[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 13, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10424-10428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6024]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
[Docket No. 96-016; Notice 01]
RIN 2127-AF57


Preliminary Theft Data; Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Publication of preliminary theft data; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This document requests comments on data about passenger motor 
vehicle thefts that occurred in calendar year (CY) 1994, including 
theft rates for existing passenger motor vehicle lines manufactured in 
model year (MY) 1994. The theft data preliminarily indicate that the 
vehicle theft rate for CY/MY 1994 vehicles (4.09 thefts per thousand 
vehicles) increased by 2.8 percent from the theft rate for CY/MY 1993 
vehicles (3.98 thefts per thousand vehicles).
    Publication of these data fulfills NHTSA's statutory obligation to 
periodically obtain accurate and timely theft data, and publish the 
information for review and comment.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 13, 1996.

ADDRESSES: All comments should refer to the docket number and notice 
number cited in the heading of this document and be submitted, 
preferably with ten copies to: Docket Section, Room 5109, National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20590. Docket hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., 
Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Rosalind Proctor, Office of 
Planning and Consumer Programs, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Proctor's telephone number is (202) 366-0846. 
Her fax number is (202) 493-2739.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NHTSA administers a program for reducing 
motor vehicle theft. The central feature of this program is the Federal 
Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard, 49 CFR Part 541. The standard 
specifies performance requirements for inscribing or affixing vehicle 
identification numbers (VINs) onto certain major original equipment and 
replacement

[[Page 10425]]
parts of high-theft lines of passenger motor vehicles.
    The agency is required by 49 U.S.C. 33104(b)(4) to periodically 
obtain, from the most reliable source, accurate and timely theft data, 
and publish the data for review and comment. To fulfill the 
Sec. 33104(b)(4) mandate, this document reports the preliminary theft 
data for CY 1994, the most recent calendar year for which data are 
available.
    In calculating the 1994 theft rates, NHTSA followed the same 
procedures it used in calculating the MY 1993 theft rates. (For 1993 
theft data calculations, see 61 FR 1228, January 18, 1996). As in all 
previous reports, NHTSA's data were based on information provided to 
NHTSA by the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) of the Federal 
Bureau of Investigation. The NCIC is a governmental system that 
receives vehicle theft information from nearly 23,000 criminal justice 
agencies and other law enforcement authorities throughout the United 
States. The NCIC data also include reported thefts of self-insured and 
uninsured vehicles, not all of which are reported to other data 
sources.
    The 1994 theft rate for each vehicle line was calculated by 
dividing the number of reported thefts of MY 1994 vehicles of that line 
stolen during calendar year 1994, by the total number of vehicles in 
that line manufactured for MY 1994, as reported to the Environmental 
Protection Agency.
    The preliminary 1994 theft data show an increase in the vehicle 
theft rate when compared to the theft rate experienced in CY/MY 1993. 
The preliminary theft rate for MY 1994 passenger vehicles stolen in 
calendar year 1994 increased to 4.09 thefts per thousand vehicles 
produced, an increase of 2.8 percent from the rate of 3.98 thefts per 
thousand vehicles experienced by MY 1993 vehicles in CY 1993. For MY 
1994 vehicles, out of a total of 202 vehicle lines, 94 lines had a 
theft rate higher than 3.5826 per thousand vehicles, the established 
median theft rate for MYs 1990/1991. (See 59 FR 12400, March 16, 1994). 
Of the 94 vehicle lines with a theft rate higher than 3.5826, 73 are 
passenger car lines, 19 are multipurpose passenger vehicle lines, and 2 
are light-duty truck lines.
    In Table I, NHTSA has tentatively ranked each of the MY 1994 
vehicle lines in descending order of theft rate. Public comment is 
sought on the accuracy of the data, including the data for the 
production volumes of individual vehicle lines.
    Comments must not exceed 15 pages in length (49 CFR Part 553.21). 
Attachments may be appended to these submissions without regard to the 
15 page limit. This limitation is intended to encourage commenters to 
detail their primary arguments in a concise fashion.
    If a commenter wishes to submit certain information under a claim 
of confidentiality, three copies of the complete submission, including 
purportedly confidential business information, should be submitted to 
the Chief Counsel, NHTSA, at the street address given above, and seven 
copies from which the purportedly confidential information has been 
deleted should be submitted to the Docket Section. A request for 
confidentiality should be accompanied by a cover letter setting forth 
the information specified in the agency's confidential business 
regulation 49 CFR Part 512.
    All comments received before the close of business on the comment 
closing date indicated above for this document will be considered, and 
will be available for examination in the docket at the above address 
both before and after that date. To the extent possible, comments filed 
after the closing date will also be considered. Comments on this 
document will be available for inspection in the docket. NHTSA will 
continue to file relevant information as it becomes available for 
inspection in the docket after the closing date, and it is recommended 
that interested persons continue to examine the docket for new 
material.
    Those persons desiring to be notified upon receipt of their 
comments in the rules docket should enclose a self-addressed, stamped 
postcard in the envelope with their comments. Upon receiving the 
comments, the docket supervisor will return the postcard by mail.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 33101, 33102 and 33104; delegation of 
authority at 49 CFR 1.50.

              Theft Rates of Model Year 1994 Passenger Motor Vehicles Stolen in Calendar Year 1994              
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                       1994 (per
                                                                                                         1,000  
                                                                                  Thefts   Production   vehicles
                 Manufacturer                         Make/model (line)            1994     (Mfgr's)   produced)
                                                                                              1994       theft  
                                                                                                          rate  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1 Mitsubishi................................  Montero........................        488      10,295    47.4017
 2 Chrysler Corp.............................  Plymouth Sundance..............      1,579      65,482    24.1135
 3 Chrysler Corp.............................  Lebaron Sedan..................        574      26,038    22.0447
 4 Chrysler Corp.............................  Lebarpm Coupe/Convertible......        748      37,093    20.1655
 5 Porsche...................................  911............................         29       1,461    19.8494
 6 Chrysler Corp.............................  Dodge Shadow...................      1,714      90,288    18.9837
 7 Ferrari...................................  512............................          1          54    18.5185
 8 Chrysler Corp.............................  Dodge Spirit...................      1,236      68,409    18.0678
 9 Chrysler Corp.............................  Plymouth Acclaim...............      1,232      71,595    17.2079
10 Volksqagen................................  Corrado........................          3         200    15.0000
11 Mitsubishi................................  Mirage.........................        468      34,215    13.6782
12 Mitsubishi................................  expo...........................        180      13,175    13.6622
13 Mitsubishi................................  Diamante.......................        293      21,908    13.3741
14 Honda/Acura...............................  NSX............................          9         680    13.2353
15 Toyota....................................  Supra..........................         43       3,540    12.1469
16 Isuzu.....................................  Amigo..........................         30       2,500    12.0000
17 Hyundai...................................  Sonata.........................         24       2,010    11.9403
18 Nissan....................................  300ZX..........................         51       4,298    11.8660
19 Mitsubishi................................  3000GT.........................        111      10,170    10.9145
20 Nissan....................................  Mazima.........................        560      52,109    10.7467
21 Mitsubishi................................  Precia.........................          7         799     8.7610
22 Hyundai...................................  Scoupe.........................        106      12,527     8.4617
23 BMW.......................................  3..............................        428      50,650     8.4501

[[Page 10426]]
                                                                                                                
24 Toyota....................................  4-Runner.......................        586      69,700     8.4075
25 Chrysler Corp.............................  Jeep Cherokee..................      2,901     349,604     8.2980
26 Ford Motor Co.............................  Mustang........................      1,018     123,198     8.2631
27 General Motors............................  Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera.......      1,028     125,896     8.1655
28 Hyundai...................................  Elantra........................        313      39,386     7.9470
29 Mercedes-Benz.............................  129 (SL-Class).................         43       5,532     7.7730
30 Mazda.....................................  RX-7...........................         26       3,408     7.6291
31 Toyota....................................  Lexus SC.......................         44       5,930     7.4199
32 Porsche...................................  928............................          1         136     7.3529
33 Chrysler Corp.............................  Jeep Wrangler..................        494      67,877     7.2779
34 Nissan....................................  Pathfinder.....................        441      62,439     7.0629
 35 Nissan...................................  240SX..........................          8       1,167     6.8552
 36 BMW......................................  5..............................        166      25,232     6.5789
 37 Honda/Acura..............................  Legend.........................        329      50,140     6.5616
 38 Ford Motor Co............................  Tempo..........................        924     144,608     6.3897
 39 General Motors...........................  Geo Tracker....................        304      47,800     6.3598
 40 BMW......................................  7..............................         60       9,564     6.2735
 41 Mitsubishi...............................  Pickup Truck...................         73      11,780     6.1969
 42 General Motors...........................  Buick Century..................        777     126,871     6.1243
 43 Ford Motor Co............................  Lincoln Town Car...............        687     113,026     6.0782
 44 Toyota...................................  Lexus LS.......................        136      22,500     6.0444
 45 Hyundai..................................  Excel..........................        302      50,421     5.9896
 46 Toyota...................................  Lexus GS.......................         77      12,900     5.9690
 47 BMW......................................  8..............................          4         674     5.9347
 48 Suzuki...................................  Samurai........................         11       1,930     5.6995
 49 General Motors...........................  GMC Jimmy S-15.................        336      59,671     5.6309
 50 Mazda....................................  929............................         57      10,124     5.6302
 51 Nissan...................................  Sentra.........................      1,025     187,877     5.4557
 52 General Motors...........................  Oldsmobile Achieva.............        291      53,545     5.4347
 53 Mazda....................................  323/Protege....................        556     103,637     5.3649
 54 Chrysler Corp............................  Dodge Caravan/Grand............      1,533     286,772     5.3457
 55 Nissan...................................  Altima.........................        703     132,183     5.3184
 56 Ford Motor Co............................  Mercury Topaz..................        266      50,858     5.2302
 57 Nissan...................................  Infiniti Q45...................         89      17,190     5.1774
 58 General Motors...........................  Chevrolet Blazer S-10..........        814     158,876     5.1235
 59 General Motors...........................  Chevrolet Lumina APV...........        238      48,312     4.9263
 60 General Motors...........................  Chevrolet Beretta..............        305      62,133     4.9088
 61 General Motors...........................  Pontiac Sunbird................        463      94,475     4.9008
 62 General Motors...........................  Chevrolet Corsica..............        657     135,994     4.8311
 63 Mercedes-Benz............................  140 (S-Class)..................         56      11,681     4.7941
 64 Chrysler Corp............................  Plymouth Voyager/Grand.........      1,062     223,743     4.7465
 65 Mitsubishi...............................  Eclipse........................        179      37,930     4.7192
 66 Chrysler Corp............................  Town & Country MPV.............        172      37,297     4.6116
 67 General Motors...........................  Chevrolet Corvette.............        102      22,230     4.5884
 68 General Motors...........................  Oldsmobile Silhouette APV......         68      14,920     4.5576
 69 Mitsubishi...............................  Galant/Sigma...................        378      84,390     4.4792
 70 Suzuki...................................  Sidekick.......................        107      24,390     4.3870
 71 Porsche..................................  968............................          6       1,379     4.3510
 72 General Motors...........................  Pontiac Trans Sport APV........        150      34,704     4.3223
 73 General Motors...........................  Cadillac Fleetwood.............         96      22,841     4.2030
 74 Toyota...................................  Corolla/Corolla Sport..........        874     209,850     4.1649
 75 General Motors...........................  Buick Skylark..................        240      58,346     4.1134
 76 Toyota...................................  Paseo..........................         48      11,700     4.1026
 77 Honda/Acura..............................  Integra........................        293      71,490     4.0985
 78 General Motors...........................  Geo Metro......................        375      92,640     4.0479
 79 Ford Motor Co............................  Probe..........................        344      85,305     4.0326
 80 Volkswagen...............................  Cabriolet......................          5       1,244     4.0193
 81 General Motors...........................  Oldsmobile Bravada.............         72      18,031     3.9931
 82 Chrysler Corp............................  New Yorker/LHS.................        354      89,485     3.9560
 83 Toyota...................................  Tercel.........................        396     101,200     3.9130
 84 Honda/Acura..............................  Vigor..........................         61      15,600     3.9103
 85 Toyota...................................  Camry..........................      1,257     324,900     3.8689
 86 Honda....................................  Civic..........................      1,066     280,376     3.8020
 87 Kia Motors...............................  Sephia.........................         64      17,000     3.7647
 88 Chrysler Corp............................  Plymouth Laser.................         20       5,317     3.7615
 89 Ford Motor Co............................  Thunderbird....................        445     120,314     3.6987
 90 Mazda....................................  MPV Wagon......................        102      27,695     3.6830
 91 General Motors...........................  Pontiac Grand Am...............        846     230,103     3.6766

[[Page 10427]]
                                                                                                                
 92 General Motors...........................  Chevrolet Sportvan G-10........          8       2,186     3.6597
 93 Ford Motor Co............................  Mercury Sable..................        375     102,968     3.6419
 94 General Motors...........................  Chevrolet Cavalier.............        978     268,550     3.6418
 95 Ford Motor Co............................  Lincoln Mark VIII..............         96      26,985     3.5575
 96 Toyota...................................  Celica.........................        127      35,700     3.5574
 97 Mazda....................................  626/MX-6.......................        369     103,861     3.5528
 98 Honda....................................  Prelude........................        128      36,804     3.5473
 99 Ford Motor Co............................  Lincoln Continental............        175      49,453     3.5387
100 General Motors...........................  Chevrolet Camaro...............        428     120,991     3.5375
101 Toyota...................................  Pickup Truck...................        691     196,200     3.5219
102 Isuzu....................................  Rodeo..........................        206      59,300     3.4739
103 Toyota...................................  Previa.........................         57      16,860     3.3808
104 Mazda....................................  MX-5 Miata.....................         67      20,128     3.3287
105 Mercedes-Benz............................  124 (E-Class)..................         80      24,711     3.2374
106 Ford Motor Co............................  Escort.........................        919     285,400     3.2200
107 Ford Motor Co............................  Taurus.........................        959     303,540     3.1594
108 Nissan...................................  Pickup Truck...................        371     119,322     3.1092
109 Chrysler Corp............................  Eagle Talon....................         68      21,885     3.1072
110 General Motors...........................  Chevrolet Lumina...............        257      82,746     3.1059
111 Volkswagen...............................  Passat.........................         16       5,163     3.0990
112 Jaguar...................................  XJ12...........................         31      10,004     3.0988
113 General Motors...........................  Pontiac Firebird...............        142      45,914     3.0927
114 Subaru...................................  SVX............................          8       2,607     3.0687
115 Honda....................................  Passport.......................         61      20,000     3.0500
116 Honda....................................  Accord.........................      1,308     430,055     3.0415
117 Isuzu....................................  Trooper........................         72      24,000     3.0000
118 Ford Motor Co............................  Aspire.........................        114      38,000     3.0000
119 Volvo....................................  940............................         81      27,561     2.9389
120 Isuzu....................................  Pickup.........................         63      22,400     2.8125
121 Mazda....................................  MX-3...........................         43      15,459     2.7816
122 Volvo....................................  960............................         22       7,959     2.7642
123 Nissan...................................  Infiniti G20...................         25       9,117     2.7421
124 Mazda....................................  Navajo.........................         21       7,702     2.7266
125 Ford Motor Co............................  Crown Victoria.................        188      69,279     2.7137
126 Ford Motor Co............................  Aerostar.......................        352     132,451     2.6576
127 General Motors...........................  Chevrolet Astro................        347     134,368     2.5825
128 Suzuki...................................  Swift..........................         41      15,960     2.5689
129 Ford Motor Co............................  Mercury Cougar.................        182      71,027     2.5624
130 General Motors...........................  GMC Safari.....................        115      44,960     2.5578
131 General Motors...........................  Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser.....         24       9,600     2.5000
132 Nissan...................................  Infiniti J30...................         51      20,696     2.4642
133 Ford Motor Co............................  Mercury Tracer.................        113      46,051     2.4538
134 General Motors...........................  Geo Prizm......................        265     108,000     2.4537
135 Ford Motor Co............................  Mercury Capri..................          9       3,683     2.4437
136 Volkswagen...............................  Jetta..........................        115      47,208     2.4360
137 General Motors...........................  Chevrolet S-10 Pickup..........        513     219,729     2.3347
138 Chrysler Corp............................  Dodge Stealth..................         39      17,795     2.1916
139 Ford Motor Co............................  Explorer.......................        742     340,293     2.1805
140 Toyota...................................  Lexus ES.......................         81      37,300     2.1716
141 Audi.....................................  S4.............................          1         463     2.1598
142 Subaru...................................  Legacy.........................         64      30,301     2.1121
143 General Motors...........................  Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme.....        233     110,556     2.1075
144 Chrysler Corp............................  Intrepid.......................        269     130,604     2.0597
145 General Motors...........................  Saturn SC......................        115      56,258     2.0442
146 General Motors...........................  Ssturn SL......................        363     180,462     2.0115
147 Chrysler Corp............................  Dodge Dakota Pickup............        206     102,490     2.0100
148 General Motors...........................  Cadillac Deville/Sixty Special.        226     114,052     1.9816
149 General Motors...........................  Chevrolet C-1500 Pickup........        574     290,265     1.9775
150 General Motors...........................  Pontiac Bonneville.............        154      80,157     1.9212
151 Ford Motor Co............................  Mercury Grand Marquis..........        179      95,074     1.8827
152 Jaguar...................................  XJS............................          8       4,461     1.7933
153 General Motors...........................  Chevrolet Caprice..............        147      83,655     1.7572
154 General Motors...........................  Pontiac Grand Prix.............        234     133,664     1.7507
155 Mazda....................................  B Series Pickup................        141      81,636     1.7272
156 Nissan...................................  Quest..........................         69      42,575     1.6207
157 Toyota...................................  MR2............................          1         620     1.6129
158 Volvo....................................  850............................         70      44,241     1.5822
159 Toyota...................................  T100 Pickup Truck..............         21      13,300     1.5789

[[Page 10428]]
                                                                                                                
160 Volksqagen...............................  Golf III/GTI...................         19      12,394     1.5330
161 Audi.....................................  100............................          7       4,691     1.4922
162 Chrysler Corp............................  Concorde.......................        100      70,394     1.4206
163 General Motors...........................  Oldsmobile 88 Royale...........        104      74,702     1.3922
164 Mercedes-Benz............................  202 (C-Class)..................         24      17,379     1.3810
165 General Motors...........................  Cadillac Eldorado..............         33      23,918     1.3797
166 General Motors...........................  Cadillac Seville...............         57      41,712     1.3665
167 Aidi.....................................  90.............................          4       2,943     1.3592
168 Subaru...................................  Impreza........................         12       9,067     1.3235
169 SAAB.....................................  9000...........................          7       5,334     1.3123
170 General Motors...........................  Buick Regal....................        102      78,549     1.2986
171 Chrysler Corp............................  Eagle Summit...................         35      26,982     1.2972
172 Chrysler Corp............................  Eagle Vision...................         28      21,999     1.2728
173 SAAB.....................................  900............................         16      12,734     1.2565
174 Ford Motor Co............................  Ranger Pickup..................        512     418,737     1.2227
175 General Motors...........................  GMC Sonoma.....................        117      97,411     1.2011
176 General Motors...........................  GMC Sierra 1500 Pickup.........        185     159,649     1.1588
177 General Motors...........................  Oldsmobile 98/Touring..........         28      24,909     1.1241
178 General Motors...........................  Buick Lesabre..................        148     149,211     0.9919
179 Subaru...................................  Loyale.........................          3       3,430     0.8746
180 General Motors...........................  Saturn SW......................         14      16,415     0.8529
181 Chrysler Corp............................  Dodge Viper....................          2       2,365     0.8457
182 Subaru...................................  Justy..........................          2       2,391     0.8365
183 General Motors...........................  Buick Roadmaster...............         28      34,970     0.8007
184 General Motors...........................  Buick Park Avenue..............         48      61,194     0.7844
185 Jaguar...................................  XJ6............................          1       1,452     0.6887
186 Ford Motor Co............................  E150 Van.......................         51      76,347     0.6680
187 Ford Motor Co............................  Mercury Villager (MPV).........         36      54,094     0.6655
188 Chrysler Corp............................  Dodge Colt/Colt Vista..........         16      26,083     0.6134
189 Chrysler Corp............................  Plymouth Colt/Colt Vista.......         11      18,172     0.6053
190 Ford Motor Co............................  F150 Pickup Truck..............        237     437,219     0.5421
191 Alfa Romeo...............................  Spider.........................          0         187     0.0000
192 Lotus....................................  Espirit........................          0         211     0.0000
193 Ferrari..................................  348............................          0         430     0.0000
194 General Motors...........................  GMC Rally Sportuan.............          0         726     0.0000
195 Lamborghini..............................  DIablo.........................          0          66     0.0000
196 Rolls-Royce..............................  Turbo R........................          0          31     0.0000
197 Rolls-Royce..............................  Corniche/Continental...........          0          80     0.0000
198 Rolls-Royce..............................  Sil Spirit/Spur/Muls/Eight.....          0         108     0.0000
199 Rolls-Royce..............................  Brooklands.....................          0          58     0.0000
200 Audi.....................................  V8.............................          0          17     0.0000
201 Volkswagen...............................  Eurovan........................          0          15     0.0000
202 Alfa Romeo...............................  164............................          0         362     0.0000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



    Issued on: March 8, 1996.
Barry Felrice,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 96-6024 Filed 3-12-96; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-M