The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sets standards for motor vehicle safety at the federal level. The laws governing the safety standards are contained under Title 49 of the United States Code, chapter 301 and are referred to as Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). Part 571 (571.1 – 571.10) of the regulations stipulates the general safety standards. Subpart 571.101 – 571-500 states the standards for “Crash Avoidance”. It stipulates the safety standards for vehicle parts such as the controls and displays, tire specifications, hydraulic and braking systems, lamps, reflective devices among other standards for all the other vehicle parts. Part 571 standard numbers 201 – 224 address the “Crashworthiness” standards to be adhered to by motorists. It stipulates standards for child restraint systems, motorcycle helmets, side impact protection among others Center for Disease Control (1999). There are also other laws to address other motor vehicle safety concerns.
The laws that govern motor vehicle safety at the Federal and the state levels are constitutional and legislative laws. At the federal level, the laws are contained in the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act that was enacted in 1966. The laws empower the federal government under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to set safety standards for motor vehicles and all matters of road traffic safety (CDC, 1999).
The motor vehicle safety laws promote public health through the prevention of injuries and the limitation of disabilities in the public. The laws have also contributed to the reduction of the rates of deaths that are attributable to motor-vehicle crashes. After the enactment of the safety laws in 1966, the number of road accidents has reduced ten-fold in spite of the number of vehicles on the roads increasing 11-fold. This has reduced not only the motor-vehicle related deaths but also the number of injuries and disabilities significantly thereby ensuring a healthier public (CDC, 1999). Disabilities call for the rehabilitation of the victims in order to restore normal health and therefore the reduction in the number of accidents has also led to a decline in disability rehabilitation.
The federal and the state governments should play a complementary role in motor vehicle safety. This is because they have the effective mechanisms, systems, personnel and resources to enforce compliance with motor vehicle safety concerns. The two should play a role because the constitution mandates the government to uphold the rights to life of its citizens. The enhancement of road safety upholds the right to life.
The constitution mandates the government to provide healthcare to its citizens. Road accidents contribute to a many injuries and deaths and are therefore a huge concern to the overall health of people in the country. In line with providing healthcare, the government should employ preventative means such as enhancing traffic safety.
The federal and state governments are mandated to provide roads infrastructure and it is only logical that the government enhances proper and safe use of the very roads that it builds.
According to Shonick (1995), the state and local health agencies are not the only tasked with reducing the burden of disease and ill health in the society but also the federal and state governments. Law enforcement in the transportation sector contributes significantly to the overall public health status of a given population. For instance in 1925, the number of deaths per year from accidents was 18 per 100 million Vehicles Miles Travelled (VMT) but the introduction of traffic safety regulations reduced the deaths to 1.7 per 100 million VMT in 1997. That was a 90% decline. The federal and state governments therefore have roles to play in enhancing public health through enforcement of traffic safety laws.
References
Center for Disease Control (1999) Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999 Motor-Vehicle Safety: A 20th Century Public Health Achievement Retrieved April 23 2013 from: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4818a1.htm
Shonick W. 1995. Government and Health Services: Government’s role in the development of the US Health services 1930-1980. New York: Oxford University Press.
