The DoT Inspector General has released the results of its investigation into why the NHTSA failed to identify the ignition-switch problems as the defect continued to resurface over the course of more than a decade.
“In the GM case, [The NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation] considered a proposal to investigate air bag non-deployments in the Chevrolet Cobalt and Saturn Ion in November 2007 but did not document why it decided not to investigate,” the report notes.
NHTSA leadership directed the ODI to gather more information about fatal accidents related to airbag non-deployment, however the screener responsible for monitoring the issue left the agency in 2008. The Defects Assessment Division chief did not reassign the responsibility, and other agency officials did not revive the inquiry after additional evidence surfaced in later years.
NHTSA and DoT leaders have called for more resources to hire additional investigators, however Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri argues that “blatant incompetent mismanagement” is actually to blame, according to quotes from a Commerce Committee hearing published by The Detroit News.
“I am not about to give you more money until I see meaningful reform,” she told NHTSA officials.
The agency, now under the leadership of administrator Mark Rosekind, claims to be in the early stages of implementing some of the changes recommended by the Inspector General. The revisions are expected to be complete by the end of the week.
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