WASHINGTON, D.C. | March 4, 2025 — On March 3rd, the National Highway Transportation Safety Board (NHTSA) paused enforcement of newly implemented Auto Safety Whistleblower Program rules. The program, established from the passage of the FAST Act nearly a decade ago, had no final rules until January 16th, 2025, when the NHTSA finally created them. However, those rules were quickly invalidated after the NHTSA decided to permit Presidential appointees to “ensure that [the rules are] consistent with the law and Administration policies.” This decision, which undermines the essence of auto safety, is a cause for concern.
The move came after a Presidential Memorandum was signed on January 20th, 2025, requiring federal agencies to pause recently published rules that have not yet taken effect to allow designated officials to review their legality and alignment with Presidential priorities. However, since the Auto Safety Whistleblower Program rules took effect on January 16th, they are not subject to the Executive Order. Therefore, this unjust decision came solely from the NHTSA.
The rules—which were “badly needed,” according to Stephen M. Kohn, Chairman of the National Whistleblower Center’s Board of Directors—were imperfect but modeled after the highly successful SEC whistleblower program, which has been highly successful in incentivizing whistleblowers to step forward.
Advocates, like Kohn, say pausing these rules is a major blow to auto safety. Pausing this program not only undermines auto industry safety but also jeopardizes lives.
NWC Board Chairman Stephen M. Kohn is available for comment. For more information, contact NWC at programs@whistleblowers.org.
Read more: NHTSA Pauses Enforcement of Whistleblower Provisions in the Vehicle Safety Act.
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NWC is the leading nonprofit working with whistleblowers worldwide to fight corruption and protect people and the environment. For over 30 years, NWC has won policies to protect whistleblowers from retaliation and reward them for helping deliver criminal and civil penalties against wrongdoers. It is a trusted advocate for whistleblowers and a key player in the fight for government accountability and transparency.
