U.S. Department of Transportation
2003 Budget in Brief

 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Overview: Recent statistics indicate that traffic crashes claim more than 40,000 lives annually, accounting for over 90 percent of transportation-related deaths and the leading cause of death for persons age 4 through 33. The economic cost of motor vehicle crashes is more than $150 billion annually. Emerging demographic trends, such as a continuing increase in the number of drivers and a significant growth in both elderly and teenage drivers, pose increased traffic safety challenges that must be addressed. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducts critical behavioral and vehicular programs and provides grants to States for the administration of highway traffic safety programs.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Budget
(Dollars In Millions)

1/ Includes estimated accrual payments of $4 million in FY 2001 and $4 million in FY 2002 for civil service retirement and health benefits.

FY 2003 Budget

Operations and Research: The 2003 budget includes $205 million, the same level as 2002. Operations and Research activities include:

• $82 million to maintain the existing workforce and to hire, train, and develop safety professionals; maintain critical information systems; design, print and distribute safety-related literature; and other operational costs and services.

• $56 million for research and analysis to support activities including: (1) crashworthiness research for occupant protection and studies on the causes of human injury in highway crashes, leading to safer vehicle design; (2) crash avoidance research to support programs such as antilock braking system effectiveness, light vehicle rollover, and heavy vehicle stability; (3) the National Center for Statistics and Analysis including the Fatality and Accident Reporting System, which tracks all fatal crashes in the United States; (4) testing of driver distraction and the effects of impairments on driver performance through the National Advanced Driving Simulator; and (5) initiatives required by Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation (TREAD) Act, including tire safety, dynamic rollover and child safety seat testing.

• $41 million for highway safety programs that address impaired driving deterrence, increased seat belt usage and correct placement of child safety restraints. Countermeasures will be developed and tested for traffic enforcement, deterrence of aggressive driving, speeding and distracted driving. Initiatives will be undertaken in emergency medical system education, safe operation around school buses, and for occupant protection usage surveys.

• $16 million for Safety Assurance, including vehicle testing and acquiring a new data information management system to assist in the prompt identification of potential safety defects.

• $10 million for Safety Performance Standards including the New Car Assessment Program, which provides consumers with information on frontal and side protection, and rollover resistance of light vehicles. TREAD Act initiatives include child restraint safety improvements, a new child restraint safety ratings program, heavy truck safety, and a new light vehicle dynamic rollover rating program. Support will be provided for potential safety upgrades for offset frontal crash protection, rear impacts, school bus safety, side impact protection, and adapted vehicle data collection.

Highway Traffic Safety Grants: The 2003 budget request includes a $225 million obligation limitation, an increase of $2 million (1 percent) over 2002. This is the level guaranteed in TEA-21. Included are: $165 million for State and Community Highway Safety Grants to support a full range of highway safety programs in every State, territory, and the Indian nations; $40 million for Alcohol-Impaired Driving Countermeasures Incentive Grants designed to encourage States to pass strong anti-drunk-driving legislation; and $20 million for Occupant Protection Incentive Grants to encourage States to promote and strengthen occupant protection laws.

previous  Table of Contents   next

Last Updated: February 4, 2002