Motor Vehicle Safety: Information on Recent Controversy Between NHTSA and Consumer Group

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed controversies and conflicts between a private consumer group and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), focusing on: (1) NHTSA closing of 25 safety-defect investigations; (2) proposals for judicial reviews of NHTSA decisions to deny petitions to open safety-defect investigations; (3) whether the group's allegations hindered NHTSA work performance or damaged public confidence in NHTSA; and (4) the group's sale of NHTSA information.