Lance Gooden: “I suspected I would hear what I just heard, but I would like to correct a few things. The National Highway Traffic…”

“I suspected I would hear what I just heard, but I would like to correct a few things. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is not doing their job. Congress passed a law ordering them to conduct a study in 2019. They said they would, and they haven't done it yet. Not only have they not conducted a study, but they just recently reengaged on this issue this past summer. They failed to engage with me. I have sent several letters asking them to do the job that Congress instructed them to do, but they have managed to order those manufacturers of this pulsing brake light to turn over all of their client lists because they wanted to then go after the dealers that have installed these lights and force them to turn over their client lists, and I think that is wrong. This amendment is intended to force action by NHTSA to step back. If they are not going to do their job, then at least don't get in the way of something that works. The studies have shown a reduction in rear-end collisions by over 30 percent with vehicles that have these brake lights. I will also point to something that is really shocking to me, frankly, and that is that 10 to 15 States, including Maryland, Texas, California, Utah, and Tennessee, have expressly agreed with the industry's analysis that these are actually helpful to the safety of Americans on the road. Any time Texas and California agree on something, I am inclined to think it might actually be a good thing.…”