Section 401 · Authority of the Secretary

Amendments

1987—Pub. L. 100–17 inserted reference in second sentence to Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

1984—Pub. L. 98–363 struck out “, except that all expenditures for carrying out this chapter in the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa shall be paid out of money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated” after “and American Samoa”.

1973—Pub. L. 93–87 inserted definition of “State” and provided that all expenditures for carrying out this chapter in the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa shall be paid out of money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated.

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Section 3(c) of Pub. L. 98–363 provided that: “The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) [amending this section and section 402 of this title] shall apply to fiscal years beginning after the date of enactment of this Act [July 17, 1984].”

Short Title of 1991 Amendment

Pub. L. 102–240, title II, §2001, Dec. 18, 1991, 105 Stat. 2070, provided that: “This part [part A (§§2001–2009) of title II of Pub. L. 102–240, amending sections 402, 403, and 410 of this title, enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 402, 403, and 410 of this title, and amending provisions set out below] may be cited as the ‘Highway Safety Act of 1991’.”

Short Title of 1988 Amendment

Pub. L. 100–690, title IX, §9001, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4521, provided that: “This subtitle [subtitle A (§§9001 to 9005) of title IX of Pub. L. 100–690, enacting section 410 of this title and provisions set out as notes under sections 403 and 410 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Drunk Driving Prevention Act of 1988’.”

Short Title of 1987 Amendment

Section 201 of title II of Pub. L. 100–17 provided that: “This title [amending sections 402 and 408 of this title and section 2314 of former Title 49, Transportation, enacting provisions set out as notes under this section, section 402 of this title, and section 2204 of former Title 49, and amending provisions set out as a note under this section] be cited as the ‘Highway Safety Act of 1987’.”

Short Title of 1983 Amendment

Pub. L. 97–424, title II, §201, Jan. 6, 1983, 96 Stat. 2137, provided that: “This title [amending section 402 of this title and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 130, 154, and 408 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Highway Safety Act of 1982’.”

Short Title of 1978 Amendment

Pub. L. 95–599, title II, §201, Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2727, provided that: “This title [enacting section 407 of this title, amending sections 154 and 402 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 130, 307, 402, and 403 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Highway Safety Act of 1978’.”

Short Title of 1976 Amendment

Pub. L. 94–280, title II, §201, May 5, 1976, 90 Stat. 451, provided that: “That title [amending sections 104, 151, 402, 404, and 406 of this title and provisions set out as a note under section 130 of this title and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 127 and 402 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Highway Safety Act of 1976’.”

Short Title of 1973 Amendment

Section 201 of title II of Pub. L. 93–87 provided that: “This title [enacting sections 151 to 153 and 405 of this title, amending this section and sections 104 and 402 to 404 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 130, 144, 151, 217, and 403 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Highway Safety Act of 1973’.”

Short Title of 1970 Amendment

Pub. L. 91–605, title II, §201, Dec. 31, 1970, 84 Stat. 1739, provided that: “This title [enacting sections 144 and 322 of this title, amending provisions set out as notes under this section and section 402 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and section 402 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Highway Safety Act of 1970’.”

Short Title

Section 208 of Pub. L. 89–564 provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter, amending sections 105 and 307 of this title, repealing sections 135 and 313 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 303, 307, 402, and 403 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Highway Safety Act of 1966’.”

Work Zone Safety Program

Pub. L. 102–240, title I, §1051, Dec. 18, 1991, 105 Stat. 2001, provided that: “The Secretary shall develop and implement a work zone safety program which will improve work zone safety at highway construction sites by enhancing the quality and effectiveness of traffic control devices, safety appurtenances, traffic control plans, and bidding practices for traffic control devices and services.”

Older Driver Study by National Academy of Sciences; Report; Pilot Program

Section 208 of Pub. L. 100–17, as amended by Pub. L. 100–202, §101(l) [title III, §348(h)], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–358, 1329–389, provided that:

“(a) Contract.—The Secretary shall undertake to enter into appropriate arrangements with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a comprehensive study and investigation of (1) problems which may inhibit the safety and mobility of older drivers using the Nation's roads, and (2) means of addressing these problems.

“(b) Report.—In entering into any arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences for conducting such study and investigation, the Secretary shall request the National Academy of Sciences to report to the Secretary and Congress not later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [Apr. 2, 1987] on the results of such study and investigation, together with its recommendations.

“(c) Availability of Information.—The Secretary shall furnish to such Academy at its request any information which the Academy deems necessary for the purpose of conducting the investigation and study authorized by this section.

“(d) Pilot Program.—

“(1) Development of program.—The Secretary shall develop, in conjunction with the study carried out under this section, a pilot program of highway safety improvements to enhance the safety and mobility of older drivers. The program shall be designed to apply known technology at sites in rural and urban areas and on different types of highways and to determine the daytime and nighttime effectiveness of such technology.

“(2) States encouraged to carry out program.—The Secretary shall encourage the States to carry out the pilot program developed under paragraph (1) with funds available for highway safety improvement projects. In particular, the Secretary shall encourage States with a high percentage of older drivers to give high priority to carrying out the pilot program.

“(3) Evaluation and report.—Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act [Apr. 2, 1987], the Secretary shall evaluate the pilot program under this subsection and shall report to Congress on the effectiveness of such program in improving the safety and mobility of older drivers.”

Annual Report by Secretary of Transportation on Highway Safety Performance of Each State

Pub. L. 97–424, title II, §207, Jan. 6, 1983, 96 Stat. 2139, provided that: “The Secretary of Transportation shall prepare, publish, and submit to Congress not later than December 31 of each calendar year beginning after December 31, 1982, a report on the highway safety performance of each State in the preceding calendar year. Such report shall provide data on highway fatalities and injuries and motor vehicle accidents involving fatalities and injuries and travel in urban areas of each State for each system of highways and in rural areas of such State for each system of highways. Such report shall be in such form and contain such other information on highway accidents as will permit an evaluation and comparison of highway safety performance of the States. For purposes of this section (1) the systems of highways in a State are the Federal-aid primary system, the Federal-aid secondary system, the Federal-aid urban system, and the Interstate System (as such terms are defined in section 101 of title 23, United States Code) and the other highways in such State which are not on the Federal-aid system, and (2) the terms ‘State’, ‘rural areas’, and ‘urban area’ have the meaning such terms have under section 101.”

National Driver Registration

Pub. L. 97–364, title II, §§201–211, Oct. 25, 1982, 96 Stat. 1740–1748, as amended by Pub. L. 100–223, title III, §305, Dec. 30, 1987, 101 Stat. 1525; Pub. L. 100–342, §4(b), June 22, 1988, 102 Stat. 626; Pub. L. 101–380, title IV, §4105(a), Aug. 18, 1990, 104 Stat. 512; Pub. L. 102–240, title II, §2007, Dec. 18, 1991, 105 Stat. 2080, directed Secretary of Transportation to establish and maintain a National Driver Register to assist States in exchange of information on motor vehicle driving records of individuals and provided for reports by State officials, accessibility of Register information, a pilot test program, criminal penalties, an advisory committee, and a report to Congress by the Secretary, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–272, §7(b), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1379, and Pub. L. 103–429, §8(10), Oct. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 4390, and was restated in part in chapter 303 of Title 49, Transportation.

Pilot Projects for Highway Safety Education and Information

Pub. L. 95–599, title II, §209, Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2732, as amended by Pub. L. 97–424, title II, §206, Jan. 6, 1983, 96 Stat. 2139; Pub. L. 100–17, title II, §207, Apr. 2, 1987, 101 Stat. 221, provided that:

“(a) The Secretary of Transportation shall carry out six pilot projects designed, through the use of television and radio, to develop and evaluate techniques, methods, and practices to achieve maximum measurable effectiveness in reducing traffic accidents, injuries, and deaths.

“(b) Each pilot project authorized by this section shall be in operation not later than the one hundred and eightieth day after the date of the first appropriation of funds made under authority of this section, and shall be conducted for a one-year period. Not later than the ninetieth day after the end of each such one-year period, the Secretary of Transportation shall report to Congress the results of such project, including, but not limited to, an evaluation of the effectiveness of such project and a statistical analysis of the traffic accidents and fatalities within the project area during such one-year period.

“(c) There is authorized to be appropriated, out of the Highway Trust Fund, to carry out subsections (a) and (b) of this section, $6,000,000, to remain available until expended.

“(d) National Highway Safety Campaign.—Utilizing those techniques, methods, and practices determined most effective under subsection (b), the Secretary of Transportation shall conduct a national highway safety campaign utilizing the local and national television and radio to educate and inform the public of techniques, methods, and practices to reduce the number and severity of highway accidents. Not later than the 180th day after the date of submission of the first report to Congress required by subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary shall commence the conduct of such campaign.

“(e) Such campaign is authorized to be conducted in cooperation with interested government and nongovernment authorities, agencies, organizations, institutions, businesses, and individuals, and shall utilize to the extent possible nongovernmental professional organizations equipped and experienced to conduct such campaign.

“(f) The Secretary of Transportation shall engage such private firms or organizations as he determines necessary to conduct an on-going evaluation of the national campaign authorized by subsection (d) of this section to determine ways and means for encouraging the participation and cooperation of television and radio station licensees, for measuring audience reactions to on-going highway safety programming for evaluating the effectiveness of such programs in terms of the number of lives saved and the reduction in injuries, and for the purpose of developing new programs for the promotion of highway safety. Such evaluation shall include determinations of those programs designed to encourage the voluntary use of safety belts which are most effective and shall include recommendations for new methods and approaches which will result in greater voluntary utilization of safety belts by the public.

“(g) The Secretary of Transportation shall submit a report to the Congress on July 1 of each year in which the campaign is in progress on the results of such evaluation and on the steps being taken by the Secretary of Transportation to implement the recommendations of such evaluation.

“(h) For the purpose of carrying out subsections (d), (e), (f), and (g) of this section, there is authorized to be appropriated out of the Highway Trust Fund, $10,000,000, to remain available until expended. None of the amounts authorized by this subsection shall be available for obligation for any education or information program conducted in connection with the implementation of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 (49 C.F.R. 571.208).

“(i) All provisions of chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code, that are applicable to Federal-aid primary highway funds, other than provisions relating to the apportionment formula and provisions limiting the expenditure of such funds to the Federal-aid systems, shall apply to the funds authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, except as determined by the Secretary to be inconsistent with this section and except that the funds authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section shall not be subject to any obligation limitation.”

Highway Safety Educational Programing and Study; Report to Congress; Series of Highway Safety Television Programs; Appropriations Authorizations

Section 211 of Pub. L. 93–87 directed Secretary of Transportation, in cooperation with government and nongovernment authorities and individuals, to conduct a full and complete investigation and study of use of mass media for informing and educating the public of ways and means for reducing number and severity of highway accidents, to report to Congress his findings and recommendations by June 30, 1974, and to develop, in consultation with State and local highway safety officials, a series of highway safety television programs of varying lengths for use in accordance with provisions of the Communication Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.).

Highway Safety Citizen Participation Study

Section 212 of Pub. L. 93–87 authorized the appropriation of $1,000,000 for a study by the Secretary of Transportation, with cooperation of State and local highway safety authorities, of ways and means of encouraging greater citizen participation in highway safety programs, the results of such study and recommendations to be reported to Congress by June 30, 1974.

National Center for Statistical Analysis of Highway Operations

Section 213 of Pub. L. 93–87 authorized the appropriation of $5,000,000 to make a study of the feasibility of establishing a National Center for Statistical Analysis of Highway Operations designed to acquire, store and retrieve accident data, the results of such study and recommendations to be reported to Congress not later than Jan. 1, 1975.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Study

Section 214 of Pub. L. 93–87 authorized the appropriation of $5,000,000 for a study of pedestrian and bicycle safety, including a review of local ordinances, the relationship between alcohol and pedestrian and bicycle safety, etc., the results of such study and recommendations to be reported to Congress not later than Jan. 31, 1975.

Highway Safety Needs Study

Section 225 of Pub. L. 93–87 mandated a study by the Secretary of Transportation of highway safety needs of the States, including those of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands and other territories, in order to evaluate continuing safety programs and furnish Congress with information necessary for authorization of appropriations for continuing safety programs, the results of such study, estimates and recommendations to be submitted to Congress not later than Jan. 10, 1976.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; Creation; Appointment of Administrator and Deputy Administrator; Duties; Retroactive Effect

Section 201 of Pub. L. 89–564, as amended by Pub. L. 89–670, §8(h), Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 943; Pub. L. 90–83, §10(b), Sept. 11, 1967, 81 Stat. 224; Pub. L. 91–605, title II, §202(a), Dec. 31, 1970, 84 Stat. 1739, which provided for the creation of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the Department of Transportation, was repealed by Pub. L. 97–449, §7(b), Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2444, and reenacted by section 1(b) of Pub. L. 97–449 as section 105 of Title 49, Transportation.

Acting Administrator of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Pub. L. 91–605, title II, §202(b), Dec. 31, 1970, 84 Stat. 1740, permitted the President to authorize any person who immediately before Dec. 31, 1970 held the office of Director of the National Highway Safety Bureau, to act as Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration until the appointment of the first Administrator.

Annual Report to Congress on Administration of Highway Safety Act of 1966

Section 202 of Pub. L. 89–564, as amended by Pub. L. 93–87, title II, §224, Aug. 13, 1973, 87 Stat. 292, provided that:

“(a) The Secretary shall prepare and submit to the President for transmittal to the Congress on July 1 of each year a comprehensive report on the administration of the Highway Safety Act of 1966 (including chapter 4 of title 23 of the United States Code) for the preceding calendar year. Such report should include but not be restricted to (1) a thorough statistical compilation of the accidents and injuries occurring in such year; (2) a list of all safety standards issued or in effect in such year; (3) the scope of observance of applicable Federal standards; (4) a statement of enforcement actions including judicial decisions, settlements, or pending litigation during the year; (5) a summary of all current research grants and contracts together with a description of the problems to be considered by such grants and contracts; (6) an analysis and evaluation of completed research activities and technological progress achieved during such year together with the relevant policy recommendations flowing therefrom: (7) the effectiveness of State highway safety program (including local highway safety programs) and (8) the extent to which technical information was being disseminated to the scientific community and consumer-oriented material was made available to the motoring public.

“(b) The annual report shall also contain such recommendations for additional legislation as the Secretary deems necessary to promote cooperation among the several States in the improvement of highway safety and to strengthen the national highway safety program.”

Detailed Cost Estimate of Highway Safety Act of 1966

Section 207 of Pub. L. 89–564 mandated that the Secretary, in cooperation with the Governors of appropriate State highway safety agencies, make a detailed estimate of the cost of carrying out the Highway Safety Act of 1966 in order to provide a basis for evaluating continuing programs under the Act and to furnish Congress information necessary for authorization of appropriations for fiscal years beginning after June 30, 1969, such estimates to be submitted to Congress not later than Jan. 10, 1968.