Government

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is a subdivision of the US Department of Transportation responsible for ensuring the safety of motor vehicles and road users. The agency sets and enforces safety performance standards for motor vehicles and equipment, conducts research on driver behavior and traffic safety, and provides grants to state and local governments to improve highway safety. It also oversees the recall of vehicles and equipment that pose safety risks. It was established in 1970.

In FY 2024,

$1.38B

was spent by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
In FY 2024,

1.2%

of Dept. of Transportation spending was by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

How much does the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration spend?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration spent a net total of $1.38 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 1.2% of the $117.4 billion spent by the Department of Transportation, which itself was 1.7% of all federal spending. The NHTSA ranked 5th among DOT subdivisions in net spending.
Net spending is the difference between agency spending and any financial accounts generating funds from the agency’s own activities, like fees or rent. When these funds offset all spending, net spending appears negative. Some agencies tend to operate with positive net spending while others will register negative net spending sometimes or often.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ranked 5th among Department of Transportation divisions in net spending in 2024.

DOT net spending by division, FY 2024

Like the overall federal budget, agency spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s federal spending has increased from $1.07 billion in 1980 to $1.38 billion in 2024.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

Yearly federal net spending by NHTSA, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1980–2024

Since 1980, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's spending has increased 28.2%, while overall spending has increased 193.7%.
As a percentage of the overall federal budget, a positive number means agency net spending made up some positive share of total federal spending; a negative number means that net generated funds offset a portion of total spending. NHTSA spending grew less than overall federal spending since 1980, which means that its share of the federal budget decreased. In 2024, NHTSA accounted for 0.02% of overall federal spending.

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Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Net spending by NHTSA as a share of federal spending, FYs 1980–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.
In FY 2024, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration transferred 59.8% of its total spending to states and local governments.
The chart below outlines all net NHTSA spending.

How did the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to NHTSA, FY 2024

How many people work for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration?

Some 790 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as of September 2024. This is 29.7% more people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has increased 29.7% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for NHTSA, September 2010–2024

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration accounts for 0.034% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. The division constituted a larger share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 compared to 2010 (0.029%).
While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's share of the workforce (0.034%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.02%).

Who leads the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration?

The NHTSA is led by an Administrator. This individual is appointed by the President of the United States and requires confirmation by the Senate. The Administrator reports to the Secretary of Transportation. There is no fixed term for this position.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

  • Office of Personnel Management

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  • Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury

    Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement

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