NHTSA News

NHTSA Says Fiat Chrysler Electronic Gear Shifters Confuse Drivers

Electronic gear shifters on some newer Fiat Chrysler SUVs and cars are so confusing that drivers have exited the vehicles with the engines running and while they are still in gear, causing crashes and some serious injuries, U.S. safety investigators …

Government Links 10th Death to Exploding Takata Airbags

A Ford pickup driver killed last month in South Carolina is the 9th person to die in the U.S. and the 10th worldwide because of defective Takata airbag inflators that explode, firing off shrapnel-like shards, government safety officials said Friday, …

Automakers Recalled 51M U.S. Vehicles in 2015

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Thursday that automakers recalled 51.3 million vehicles in the United States last year, the second-highest ever, in 868 separate campaigns. NHTSA and automakers have come under harsh criticism on auto safety issues …

U.S. Auto Recalls in 2015 Break Record Set Year Before

Automobile recalls hit another record last year as stronger government enforcement and widening recalls of exploding airbags pushed the total above 51 million vehicles. The 2015 number barely beat the old record set in 2014, after that total was adjusted …

Automakers, Feds to Announce Safety Accord on Friday

The U.S. government and a group of global automakers are set to unveil a voluntary agreement at the Detroit auto show on Friday aimed at improving auto industry safety and spurring culture changes, according to company and government officials. The …

Maine 2015 Motorcycle Deaths Most Since 1991

Maine ended the year with 32 motorcycle deaths, the most since 1991, and safety officials say there’s no single factor that seems to be behind the spike. Mild weather that extended the riding season through early December may have contributed …

BMW Fined $40M for Mini Crash Test Safety Violations

U.S. safety regulators have slapped German automaker BMW AG with a $40 million penalty for moving too slowly to fix Mini brand cars that failed federal crash tests. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also said Monday BMW failed to …

Stronger Truck Underride Guards Proposed to Cut Rear-Impact Deaths

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is proposing that trucking companies be required to install stronger guards on their trailers to reduce deaths caused when cars rear-end tractor trailers. The agency said Monday that underride guards, which have hung …

Holidays Bring Big Risks of Buzzed, Drunk Driving

The holiday season is in full gear and so too are state and federal highway safety programs focused on reducing the incidence of drunken driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) holiday traffic safety campaign, Driver Sober or Get …

Study Finds Teens Neglect Driving Basics, Engage in Aggressive Driving Behaviors

While so much rightful attention has been paid to the dangers of distracted driving in recent years, a new study released by Liberty Mutual Insurance and SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) reveals that teens are still neglecting the most basic …