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Lobbyist Named to Run Auto Safety Agency

Nader Calls NHTSA "Consulting Agency" to Automakers

By Joe Benton
ConsumerAffairs.com

January 19, 2006

Auto Safety • Teen Misjudgment Major Factor in Highway Accidents • New Auto Safety Legislation Aims to Protect Children • Insurance Group: Supersport Motorcycles Deadly • Feds Consider Tougher Auto Safety Ratings • Congress Urged to Protect Children from Vehicle Deaths • Motorcycle Death Rates Rising, Safety Chief Warns • Feds to Require Additional Minivan Door Latch • Survey: Teens Still Driving Dangerously • Feds Propose Recorders to Monitor Truckers' Hours • Feds Propose New Auto Safety Tests • Consumers Choosing Tiny Cars Despite Safety Risks • IIHS: Bigger is Better in Car Safety • NHTSA's Dirty Little Secrets • Feds Find Backup Sensors Ineffective • Simpler Dashboards Might Make Cars Safer • States Struggle to Cut Highway Fatality Rate • Ford Makes Stability Control Standard for 2009 • Feds Require Safety Info on New Car Window Stickers • Motorcycle, Pedestrian Deaths Rising • Safer Cars, Not Safer Drivers, Reducing Highway Deaths • Former Lobbyist in Driver's Seat at NHTSA • Must-Have Safety and Convenience Features for New Car Shopping • More ...

The Bush Administration has nominated lobbyist Nicole Nason to be the next chief of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Nason is a lawyer and lobbyist for the Department of Transportation where she is the assistant secretary for governmental affairs.

Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook has pointed out that, as head of NHTSA Nason would be in the position of implementing measures that she had opposed as a lobbyist for DOT.

Nason will succeed Dr. Jeffrey Runge as NHTSA administrator if confirmed by the Senate. Runge, a physician, is now the chief medical officer of the Department of Homeland Security.

Several important decisions face NHTSA in the immediate future. The agency is about to finish work on new side-impact crash standards and roof strength regulations as well as a major overhaul of the government's fuel economy program.

Ralph Nader has criticized the automobile safety agency as nothing more than a lap dog for the auto industry. The consumer advocate said NHTSA "is now a consulting agency to Detroit” and federal regulation is essentially dead.

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