NHTSA Compliance Program Aims To Help Auto Dealers, Manufacturers Reach Safety Goals

Federal highway safety officials have created a new program that is designed to help vehicle and equipment manufacturers comply with evolving safety standards, as part of a continuing effort to make safety rules more transparent and easier to follow. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the creation of a new Compliance Assistance Program on February 26, which promote safety through proactive and responsive engagement with manufacturers during design and manufacturing of automobiles, trailers, and related equipment.

The Department of Transportation’s NHTSA is tasked with overseeing the safety of U.S. roadways and the vehicles and equipment approved for highway use, and sets regulations for manufacturers through the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).

As part of this task, the agency conducts testing and monitors important vehicle components such as brakes, tires, air bags, child seats seat belts, and headlights to ensure they are compliant with FMVSS.

In addition to their regulatory obligations, the agency also provides guidance for manufacturers on how to comply with federal regulations.

To help make safety regulations more transparent, the agency has created the Compliance Assistance Program to create an easier partnership with manufacturers to assure the development of safe, reliable vehicles and equipment. NHTSA announced the new program will help the agency achieve the highest standards of excellence in motor vehicles by providing informal compliance guidance to current and prospective manufacturers.

Manufacturers will be able to reach obtain quick, straight-forward responses to better direct entities toward the appropriate resources to help understands their obligations under the federal law by emailing their questions or concerns to NHTSAComplianceAssistance@dot.gov.