Tho Bella Dinh-Zarr

Tho Bella Dinh-Zarr is an American public health scientist, specializing in injury prevention. Dinh-Zarr was the 42nd Member of the National Transportation Safety Board, and served as vice-chairman and acting chairman.

Education

Dinh-Zarr attended public schools in Galveston, Texas. She graduated from Ball High School in Galveston, and Rice University where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Spanish. She has a Master of Public Health and a Doctorate from the University of Texas School of Public Health. Her PhD dissertation was "Reviews of evidence regarding interventions to increase the use of safety belts". In high school, Dinh-Zarr worked at the Railroad Museum on Galveston Island, built latrines in Paraguay, and in college she studied Latin American literature in Chile.

Career

Dinh-Zarr was the U.S. director and road-safety director of the FIA Foundation until 2014. While at the NTSB, Dinh-Zarr was known for her support of 0.05% BAC Laws to prevent drunk driving and positive train control. She cast the dissenting vote on the proposal to lessen the importance of PTC. Dinh-Zarr helped to investigate disasters such as the sinking of the El Faro and the 2016 Hoboken train crash. After her term ended, Dinh-Zarr co-founded the.05 Saves Lives Coalition, its mission to advocate for a.05 BAC law in every state.