Senate confirms Rosekind to lead NHTSA

Washington – The Senate has confirmed fatigue expert Mark Rosekind’s nomination to head the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Rosekind will take over as administrator of NHTSA after spending four years as a member of the National Transportation Safety Board. He was nominated for his new post by President Barack Obama on Nov. 19, and the Senate confirmed his appointment on Dec. 16.

At NHTSA, Rosekind will lead an agency that has drawn scrutiny for its response to large-scale problems involving select models of air bags and ignition switches. NHTSA Deputy Administrator David Friedman has led the agency in an interim role since December 2013, when previous administrator David Strickland resigned.

“Dr. Rosekind is prepared for the job ahead and I expect him to be relentless in the pursuit of safety on behalf of the American people,” Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx said in a statement.

Rosekind said his mission with NHTSA will be to save lives, prevent injuries and make travel safer on the roads. “I appreciate the Senate’s thorough review and quick action on my nomination,” Rosekind said in a statement. “I plan to work closely with Congress as I work to advance Secretary Foxx’s vision to raise the bar on safety.”