The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the federal agency that is charged with keeping the traveling public safe. Unfortunately, politics has taken its toll on this agency. Recently, the agency has proposed a set of rules that prevents car buyers from learning about complaints filed against car manufacturers. Rather than assist consumers, the rules would protect the automobile industry by keeping secret crucial safety information. No longer would consumers have the ability to fully educate themselves on the safety of the car that they are considering purchasing.

The NHTSA's proposed rules exempt the auto industry from revealing incidents reported by consumers that contain crucial safety information on their vehicles. The exemption protects auto makers from revealing consumer complaints, which have consistently proven to be the most effective method of keeping dangerous vehicles off the roads.

The CEO of the American Association for Justice, Jon Haber, reported that the proposed rule changes not only allow the automobile industry to hide information about the dangers of their vehicles, but will ultimately allow the auto makers to evade responsibility for their carelessness. Consumers will be kept in the dark of dangerous vehicles like those with exploding gas tanks, defective seatbelts, and electrical malfunctions. Under the newly proposed rules, consumer complaints and individual companies' safety data would be classified as "trade secrets" - and be kept from the public.

Does that seem fair?

When making an important decision about such an expensive purchase consumers should have all available safety information. Restricting consumers from accessing this data only serves the interest of the auto industry - not the lives of the over 200 million motorists traveling on our roads. Keeping the rules as they are now would alternatively signal an agency commitment to strict safety standards and industry accountability.

At Ward & Caggiano, it has been our experience handling accident cases, that the vehicle you choose for yourself or your family can make a big difference if you are ever involved in an accident. Please choose your vehicles wisely and stay safe.