September 11, 2008
Accident and crash information detailing fatalities, injuries and property damage on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will now be available to the public.
The information was posted online by NHTSA following a long legal battle and years of pressure from consumer and safety groups to make the data public.
Most of the new information now available on the NHTSA website includes preliminary or "early warning" reports from manufacturers on accidents involving specific vehicle makes and models.
Automakers have reported "early warning" information concerning accidents and incidents to federal safety regulators for 5 years but the safety information was not shared with the public.
Congress directed automotive manufacturers to report certain raw safety information to NHTSA following the recall of 14.4 million Firestone tires that were used on the popular Ford Explorer when deadly rollovers were blamed on defective tires.
NHTSA began collecting data in 2003 and has used the information in 84 investigations, the agency reported.
"It is useful for people who oversee NHTSA and the performance of the manufacturers to see if they've taken action on problems brought to their attention because of a lawsuit or consumer complaints," said Joan Claybrook, president of consumer group Public Citizen.
Some of the "early warning" information such as warranty claims, consumer complaints, and field reports will remain confidential according to safety officials.
Claybrook called the release of some data "a victory for consumers" but said NHTSA is still keeping too much information "confidential under pressure from the manufacturers."
"NHTSA must provide the public a fuller and more comprehensive picture of the early warning information," she said.
Auto manufacturers have not opposed the public release of its data but argued the information includes many unsubstantiated claims.
"The information, ever since it started rolling has always performed the function Congress intended," said NHTSA spokesman Rae Tyson. "We're just now making some of it available to the public."
