeneral deterrence through HVE. Whenthe perceived risk of getting caught by lawenforcement goes up, the likelihood thatpeople will engage in unsafe drivingbehaviors goes down.DWI CourtsExpand Use of DWI Courts_82af87d2-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 4.2.2DWI CourtsDWI Courts are an effective approach tocombatting alcohol-impaired driving amongrepeat DWI offenders and offenders having highblood alcohol concentrations at time of arrest.These problem solving courts attack the sourceof the problem by taking a comprehensiveapproach to changing behavior that includesaccountability and long-term treatment. In June2016, NHTSA issued a report entitled, Surveyof DWI Courts, which examines characteristicsof current DWI courts. We plans to develop anevaluation program in order to address a numberof the key questions about the operation ofDWI Courts, and to obtain information that DWICourts will be able to use in determining howthey can best apply their resources andmaximize their efforts. Oversight & GuidanceProvide Oversight and Guidance to State Highway Safety Offices_82af8b60-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684714.3State Highway Safety OfficesStates are valuable partners in achieving oursafety mission. We administer the Highway TrafficSafety Grants program, designed to help Statesuse evidence-based countermeasures to mitigatepriority traffic safety issues in their jurisdictions byemploying proven countermeasures with Federalfunding. We remain committed to being a goodsteward of these Federal dollars by providingprogram technical assistance, as well as oversightand guidance to States on establishing metricsthat demonstrate progress in the implementationof our behavioral safety programs. We are implementing changes to the safetygrant programs enacted in the Fixing America'sSurface Transportation (FAST) Act. Grant ManagementImprove Transparency During The Grant Management Process_82af8f16-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 4.3.1NHTSA works closely with States, both at theFederal and Regional levels, to provide expertassistance to States to identify and address trafficsafety issues unique to their jurisdictions. Thishelps States to decide which grant programsto apply for, and how to use those funds, ifawarded. Additionally, we work with them toestablish performance goal and metrics toillustrate the success of the countermeasuresthey have put in place.We are developing a State portal for grantsmanagement that will provide ease of use forStates, as well as greater transparency during thegrant management process. The portal will allowStates to provide the information that they areaccountable to NHTSA for electronically, such asthe State Highway Safety Plans. State DMVsProvide Assistance and Oversight to State Departments of Motor Vehicles_82af91c8-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684714.4State DMVsWe are committed to assisting State DMVs andother recipients of NHTSA funds with identifyingand removing unlawful barriers that discourageindividuals from accessing State drivers licensingservices. By providing comprehensive nondiscriminationguidance, training, and technicalassistance to State DMVS, and conductingcompliance activities when necessary, we helpensure that State driver licensing programsremain accessible to all drivers, regardless of theirdisability, race, color, national origin, gender ormembership in another class protected underFederal civil rights laws. Technical GuidanceWork Closely with Stakeholders To Develop Technical Guidance_82af995c-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 4.4.1We partner with the AAMVA and otherstakeholder groups to develop technicalguidance to assist State DMVs in makingtheir licensing programs more accessible tothe disabled and those with limited Englishproficiency (LEP), among others. We will provideADA and Title VI/LEP assistance by providingtargeted training and speaking at upcomingstakeholder conferences and meetings. Organizational Excellence_82af9c4a-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684715We are dedicated to being an innovative leaderin roadway safety. We know that achievingour mission relies on strong management ofour organization and resources. While nottraditionally identified as a resource, qualitydata is essential to everything we do toreduce fatalities. Like data, robust informationtechnology (IT) systems allow us to leverage ourresources to work smarter and more strategically.Without our cadre of dedicated employees, itwould be impossible to achieve our mission.NHTSA is dedicated to hiring and retaining thebest and brightest employees to augment ourdiverse workforce with the competenciesand skills needed to face the ever-changingroad ahead.Finally, we take stewardship of our financialresources and assets seriously. Continuedcommitment to mission-driven budgets,strong financial oversight and performancemanagement ensure we efficiently andeffectively deliver programs that serve theAmerican people, while being respectful oftheir taxpayer dollars. Human CapitalProperly Identify Human Capital Needs_82afa226-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684715.1The success of our programs is heavily reliantupon an engaged and productive workforce.From recruiting and retaining employees with thehighly specialized skills and relevant backgroundexperiences to ensuring accessibility toinformation and resources, we are committed tomaintain a culture in which the human resourceis considered our greatest resource. In a time ofincreasing uncertainty regarding future funding,we are continually trying to do more with less. Recruitment & RetentionDevelop and Implement Human Resources Policies That EnableThe Agency To Recruit and Retain Appropriate Personnel_82afa5dc-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 5.1.1In identifying personnel needs, we will considercurrent knowledge gaps, as well as future needs.As the Nation’s demographics change andemerging technologies enter the marketplaceand private vehicles, we will need to assure thatexpertise in these areas is on staff, both throughrecruiting appropriate candidates and by offeringspecialized training to existing staff. During therecruitment process it is imperative that theannouncements are targeted appropriatelyand that we make employment offers that arecompetitive enough to attract talent. Data & AnalysisImprove NHTSA's Ability To Deliver Quality Data and Analysis_82afa852-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684715.2NHTSA is a data driven organization andthe collection and analysis of crash data toidentify trends is vital to developing effectivecountermeasures to improve highway safety. Wecontinuously work to modernize the methodsit uses to collect, analyze and disseminate data,including the underlying information technology. Quality, Timeliness & RelevanceImprove the Quality, Timeliness and Relevance Of Safety Data Collected_82afaf14-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 5.2.1As part of our Data Modernization Project, theagency created two new data collection systems,the Crash Reporting Sampling System (CRSS)and Crash Investigation Sampling System (CISS)including incorporating the latest technology fordata collection and revamping the underlyinginformation technology.CRSS is used to estimate the overall crashpicture, identify highway safety problem areas,measure trends, drive consumer informationinitiatives, and form the basis for cost andbenefit analyses of highway safety initiativesand regulations. CISS collects detailed crashdata to help scientists and engineers analyzemotor vehicle crashes and injuries in crashesinvolving at least one passenger vehicle towedfrom a crash scene. Both systems are nationallyrepresentative and require an adequate numberof collection sites to provide quality datato inform decision-makers. These systems,and other data collection enhancements,such as enabling states to transfer crash dataelectronically, will be refined and improvedover the next five years.In addition, we will engage our State safetypartners in improving the quality of data inthe Fatality Analysis Reporting System and allother crash data collection activities throughthe release of data standardization tools, suchas the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria(MMUCC).Data Analysis & SharingIncrease the Power of Data Analysis and Improve Data Sharing_82afb46e-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 5.2.2NHTSA's data is used by decision-makers aroundthe world to develop programs, policies, andregulations that save lives on roadways. Beingable to easily access and analyze our data helpsour many partners and stakeholders. DataModernization includes adding tools to improvedata analysis and visualization, as well as toincrease the availability of our data. Information SystemsEnsure NHTSA Has State-of-the-Art Information Systems_82afb78e-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684715.3Information technologies allow us to managecomplex programs efficiently. We use manymission-critical IT systems that need continuousupdating and improvement. Some of the areasinclude: 1) more timely data collection andanalysis; 2) additional databases that supportNHTSA’s mission; 3) IT systems that help facilitateinternal processes; 4) data modernization;Information technologies allow us to managecomplex programs efficiently. We use manymission-critical IT systems that need continuousupdating and improvement. Some of the areasinclude: 1) more timely data collection andanalysis; 2) additional databases that supportNHTSA’s mission; 3) IT systems that help facilitateinternal processes; 4) data modernization;and 5) improve the recall list database. We’recurrently modernizing our IT systems, includingsignificantly updating and strengthening the ITinfrastructure necessary to support the agency’smission. Continuously strengthening andmodernizing these programs will increase ourability to capture and provide timely and accuratetraffic safety information. ModernizationModernize IT Systems_82afbd10-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 5.3.1We are committed to providing stable, scalable,and flexible data systems to support changingbusiness needs. IT modernization enables theagility to meet our growing demands for bigdata analytics and mobile efforts. By eliminatinglegacy data systems, we will increase productivitythrough system integration and compatibility,ultimately reducing maintenance costs. Ourcurrent IT modernization initiatives encompassour key data collection systems, the MotorVehicle Importation Information System, andthe agency's website redesign.Data Collection & AnalysisDevelop and Modernize Existing and New Systems to Improve Execution of NHTSA's Mission in the Collection and Analysis of Data_82afbfae-d244-11e7-9ad8-d06975068471Strategy 5.3.2We will provide robust analytic tools, such as theCIF, to maximize the use of human resourcestowards analyzing potential trends. The CIFtoolset expands our analytical capabilities toinclude: predictive analytics, seamless analysisof data across stove-piped systems: and thecapture, automation and centralization of keyqueries and analysis for re-use.We will also focus on streamlining manualprocesses through workflow automation tools,such as the CIF's Case Manager, and Microsoft'sDynamic. Building on the successful transitionof several legacy systems, we will continue toidentify opportunities to utilize cloud services toincrease scalability and capacity capabilities, anddecrease cost. Other ongoing modernizationefforts include: State Metrics- a public site thatwill merge data from FARS, STISTI, and CDCthrough dynamically refreshed dashboards andother data visualization tools Artemis- IVOQreformatting of consumer complaint datacollection forms; SharePoint upgrade; NHSTAEnterprise Portal (NCAP, E-Confidentiality) --manual process automation; and CorporateAverage Fuel Economy (CAFE) ManagementSuite System -- a data integration exchange withEnvironmental Protection Agency to supportCAFE credit account establishment, trading,transfer, and tracking for light-duty vehicles. Financial PerformanceImprove Financial Performance_82afc440-d244-11e7-9ad8-d069750684715.4Effectively managing our financial resourcesin a dynamic operating environment requiresstrong oversight, yet in doing so, we morereadily achieve our mission, and protect valuabletaxpayer dollars. We are committed to servingthe American people through the delivery offiscally responsible, mission-driven programs.We will do this by developing budgets designedto advance our mission-related strategic goalsand objectives, and by providing accurate,timelyfinancial information to leadership and programsto inform decisions, policies, andprogram development. 2015-10-012020-09-302017-11-25https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiy1-ub39rXAhWkkOAKHV_1ALIQFggxMAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhtsa.gov%2Fstaticfiles%2Fadministration%2Fpdf%2F12532-NHTSA-StrategicPlan-2016-2020.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0T-C0v2vLL1_SNKmnvRTp2OwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net