Search for NHTSA chief goes back to the drawing board
President Obama’s pick for administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has withdrawn from consideration.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Obama’s pick for administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has withdrawn from consideration.
Obama had announced his intent to nominate Chuck Hurley, CEO of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), for the post in early April.
No official reason was given for Hurley dropping out, but The Associated Press noted that some environmental groups were concerned about his dedication to stricter fuel efficiency requirements and his ties to automakers (several have given funding to MADD).
Before joining MADD, Hurley held senior leadership positions with the National Safety Council and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In addition to his work on drunken driving issues, he has worked with law enforcement on air bag and seat belt issues, teen driving and child passenger safety.
A new candidate for the NHTSA post had yet to be announced.
Ronald Medford is currently serving as NHTSA's acting deputy administrator. Medford is the agency’s senior associate administrator for vehicle safety.
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