# Concerns Arise from Removal of Car Crash Data by Trump Administration
## Introduction
In early February 2025, a vital dataset that monitors car crash fatalities across the U.S. inexplicably vanished from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website. The absence of data from 2022 has alarmed safety advocates, researchers, and policymakers who depend on this information to monitor trends and enhance road safety. This occurrence has fueled speculation that the Trump administration might be modifying or potentially discontinuing the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), an essential dataset established in 1975.
## The Significance of FARS Data
The FARS dataset serves as a detailed compilation of police-reported crash incidents from all U.S. states. It plays a key role in recognizing trends in traffic fatalities, such as deaths due to impaired driving or the lack of seatbelt use. This dataset is heavily utilized by safety organizations, policymakers, and researchers to formulate strategies aimed at saving lives on American roads.
The abrupt disappearance of the 2022 dataset has raised red flags among experts who fear that the Trump administration may be striving to manipulate or conceal information that could sway public policy and vehicle safety standards.
## Reaction from NHTSA and Public Response
In response to numerous inquiries, NHTSA largely maintained quiet on the subject. Eventually, the agency issued a vague statement to the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, indicating that the file was removed for “minor corrections” and would be reinstated by the end of the week.
This clarification did little to alleviate concerns, as industry analysts and safety organizations rely on FARS data for evaluating vehicle safety and detecting harmful trends. The absence of transparency has intensified speculation regarding the underlying motives for the removal.
## Theories Surrounding Gender Data and Trump’s Executive Order
One hypothesis circulating among experts suggests that the removal of the 2022 dataset is linked to a modification in the recording of gender data. For the first time, FARS incorporated a category for “Other” genders, including non-binary or unspecified identities.
This alteration coincides with a Trump executive order entitled *”Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.”* The order prohibits government agencies from acknowledging gender identities beyond the traditional male and female classifications. Some speculate that the dataset was taken down to align with this directive, although NHTSA has not verified this.
## Consequences for Vehicle Safety Research
The absence of the dataset significantly affects vehicle safety research. Organizations like iSeeCars.com utilize FARS data to pinpoint the most hazardous vehicles on the roads. Their latest findings identified the Hyundai Venue, Chevrolet Corvette, Mitsubishi Mirage, Porsche 911, and Honda CR-V Hybrid as the top five most perilous cars based on fatal accident statistics.
Tesla vehicles, including the Model Y and Model S, were also highlighted for elevated fatal accident rates, despite the company’s advanced driver-assist technology. This information is crucial for consumers aiming to make knowledgeable choices regarding vehicle safety.
## Trump’s Initiative to Eliminate Crash Reporting Mandates
The missing dataset controversy reflects a larger initiative by the Trump administration to reduce vehicle safety regulations. In December 2024, a document acquired by *Reuters* revealed that Trump’s transition team contemplated abolishing a requisite for reporting car crashes that was opposed by Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Musk contended that Tesla’s crash statistics are more reliable than those of other manufacturers, and that compulsory reporting unjustly portrays Tesla as accountable for an outsized share of crashes involving advanced driver-assistance technologies. If the reporting requirement is discarded, FARS data would be even more essential for monitoring vehicle safety trends.
## Wider Implications for Road Safety
The deletion of the 2022 dataset is not an isolated event. The University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute has indicated that NHTSA also deleted data from the Crash Report Sampling System (CRSS) for 2022. These datasets are crucial for comprehending trends in fatal and non-fatal crashes, along with pinpointing high-risk situations such as nighttime pedestrian accidents.
Joseph Young, media relations director for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), stressed that while his organization had already downloaded the dataset before its removal, the lack of public access complicates research initiatives.
## The Future of FARS Data
Experts express concern that the Trump administration may lessen the priority or postpone the release of future FARS data. The removed 2022 dataset was merely a preliminary version, with a finalized version anticipated in the spring. Furthermore, the first draft of the 2023 data is expected to be released around the same timeframe.
If the administration persists in obstructing the dissemination of crash data, it could impede efforts to advance road safety and decrease fatalities. Advocates maintain that the data is indispensable for crafting policies that save lives and avert injuries.
## Conclusion
The unexpected withdrawal of the
