Expert on drowsy driving nominated to head NHTSA

Expert on drowsy driving nominated to head NHTSA

Mark Rosekind, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, has been nominated to head the National Highway Safety Administration. NHTSA has been without a permanent administrator since David Strickland resigned in January.

Rosekind is –one of the worldês foremost human fatigue experts,” according to his biography from NTSB. He headed a forum in October on the dangers of drowsy driving, reported on in a previous WANADA Bulletin.

–The administration has fallen short on its responsibility to the American people by leaving NHTSA without a Senate-confirmed leader for nearly a year,” said John Thune (R-SD), the likely chairman of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee in the next Congress. –There is much to be done at NHTSA, and I look forward to sitting down with Dr. Rosekind to hear more about his plans to address the rising number of motor vehicle safety recalls.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), current chairman of the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, said NHTSA will –face serious challenges” and urged his fellow senators to approve the nomination quickly.