Concerns With NHTSA's Data Collection Systems--NASS and FARS

The National Accident Sampling System (NASS) accumulates detailed, national statistics on motor vehicle accidents to create a base for evaluating safety standards and designing countermeasures. The Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS) collects information on highway fatalities as a guide for highway safety decisionmaking. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) uses or has plans to use both of these systems to support its decisions.