[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 9, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15860-15861]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-8714]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. 96-027, Notice 01]


Nationwide Survey Regarding Speeding and Other Unsafe Driving 
Actions

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments on data collection.

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SUMMARY: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 
plays a key role in the national effort to reduce motor vehicle related 
traffic injuries and deaths. Speeding has been implicated as a causal 
factor in about one-third of all fatal motor vehicle crashes. The 
objective of this study is to develop and implement a nationwide survey 
of the driving public to determine: (1) the characteristics of drivers 
who speed or do not obey traffic signals or stop signs; (2) the 
situations and driver motivations that accompany these unsafe 
behaviors; (3) the public's attitudes regarding speed limits, including 
the National Maximum Speed Limit (NMSL), and the enforcement of these 
limits; and (4) countermeasures the public would support to reduce 
these unsafe driving actions. Major components of this study include 
the development and administration of a driver survey among a national 
probability sample of 6,000 adult drivers. Current data on these issues 
do not exist. NHTSA invites the general public and other Federal 
agencies to comment on the need for the

[[Page 15861]]
proposed data collection, the types of questions that respondents 
should be asked, ways to enhance data quality and utility, and ways to 
minimize the burden of the data collection as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 10, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to NHTSA, Docket Section, Room 
5111, Docket #96-027-N01, 400 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marvin M. Levy, Ph.D., Contracting 
Officer's Technical Representative, Office of Program Development and 
Evaluation (NTS-30), Washington, DC 20590, Phone Number (202) 366-5597.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Speeding--exceeding the posted speed limit or driving too fast for 
conditions--is a prevalent factor contributing to crashes. In 1994, 
speed was a factor in 30 percent of all fatal crashes and more than 
12,000 lives were lost in speed related crashes. The economic cost of 
speed related crashes to society is estimated by NHTSA to be more than 
23 billion dollars per year. Recently, the NMSL was rescinded and 
several states now permit higher speed limits. Other unsafe driving 
behaviors--``running'' red traffic lights and stop signs--contribute to 
crashes.
    NHTSA is committed to the development of effective programs to 
reduce the number of deaths and injuries related to speeding and other 
unsafe driving behaviors. The objective of this study is to develop and 
implement a nationwide survey of the driving public to determine: (1) 
the characteristics of drivers who speed and do not obey traffic 
signals or stop signs; (2) the situations and driver motivations that 
accompany these unsafe behaviors; (3) the public's attitudes regarding 
speed limits, including the NMSL, and the enforcement of these limits; 
and (4) countermeasures the public would support to reduce the 
occurrence of these unsafe driving actions.

II. Method of Data Collection

    Data will be collected voluntarily and anonymously from a national 
probability sample of 6,000 adult drivers. Each respondent contacted 
will be interviewed with the same questionnaire. Bilingual interviewers 
will be employed and a Spanish version of the questionnaire will be 
prepared to increase participation by potential respondents. 
Interviewers will use computer assisted telephone interviewing to 
reduce interview length and minimize recording errors.

III. Use of Findings

    The findings will provide better specification of the 
characteristics of drivers who speed and violate the law regarding 
traffic lights and stop signs; the situations in which such driving 
infractions commonly occur and, of these, those situations that drivers 
consider hazardous; the extent to which speed limits influence driving 
speeds; and the steps that safety officials and enforcement agencies 
might take to reduce speeding.
    The findings will be used to assist NHTSA in formulating programs 
and in preparing recommendations to Congress dealing with the problem 
of speeding. Additionally, findings will be used to support decision 
making by State and local highway safety agencies, law enforcement 
agencies, and citizen activist groups regarding the effective 
allocation of resources to address this problem. The data being sought 
will be instrumental in the development and targeting of 
countermeasures to reduce speeding and traffic signal and stop sign 
violations.

IV. Data

    OMB Number: None.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular Submission.
    Affected Public: The adult population of the United States living 
in households with telephones.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,000.
    Estimated Time Per Respondent: 20 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 2000 hours.
    Estimated Cost Per Respondent: $35.

V. Requests for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) the need for the proposed collection 
and the uses of the data to meet the objectives of the study, (b) the 
types of questions that should be asked of respondents, (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collected, 
(d) the accuracy of the burden estimate, and (e) ways to minimize the 
burden of the collection of information on the respondents.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection.
James H. Hedlund,
Associate Administrator for Traffic Safety Programs.
[FR Doc. 96-8714 Filed 4-8-96; 8:45 am]
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