Highway Safety Research and Development--Better Management Can Make It More Useful
CED-80-87: Published: Jul 28, 1980. Publicly Released: Sep 8, 1980.
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A national program, established by Congress in 1966 to reduce fatalities and improve highway safety programs at all levels of government, has provided about $380 million in federal highway safety research funds. The objective of the research has been to design and demonstrate methods generally relating to drivers and pedestrians and to help state and local governments increase the effectiveness of their programs. Highway safety is difficult and complex, mainly because of unpredictable human behavior. Highway safety research has had many financial management problems. It has suffered from weak planning and a credibility gap, many of its results are unsuccessful, and there is a lack of knowledge about the use of results. Problems also exist in contract management. Readily accessible information to differentiate highway safety research funds from other program funds is not available. This has contributed to duplication of programs and misuse of state funds.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's budget presentations to Congress are confusing, misleading, or inaccurate. Federal research objectives lack credibility with the states because individual projects have been poorly planned, promoted, and evaluated. Although the agency has produced usable results, it has also done considerable research that produced results which could not be used by the states or had minimal user acceptance. Research frequently has been started which had little chance of success or has taken more time than anticipated to complete. Researchers and users have little input into program planning and know little about the use of research results, and projects do not address the most important topics. An improved research plan has been developed which should help alleviate problems, but more needs to be done. The present contract management practices have resulted in unmet time schedules, added costs, and a general lack of continuity in many contracts. The agency has tried unsuccessfully to spread contracting throughout the year, does not have an up-to-date accurate list of highway safety research contracts, and suffers from contract technical manager turnovers. GAO made a limited review of the Federal Highway Administration's highway safety research program and found fewer problems than in the Safety Administration's program. However, annual obligations for all highway safety research contracts need to be accurately identified and both administrations need a formal process of evaluating research results.
Jan 7, 2021
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Aircraft Noise:
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Dec 18, 2020
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Automated Technologies:
DOT Should Take Steps to Ensure Its Workforce Has Skills Needed to Oversee SafetyGAO-21-197: Published: Dec 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 18, 2020.
Dec 17, 2020
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Emergency Responder Safety:
States and DOT Are Implementing Actions to Reduce Roadside CrashesGAO-21-166: Published: Dec 17, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 17, 2020.
Nov 24, 2020
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Reagan National Airport:
Information on Effects of Federal Statute Limiting Long-Distance FlightsGAO-21-176: Published: Nov 24, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 24, 2020.
Nov 19, 2020
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Federal-Aid Highways:
States and Local Governments Reported Benefits to Federal Highway Fund Swapping, but Impacts Cannot be Definitively DeterminedGAO-21-88: Published: Oct 20, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 19, 2020.
Nov 16, 2020
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Aviation Certification:
FAA Needs to Strengthen Its Design Review Process for Small AirplanesGAO-21-85: Published: Nov 16, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 16, 2020.
Nov 9, 2020
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Aviation Safety:
FAA's Office of Aviation Safety Should Take Additional Actions to Ensure Its Workforce Has Needed SkillsGAO-21-94: Published: Nov 9, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 9, 2020.
Oct 29, 2020
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Puerto Rico:
Perspectives on the Potential to Expand Air Cargo OperationsGAO-21-21: Published: Oct 29, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 29, 2020.
Sep 30, 2020
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Supplemental Material For GAO-20-686:
Transit Asset Management: Survey of TAM Program ParticipantsGAO-20-687SP: Published: Sep 30, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 30, 2020. -
Transit Asset Management:
FTA Should Clarify Performance Data and Develop a Plan to Guide Future Program ImprovementsGAO-20-686: Published: Sep 30, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 30, 2020.
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