The Highway Safety Act of 1966

ATTACHMENT A5

THE HIGHWAY SAFETY ACT OF 1966

The Highway Safety Act of 1966 (P.L. 89-564), re-codified under Title 23 of the United States Code, Chapter 4, Section 403, gives the Secretary authorization to use funds appropriated to carry out this section to conduct research and development activities on all aspects of highway and traffic safety systems and conditions relating to vehicle, highway, driver, passenger, motorcyclist, bicyclist, and pedestrian characteristics. Section 403 further gives the Secretary authorization to conduct research and development activities with respect to human behavioral factors and their effect on highway traffic safety. Section 403 also authorizes the Secretary to conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of countermeasures to increase highway and traffic safety. [See 23 U.S.C. 403(b)(1)(A)(i), 23 U.S.C. 403(b)(1)(B), 23 U.S.C. 403(b)(1)(C)].

AUTHORITY¹

Title 23 of the U.S. Code, Chapter 4, Section 403. Highway Safety Research and Development

(b) General authority.

(1) Research and development activities.--The Secretary may conduct research and development activities, including demonstration projects and the collection and analysis of highway and motor vehicle safety data and related information needed to carry out this section, with respect to--

(A) all aspects of highway and traffic safety systems and conditions relating to--

(i) vehicle, highway, driver, passenger, motorcyclist, bicyclist, and pedestrian characteristics;

(ii) accident causation and investigations;

(iii) communications; and

(iv) emergency medical services, including the transportation of the injured;

(B) human behavioral factors and their effect on highway and traffic safety, including--

(i) driver education;

(ii) impaired driving; and

(iii) distracted driving;

(C) an evaluation of the effectiveness of countermeasures to increase highway and traffic safety, including occupant protection and alcohol- and drug-impaired driving technologies and initiatives;

1 From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access [www.gpoaccess.gov] [Laws in effect as of May 2013] [US Code available at GPO Access for year 2012; CITE: 23USC403]