The American Academy of Sleep Medicine commends the nomination by President Obama of Mark R. Rosekind, PhD, to be Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) that is responsible for setting standards for motor vehicle and highway safety. The nomination, which was sent to the Senate on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014, now must go through the standard confirmation process.
As one of the world’s leading human fatigue experts, Dr. Rosekind has been a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) since 2010. In this role he has brought greater attention to the prevalent public safety threats posed by fatigue, circadian misalignment and untreated sleep disorders. Dr. Rosekind’s expertise and proven leadership will enable him to help the NHTSA fulfill its mission to save lives, prevent injuries and reduce economic costs due to road traffic crashes through education, research, safety standards and enforcement activity.
The AASM urges the Senate to expedite the confirmation process to confirm the appointment of Dr. Rosekind as NHTSA Administrator. The AASM also encourages members to contact your U.S. Senators and ask that they support Dr. Rosekind’s confirmation.