States Take Temperature of TEA-21; Report
Details Successes, Challenges and Solutions
WASHINGTON, June 6 Consolidation of federal highway safety
programs, continued guaranteed funding and no new sanctions are the key
safety-related actions Congress should take in the next surface transportation
reauthorization (known as TEA-21) according to the National Association of
Governors' Highway Safety Representatives (NAGHSR). In a report released
today, NAGHSR members, who administer federal TEA-21 safety programs,
evaluated the success of TEA-21 and make suggestions for its improvement.
The report gives TEA-21 a mixed review. One of the main successes has been
the increase in funding for state behavioral safety efforts. According to
NAGHSR Chair John Moffat, "I can't overemphasize the importance of that
increased funding for state programs. States have increased enforcement of
traffic laws, undertaken innovative educational campaigns, conducted more
child safety seat inspections and engaged in numerous other safety efforts.
There is no doubt that the increased funding contributed to the lowest motor
vehicle fatality rate on record in 1999."
Increased funding has also brought challenges for the states. The large
number of incentive grants has divided the federal safety program and over-
emphasized occupant protection and impaired driving while not fully addressing
other important safety problems. The excessive number of programs also places
large administrative burdens on the states. Moffat feels that, "Although well-
intentioned, there are just too many programs and too much process. Because of
this, less time is being spent on planning, program implementation and
evaluation."
To address these and other challenges, NAGHSR has issued 10 main
recommendations. Recommendations for the next authorization include:
* Continue the budget firewalls around funding for all federal behavioral
highway safety programs. This will ensure that funding for these key
programs will continue to be appropriated at the guaranteed levels.
* Authorize one large Section 402 state highway safety grant program
rather than the fragmented program currently in place. This will
alleviate the tremendous burden placed on the states in administering so
many programs and will allow for a more balanced safety effort.
* Do not attach any new sanctions and penalties. The states find these
counterproductive and heavy-handed. Sanctions do not recognize
performance and they assume that only the federal government can provide
the right solution to a traffic safety problem.
* Alter the lobbying restrictions so that federally-funded state employees
may lobby their state legislatures on behalf of their own governor's
highway safety legislation. The states are currently penalized when they
lack certain highway safety laws yet state officials are not allowed to
work to enact this needed legislation.
* Increase the amount of federal funding for behavioral research from
approximately $7 million a year to $15 -20 million a year. There is
currently not enough research being done to demonstrate the value of the
state programs and safety legislation.
The states hope this document will be used by Congress to strengthen TEA-
21 in the next reauthorization. Moffat concludes, "This reports reflects our
extensive 'hands-on' experience with TEA-21 and if our suggestions are
implemented, we can achieve a much stronger, more coordinated national highway
safety program. This will save hundreds of lives every year."
NAGHSR is a nonprofit association representing the highway safety offices
of states, territories, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Indian
Nation. Its members are appointed by their Governors to administer federal and
state highway safety funds and implement state highway safety plans. For
further information, contact NAGHSR at 202-789-0942 or e-mail
jadkins@statehighwaysafety.org.
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