10/20/2019
Moving Auto Safety Forward . . .
Slowly But Surely
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Announced Coming Upgrades to the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) October 16, 2019.
“Drawing, in part, from the comments and feedback received late last year from a public meeting, NHTSA plans to propose major upgrades to NCAP in 2020.” (Reference; https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/ncap-upgrades-coming)
When I spoke at the October 01, 2018 public meeting by the NHTSA at DOT headquarters in Washington, DC the intent was to update the NCAP Rating System and Sticker in 2019 for the 2020 Model Year. (Reference; http://www.devco-design.com/design/dot/David-DeVeau-Speaker_Follow-Up-Comments-Sticker-Design-Summary-NCAP.pdf)
Of course I was disappointed by this delay given this all started in 2015. However after some thought, given the present political climate it is understandable why they would want to postpone. The present administration is doing everything they can to cripple regulations that regulate business. Specifically to Automotive Safety; NHTSA has to deal with continuous cuts to their budgets. The US NCAP is in the office of the NHTSA under the administration oversight of DOT.
On a positive note, ADVOCATES FOR HIGHWAY & AUTO SAFETY hosted a meeting on Capital Hill on October 17, 2019 “NCAP at 40: Time To Return To Excellence” (Reference; https://saferoads.org/2019/10/17/ncap-at-40-time-to-return-to-excellence)
They too were also critical of how long this is taking. However I was pleased to read in the reports by speakers, like former NHTSA Secretary Joan Claybrook, of how important NCAP is to our safety. I am also relieved that there is still language for support to extend the star ratings in addition to adding collision avoidance next to crash safety in a single and clear ratings system and updating the sticker on the vehicle. There was also some language for using actual speed of the tests for the ratings, as I have been proposing. (Reference; http://www.devco-design.com/design/dot/stickers/10-star-safety-system.htm)
Moving forward, the NHTSA is going to open another opportunity for public comments in the Federal Register and so far will have another public meeting at DOT headquarters in Washington DC during 2020. There is also language supporting, if they have time and hopefully the budget, for public participation open meetings on the updates to NCAP in other states.
I am obviously sorry to say that this is not over yet. However I can assure everyone reading all this, that you will continue to hear all about my efforts as an independent safety advocate and the equally persistent work by others with the support of everyone that knows automotive safety is critical to all our everyday lives.
Keep Moving & Be Safe. . .
