WASHINGTON, D.C. — Mark Rosekind, a safety leader with particular expertise in fatigue, has been named administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Rosekind spent the past four years as a member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). His term ended on Dec. 31.

At NTSB, he was on scene for seven major transportation crashes, and he was involved in events and studies that covered impaired driving, distracted driving, and truck and bus safety, among other issues.

Rosekind is an internationally recognized fatigue expert who has conducted research and implemented programs in all modes of transportation. Prior to his tenure at NTSB, he founded Alertness Solutions, a scientific consulting firm in Cupertino, California, that specializes in fatigue management.

Rosekind also directed the Fatigue Countermeasures Program and was chief of the aviation operations branch in the Flight Management and Human Factors division at NASA’s Ames Research Center.

Rosekind was sworn in as administrator of NHTSA earlier this week.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx called Rosekind “just the administrator to ensure that our continued emphasis on [safety] translates into safer cars, safer roads and safer people."

Foxx noted that Rosekind will work to bolster defect investigations at NHTSA.

“Last year, NHTSA's work led to [a] record recall of 60 million vehicles and the largest-ever recall of child safety seats,” Foxx said. “But Administrator Rosekind shares my belief that we must do more to protect America's drivers and passengers by addressing the defect investigation process, from how NHTSA collects and reviews complaints to how the organization investigates defects and implements recalls.”

Another key focus for Rosekind, Foxx added, will be enhancing the agency’s core safety programs to further decrease highway deaths and injuries.

Also among NHTSA's responsibilities is regulating school buses, tracking accident data and developing training materials related to pupil transportation.

Rosekind replaces David Strickland, who stepped down as NHTSA administrator about a year ago.