Rulemaking by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the agency within the Department of Transportation that is responsible for establishing and enforcing safety standards for passenger vehicles.

During the rulemaking process, the NHTSA posts rules under contemplation by the agency in a public, online docket. Anyone can comment to the docket through this on-line interface. Public Citizen comments on multiple rulemakings each year (our comments are listed below, sorted by subject).

If you are interested in looking at or commenting to NHTSA's public docket, click here.  Below is a list of the docket numbers for rules Public Citizen has commented to or is monitoring (most of these rules are mentioned elsewhere on our website).  If you are interested in looking at additional rules, you can search for specific terms or use the "advanced search" engine.

Public Citizen's Comments to NHTSA's dockets

Child Restraint Systems

• (05/11/2005) Comments to NHTSA on proposed standards for child restraint systems 
• (09/20/2002) Earlier comments to NHTSA on proposed standards for child restraint systems 

Cross Lander

• (04/19/2005) Public Citizen’s comments on Cross Lander USA, Inc.’s (Cross Lander) petition for temporary exemption from the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards on airbag requirements

Defects

• (08/10/2004) Public Citizen’s petition for reconsideration in response to NHTSA’s final rule on defect and notification responsibility and reports, and defect and noncompliance notification 
• (10/4/2001) Public Citizen’s comments to NHTSA on proposed rulemaking for the sale and lease of noncompliant and defective motor vehicles and items of motor vehicle equipment

Designated Seating Positions and Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages

• (08/22/2005) Public Citizen’s comments in response to NHTSA’s proposed rulemaking on designated seating positions and seat belt assembly anchorages

Early Warning Database/Part 512 Secrecy Disclosure

• (01/22/2001) Public Citizen’s comments on standards enforcement and defect investigation, defect and noncompliance reports and record retention
• (2/14/03) Additional Comments to NHTSA's rules governing confidential business information - Response to the Alliance of Auto Manufacturers
• (11/26/02) Comments to NHTSA on Rulemaking on Early Warning Reporting Procedures
• (11/26/02) Comments to NHTSA's rules governing confidential business information under 49 CFR Part 512

Event Data Recorders

• (8/13/2004) Comments to NHTSA on the agency’s proposed rulemaking on Event Data Recorders (EDRs) 
• (3/12/2003) Comments on government standards for EDRs  

Frontal New Car Assessment Program

• (01/03/2005) Public Citizen’s comments to NHTSA on the New Car Assessment Program’s (NCAP) frontal impact crash test and rating procedures  

Fuel Economy Standards for Light Trucks

• (4/3/2006) Public Citizen’s comments on the proposed rule for fuel economy labeling of motor vehicles and revisions to improve calculations of fuel economy estimates 
• (2/14/03) Comments to NHTSA's Proposed Light Truck Fuel Economy Standards
• (6/6/02) Supplementary Comments of Public Citizen Regarding: Light Truck Average Fuel Economy Standard, Model Year 2005-2010
• (5/14/02) Comments of Public Citizen Regarding: Light Truck Average Fuel Economy Standard, Model Year 2005-2010
• (4/10/02) Comments of Public Citizen Regarding: Automotive Fuel Economy Manufacturing Incentives for Alternative Fuel Vehicles
• (2/25/02) Comments of Public Citizen Regarding: Light Truck Average Fuel Economy Standard, Model Year 2004

Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

• (06/08/2005) Comments to NHTSA about GPS and its potential safety benefits

International Symbol Adoption

• (11/24/03) Comments on NHTSA's proposal to adopt international control and display symbols

Kahane Safety, Weight and CAFE Report

• (4/9/04) Comment's on Kahane's (of NHTSA) technical report on weight and safety

New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

• (3/31/2006) Public Citizen’s comments on the proposed rule for NCAP safety labeling 

NHTSA Report on Vehicle Compatibility (to read the report, click here)

• (8/11/03) Public Citizen's Comments on NHTSA's Aggressivity Report

NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Rulemaking Priorities

• (11/25/02) Public Citizen’s comments on NHTSA’s vehicle safety rulemaking priorities

Reimbursement Prior to a Recall

• (11/26/02) Comments to NHTSA's rules governing confidential business information under 49 CFR Part 512
• (2/11/02) Comments of Public Citizen, Consumers Union, Center for Auto Safety and Consumer Federation of America on Reimbursement Prior to a Recall

Rollover - Dynamic Resistance Standard

• (12/19/2002) Public Citizen’s comments to NHTSA on rollover resistance ratings
• (12/18/02) Public Citizen Comments on NHTSA's Dynamic Rollover Testing and Consumer Information Program
• (7/3/01) PC Comments on Dynamics of Rollovers
• (1/9/01) PC Comments on New Consumer Rollover Rating System
• (1/9/01) Public Citizen comments to NHTSA on the Consumer Information Rollover Rating System

Rollover - Roof Crush

• (11/22/2005) Public Citizen’s comments to NHTSA on the agency’s roof crush resistance regulations
• (12/1/02) PC Comments on Roof Crush Resistance, FMVS Std. No. 216

School Buses and 15-Passenger Vans

• (01/21/2003) Public Citizen’s comments on NHTSA’s proposed rulemaking on multifunction school activity buses 

Tire Performance Safety Standards

• (06/19/2002) Comments on NHTSA’s proposed rulemaking for tire performance safety standards

Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems

• (11/15/2004) Comments to NHTSA on the agency’s proposed rulemaking on Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS)
• (9/6/01) Earlier comments to NHTSA on Proposed Rulemaking on Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems