DETROIT — President Obama is nominating a transportation safety and human fatigue expert to revive the troubled agency charged with keeping the nation’s highways safe.

Mark Rosekind, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, still must be confirmed by the Senate before he can take over the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The agency has been without a formal chief since David Strickland left last December. Following Strickland’s departure, NHTSA has come under fire for being too slow to react to widespread safety problems at General Motors and a growing crisis over air bags linked to multiple deaths and injuries. Lawmakers have been calling for the White House to name a new administrator to reform the agency.

Rosekind, 59, is a former NASA official who has gone to the scene to help investigate seven transportation accidents as a member of the NTSB since June of 2010. He is also a former NASA scientist and a nationally recognized expert on human fatigue. He recently conducted a special NTSB forum on drowsy driving. He also is featured prominently in a new National Geographic documentary on the dangers of sleep deprivation.

“Mark has shown tremendous dedication to making our roads safer throughout his career and brings direct experience from the National Transportation Safety Board,” Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement. “Mark is a leader ready-made for this critical responsibility.”