National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy praised the decision by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to allow advanced headlight technology in the U.S., saying it would protect the most vulnerable road users.
"Roadway deaths are on the rise, and no one is at greater risk than pedestrians and bicyclists," said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy. “Adaptive driving beam headlights are better headlights that, once installed, will save the lives of our most vulnerable road users, including people who walk, bike and roll.”
The importance of vehicle headlight performance has been identified as a critical safety issue by the NTSB in past crash investigations. In a recent special investigation report on Pedestrian Safety and in a safety research report on Bicyclist Safety, the NTSB recommended NHTSA revise the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 to allow adaptive beam headlights. Recognizing the importance of limiting glare projected to oncoming drivers, and problems caused by lamp intensity, mounting height, and mis-aimed lights, the NTSB also called upon NHTSA to develop more robust performance-based standards.
Protecting vulnerable road users through a Safe System Approach is on the NTSB’s Most Wanted List of transportation safety improvements. More information: https://go.usa.gov/xtn5P
To report an incident/accident or if you are a public safety agency, please call 1-844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290 to speak to a Watch Officer at the NTSB Response Operations Center (ROC) in Washington, DC (24/7).
