The U.S. Senate announced Monday that it had confirmed Steven Cliff as the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Cliff’s confirmation comes as the agency recorded a 16-year high in traffic fatalities during the COVID-19 pandemic. In his new role, Cliff will oversee the implementation of new safety requirements in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and impaired driving detection technology. The BIL also includes historic funding for NHTSA’s highway safety grants to help states and cities combat distracted and impaired driving and improve occupant protection and pedestrian safety.
“We need strong federal leadership to combat the safety crisis on our roadways,” said Sen. Cantwell. “Vehicle fatalities have increased a staggering 18 percent since the pandemic started. Swift action is needed from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to implement lifesaving mandates in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and impaired driving prevention. Dr. Cliff provides the agency with the leadership it needs to combat this unacceptable loss of life.”
In May, the NHTSA announced its findings for traffic fatalities in 2021. The agency estimated fatalities reached a 16-year high in 2021, with an estimated 42,915 fatalities from motor vehicle crashes in the last year, up 10 percent from the 38,824 recorded in 2020. The increase represents the largest traffic fatality rate since 2005 and the largest percentage increase in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System’s history, the agency said.