On September 9, 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Vehicle Safety Act into law, promising the American people to curb the increasing number of traffic deaths and accidents. During a speech, he compared the loss of American lives in car accidents to those in the Vietnam War, emphasizing the gravity of the situation and stating that safety must be considered a normal cost of doing business.
Fast forward to January 30, 2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) invoked the Vehicle Safety Act when they announced a consent order with Volvo Group North America. The consent order involved a $130 million civil penalty, one of the largest-ever penalties for violations of the Vehicle Safety Act. NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson stated in a statement that the agency would use their full authority to protect the public from safety defects and manufacturers who fail to comply with the law.
