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January 29, 2007
PLAINTIFFS LAWYER GROUP CRITICIZES NHTSA SECRECY
The American Association for Justice, formerly ATLA, has told NHTSA in a docket submission that its proposed rules shielding auto companies from release of some vehicle safety information they transmit to the agency “endangers consumer safety and restricts the rights of consumers to educate themselves on the safety of future car purchases.” These “unwarranted rule changes by the federal agency charged with ensuring the public's safety allow the automobile industry to hide information about the safety of their vehicles and ultimately evade responsibility for negligence," it said, and “violate both the Freedom of Information Act and its subsequent common law interpretations.”
“Specifically, the new rules decrease public access to records (including documents that previously had been readily available to the public) and foster administrative secrecy for the benefit of the auto industry.” Under the newly proposed rules, consumer complaints and individual companies' safety data would be classified as "trade secrets" -- and thus be made unavailable to the public.
The AAJ filing with NHTSA is the latest development in an ongoing dispute over the agency’s proposed rules limiting release of safety information from the companies. See a recent analysis of the rule proposal in the San Francisco Chronicle. See the November archives for an earlier story, or search all archives for “secrecy” or “Public Citizen,” the organization leading the opposition to NHTSA’s rules change.
Posted by MVHAP at January 29, 2007 03:49 PM