Audits

On February 6, 2013, we issued a final report on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Oversight of Mississippi Highway Safety Grants. This audit was requested by NHTSA. We found that Mississippi had problems complying with certain grant requirements and had weak financial management controls. Specifically, MOHS did not administer alcohol-impaired driving transfer funds in accordance with Federal requirements, resulting in ineligible enforcement activities and improper payments to sub-grantees for activities not directly related to alcohol-impaired driving. We also found that while NHTSA identified needed corrective actions, it lacks agency guidance on how and when to invoke its high-risk designation, or when to use remedies and sanctions against States for lack of compliance with Federal grant regulations. NHTSA agreed with our four recommendations for improving its oversight and working with the State of Mississippi on specific issues.