Rhonda L. Craft was sworn in as director of the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) in April 2014. She also serves as Governor Jerry Brown’s representative for highway safety to the federal government.

Craft joined the office after 30 years at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), where she served in various positions related to traffic safety. Her last position there was chief of the Driver Safety Branch.

The branch reexamines drivers who pose potential risks to traffic safety, and takes action against those identified as traffic safety risks. The branch also communicates with other agencies and public entities, such as law enforcement, district attorney offices, the medical profession, defense attorney organizations and public interest groups.

While at DMV, Craft helped establish the California Department of Transportation’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan (pdf), a data-driven effort that brings together more than 400 local, state and federal agencies and other interested parties to reduce traffic accident fatalities and serious injuries on public roads.

Craft administers more than $87 million in federal funds for 271 traffic safety grants annually as OTS director, and publishes an Annual Performance Report (pdf) detailing the office’s activities.

Rhonda Craft Tabbed as New Director for Office of Traffic Safety  (California Office of Traffic Safety)

California’s Annual Performance Report 2014 (California Office of Traffic Safety) (pdf)