DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND RELATED HEARINGS BEFORE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS NINETY-THIRD CONGRESS SECOND SESSION SUBCOMMITTEE ON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND RELATED JOHN J. McFALL, California, Chairman SIDNEY R. YATES, Illinois TOM STEED, Oklahoma JULIA BUTLER HANSEN, Washington EDWARD P. BOLAND, Massachusetts SILVIO O. CONTE, Massachusetts THOMAS J. KINGFIELD and CHARLES G. HARDIN, Staff Assistants COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS GEORGE H. MAHON, Texas, Chairman JAMIE L. WHITTEN, Mississippi EDWARD P. BOLAND, Massachusetts ROBERT N. GIAIMO, Connecticut FRANK E. EVANS, Colorado EDWARD R. ROYBAL, California LOUIS STOKES, Ohio J. EDWARD ROUSH, Indiana GUNN MCKAY, Utah TOM BEVILL, Alabama EDITH GREEN, Oregon ROBERT O. TIERNAN, Rhode Island BILL D. BURLISON, Missouri ELFORD A. CEDERBERG, Michigan J. KENNETH ROBINSON, Virginia C. W. BILL YOUNG, Florida NOTE. This Surveys and Investigations supervisory staff is supplemented by selected personnel borrowed on a reimbursable basis for varying lengths of time from various agencies to staff up specific studies and investigations. The current average annual full-time personnel equivalent is approximately 42. DR. JAMES B. GREGORY, NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATOR ROBERT L. CARTER, ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR MOTOR VEHICLE PROGRAMS DR. GENE G. MANNELLA, ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS WILLARD Y. HOWELL, ACTING ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR TRAFFIC SAFETY PROGRAMS DANA L. SCOTT, ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR ADMINISTRATION DR. GEORGE HARTMAN, ACTING ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR PLANNING AND PROGRAMING LARRY R. SCHNEIDER, GENERAL COUNSEL WILLIAM J. HENEGHAN, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF BUDGET WALTER R. BOEHNER, DIRECTOR OF BUDGET, DEPARTMENT OF ANGELO PICILLO, OFFICE OF INSTALLATION AND LOGISTICS RICHARD SLOCUM, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF BUDGET, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Mr. McFALL. The committee will come to order. We will begin consideration of the budget request of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Our first witness is the Administrator, Dr. James B. Gregory. With him are his staff assistants. You may begin with your statement, Dr. Gregory. OPENING STATEMENT Dr. GREGORY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is a pleasure to testify in support of the fiscal year 1975 budget request for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. I believe we're making an impact on the bottom line of the highway safety problem in terms of accidents, injury severity and fatalities. At the same time, I am convinced that much more needs to be done. I believe the budget request before you supports a well balanced program geared to the further advancement of NHTSA goals. First, I would like to summarize briefly the budget request and then review trends in highway safety. PROGRAM (OBLIGATION) LEVELS As indicated in our summary statement on page 2 of the justifications, the resources we are requesting in 1975 will support a program level of $220 million. This compares to $160 million similarly funded (1) in 1974. The proposed increase of $60 million consists essentially of two major components. The principal increment of $57.2 million is requested for the State and community highway safety program. This provides for full obligation of the 1975 authorization for incentive grant programs. It also allows additional funds for such demonstrated high payoff activities as alcohol countermeasures and selected traffic enforcement programs. In addition, a net increase of $2.8 million is proposed for the Traffic and Highway Safety appropriation. This second increment provides for expansion of effort in research and motor vehicle programs which are, to a large degree, offset by reductions in other program areas. APPROPRIATION REQUIREMENTS Total 1975 appropriation requirements of $184.3 million are approximately equal to our fiscal year 1974 appropriations, and substantially below the 1975 program level of $220 million. This stems mainly from the fact that the liquidating cash requirements for the 1975 increase proposed under the State and community grant program will be funded in subsequent years. The funds being requested in 1975 to liquidate grant payments relate predominantly to the payment of obligations incurred in 1974. HIGHWAY SAFETY TRENDS We are pleased to report that preliminary estimates indicate 1973 will mark the seventh consecutive year that a reduction has been recorded in the rate of highway fatalities. The preliminary estimates also show that there were 400 fewer lives lost on the highway in 1973 than in 1972. In 1966, the year in which highway safety legislation was initially enacted, the rate of fatalities was 5.7 deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles and we have seen the rate drop to 4.3 in 1973. The recent dramatic reduction in highway travel and the reduced speed limit have contributed to the improvement in the highway safety picture in 1973. However, programs initiated in NHTSA, together with State efforts, and improvement in the Nation's highways, have been mainly responsible for progress over the past several years. Significantly, the reductions have been achieved despite the emergency of factors that aggravate the safety picture such as increases in the number of registered vehicles and licensed drivers. These factors contribute to the average annual increase of 5 percent in vehicle-miles. In addition, increased alcohol consumption and additional bicycles and motorcycles on the streets and highways have had an adverse effect on the problem. ESTIMATED LIVES SAVED The beneficial effect of the reductions in the rates of highway fatalities can be most vividly portrayed by showing what would have happened if the 1966 rate had not been averted. Had the 1966 rate remained constant, at 5.7 deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles, there would have been over 65.343 more fatalities than were actually recorded between 1966 and 1973. The number of lives saved is probably greater when you consider that the 5.7 death rate in 1966 had climbed from 5.3 in 1960. These trends will hopefully reduce the staggering societal losses to our country from lost wages, medical expenses, legal fees, and insurance payments. These other losses associated with highway fatalities and accidents cost billions of dollars annually to our society. STATE AND COMMUNITY HIGHWAY SAFETY The proposed obligation level of $133 million for 1975 provides for an increase of approximately 30 percent in the basic grant program. It also contemplates that the States will qualify for incentive grants equal to the levels authorized in the Highway Safety Act of 1973. For basic grants, the 1975 effort is geared to the attainment of improved evaluation of the management of comprehensive State highway safety programs. Concentrated efforts will be made to maximize State investment into demonstrated high payoff areas such as alcohol countermeasures and selected traffic enforcement programs. Efforts will also be keyed to the improvement of evaluative mechanisms which will provide a basis for aggregating effective programs at the national level. In the incentive grant area, the estimated level of funding is based on a sufficient number of States developing programs which will result in full obligation of the contract authorization for these programs. However, if the States do not develop qualifying programs, the obligation level will be reduced accordingly. For seat belt incentive grants, a State can qualify for a bonus up to 25 percent of its basic grant apportionment if it enacts legislation requiring all car occupants to wear all seat belts required by State or Federal law. Our criteria provide for a 10-percent bonus for States that enact legislation requiring all front seat occupants to wear lap seat belts. A bonus of 15 percent would be paid to States requiring all occupants-front and rear-to wear lap belts. We are very hopeful that the incentive program will assist materially in reaping the lifesaving potential attributed to safety devices. It has been estimated that between 10,000 to 15,000 lives a year could be saved if vehicle occupants wore all available safety belts. The States can also earn a bonus up to 25 percent of the basic grant apportionment for making significant reductions in the rate of the annual highway fatalities. Proposed criteria for the payment of this incentive requires a State to have an actual reduction in the rate of fatalities for a base year compared to the average of the 4 preceding years. Other qualifying requirements are imposed to assure that only those States with the most outstanding achievements are rewarded. We also have high hopes for the catalytic potential of this program. TRAFFIC AND HIGHWAY SAFETY The resources requested in the fiscal year 1975 budget are needed at least to maintain and hopefully to accelerate the momentum generated thus far in our motor vehicle, traffic safety, research, and consumer programs. The budget request for the most part provides for continuation of programs previously justified before the subcommittee. In addition, provision has also been made for certain new program |