Consumers deserve clarity--not more clutter--from experts in auto safety discussion

At a time when auto safety is all over the news and consumers want only to hear some plain-speaking about their auto safety agency, it is disappointing to read errors and misstatements about what's really happening.

For example, the Los Angeles Times today features an opinion essay accusing President Obama of starving the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The fact is, President Obama’s 2011 budget request of $878 million for NHTSA seeks a $5 million increase over this year's enacted budget of $873 million.

In no case are we compromising NHTSA’s ability to perform its essential mission, safety.

Quite the contrary. President Obama's budget request seeks an increase of 66 NHTSA employees. Now, that's a 10% increase for the agency, and it means new employees in vehicle safety enforcement--the program area currently in the news.

Look, I'm all for vehicle safety experts keeping America's automobile consumers and drivers informed. If the information is valid. But, if the facts are not there, challenging President Obama's commitment to vehicle safety is simply wrong.

Well, the facts are not there. Indeed, the facts show only that this Administration has been pursuing auto safety vigorously since day-one.

And the facts show that under next year's budget--with 66 more people working for NHTSA--we will pursue vehicle safety even more vigorously.

I don't know what that sounds like to other commentators, but to me that sounds a lot like President Obama strengthening NHTSA.

Comments

[Michael E. Bailey]

The President is strengthening the Federal Highway Safety Administration over what it was in the last Bush term. But to say that won't sell newspapers. Newspaper sales are falling and so a story that is more sensational or controversial will sell more copies than printing the truth that the agency has been able to meet its duties. The President and his Administration have done a great job in the face of economic problems that were inherited and not seen since the Depression years of the 1930s. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[Vicki Mueller]

Yes, car manufacturers must do their best to ensure that we're driving safe vehicles. But, continuing drivers' education is equally important, and that's where defencive driving courses come in. Competent drivers will stand better chances to survive an emergency resulting from... the technical failure that the car makers failed to prevent.

[Auto Mesa AZ]

An understatement, or just plain exasperatingly "disappointing to read errors and misstatements about what's really happening". Remember we are talking about auto safety, and about 114 people die per day in the United States, due to automobile accidents.