Traffic Safety: Implementing Leading Practices Could Improve Management of Mandated Rulemakings and Reports

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates, 38,824 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2020 on U.S. roads and highways, with even more projected to have died in 2021. NHTSA is responsible for overseeing the safety of motor vehicles on U.S. roads. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to examine NHTSA’s processes for developing statutorily required, or “mandated,” rulemakings and reports. In this report, GAO examined: (1) the number of rulemakings and reports mandated by the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) and the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) that NHTSA completed, and factors that affected its completion of selected mandates; and (2) the extent to which NHTSA followed leading project schedule management practices when developing mandated rulemakings and reports, among other objectives. GAO analyzed publicly available information on regulations under development, including Reginfo.gov; reviewed relevant agency procedures; summarized literature issued in the past 10 years on factors affecting rulemaking; and interviewed NHTSA officials, six regulatory experts, and nine transportation stakeholders. GAO also selected for review five mandated rulemakings and four mandated reports to provide additional insights on factors affecting mandate completion. GAO is making four recommendations, including that NHTSA update its procedures on rulemaking and developing reports to Congress to require the use of leading project schedule management practices. NHTSA concurred with the recommendations

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Digital/other
  • Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 49p

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01845100
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: GAO-22-104635
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: May 10 2022 3:31PM