GHSA's Annual Report highlights the Association's accomplishments for the 2023 Fiscal Year (July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023).
The report provides updates on GHSA's activities and achievements, focusing on three key areas:
Collaborating with Congress and Federal Agencies
GHSA closely monitored the development and release of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Final Rule making changes to state grant programs and regulations based on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The association worked to ensure that the Final Rule provided clarification and flexibility to help states more effectively implement their highway safety programs. Also, to improve the quality of traffic safety data, GHSA served on a National Center for Statistics and Analysis advisory committee tasked with developing the 6th edition of the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria. GHSA also expressed concern about staffing vacancies at NHTSA. Apart from a brief three-month period in 2022, NHTSA has been without a Senate-confirmed leader for the past six and a half years.
Advancing Traffic Safety Issues
Through its strong partnerships, GHSA awarded nearly $600,000 in grants to its state members to address drunk and drug-impaired driving, safe teen driving, distracted driving and youth active transportation safety. The association also produced reports addressing pedestrian safety, messaging to cannabis users about safe driving, and rural road safety, which led to significant media coverage and greater public awareness of critical traffic safety issues.
Expanding and Delivering Member Services
GHSA held its inaugural Emerging Leaders in Highway Safety Seminar in Denver, which was a huge success. During the training, an engaged and enthusiastic group of State Highway Safety Office staff from across the country learned the core principles of leadership and tactics for applying them to highway safety administration and planning issues. In addition, the 2022 GHSA Executive Seminar for Program Management was held in Portland, Maine, and featured a slate of new faculty members.