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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — An engineer with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said advances in vehicle-to-vehicle communications continue to accelerate and that new studies are under way to address several critical and complex issues.

WASHINGTON — Alcohol use by motorists on U.S. highways has declined significantly in recent years. However, the use of marijuana among the driving public is on the rise, according to research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reopened the public comment period for a proposed rule that would toughen standards for rear impact guards and reflective material on the rear and sides of straight trucks.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on July 17 announced an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking seeking comment on the cost benefits of underride guards on single-unit trucks.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is delaying publication of its proposed safety fitness-determination rule by another month, until Aug. 17, the agency said in its April significant rulemakings report.

Highway fatalities from truck-involved crashes on U.S. roads rose by 0.5% in 2013, while injuries declined to 95,000 from 104,000, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported.

U.S. fatalities from crashes involving large trucks increased by 0.5% in 2013, rising to 3,964 from 3,944 people the year before, according to a Dec. 19 report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.