[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 92 (Friday, May 10, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21528-21529]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-11748]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[NHTSA Docket No. 96-042-No1]


Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey (II)

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments on data collection.

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SUMMARY: NHTSA's purpose in conducting this survey is to assist the 
Agency in fulfilling its Congressional mandate to reduce the injuries, 
fatalities, and economic loss resulting from motor vehicle crashes. 
There is overwhelming evidence that the regular and proper use of 
safety devices such as safety belts, child safety seats, and helmets is 
effective in reducing injuries and fatalities in vehicle crashes. It 
is, therefore, important that effective strategies be developed to 
promote the use of such devices. To understand how best to encourage 
use of these safety devices, NHTSA needs up-to-date information on the 
patterns of their use and reasons for non-use by the public. By 
collecting these data, NHTSA will be able to determine where its 
efforts should be targeted and where new strategies may be needed.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 28, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration, Docket Section, Room 5111, Docket # 96-042-No1, 
400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Alan Block, Contracting Officer's 
Technical Representative, Office of Program Development and Evaluation 
(NTS-31), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh 
Street, S.W., Room 6240, Washington, D.C. 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was 
established to reduce the mounting number of deaths, injuries and 
economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes on the Nation's 
highways. As part of this statutory mandate, NHTSA is authorized to 
conduct research as a foundation for the development of motor vehicle 
standards and traffic safety programs.
    During the late 1960s and early 1970s, more than 50,000 persons 
were killed each year in motor vehicle crashes in the United States. 
Diverse approaches were taken to address the problem. Vehicle safety 
designs and features were improved; restraint devices were improved; 
safety behaviors were mandated in state legislation (including safety 
belt use, child safety seat use, and motorcycle helmet use); alcohol-
related legislation was enacted; this legislation was enforced; public 
information and education activities were widely implemented; and 
roadways were improved.
    As a result of these interventions and improvements, crash 
fatalities dropped significantly. By 1994, total fatalities had fallen 
to 40,676, representing a 20% decline from 1966. In addition, the 
resident population and the number of vehicle miles traveled increased 
greatly over the past 25 years. When fatality rates are computed per 
100,000 population, the rate for 1994 (15.62) was more than 40 percent 
lower than the 1966 rate (26.02). In sum, heightened highway safety 
activity conducted over the past two decades corresponds with major 
strides in reducing traffic fatalities.
    Remaining barriers to safety will be more resistant to programmatic 
influences now that the easy gains have already been accomplished. Up-
to-date information is essential to plot the direction of future 
activity that will

[[Page 21529]]

achieve the more difficult gains in the coming years.
    In order to collect the critical information needed by NHTSA to 
develop and implement effective countermeasures that meet the Agency's 
mandate to improve highway traffic safety, NHTSA conducted its first 
Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey in 1994. The survey included 
questions related to safety belts, child safety seats, airbags, 
bicyclist safety, pedestrian safety, motorcyclist safety, and Emergency 
Medical Services. It also contained small segments on alcohol use and 
on speeding.
    The proposed survey is the second Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety 
Survey. The survey will collect data on topics included in the first 
(1994) survey and will monitor changes over time in the use of occupant 
protection measures and in attitudes related to vehicle occupant 
safety. It is important that NHTSA monitor these changes so that the 
Agency can determine the effects of its efforts to promote the use of 
safety devices and to identify areas where its efforts should be 
targeted and where new strategies may be needed. NHTSA is also 
exploring some additional topics related to issues identified since the 
previous survey, particularly regarding airbags and children, that have 
important public safety implications.

II. Method of Data Collection

    The survey will be conducted by telephone among a national 
probability sample of 8,000 adults (age 16 and older). Participation by 
respondents is voluntary. NHTSA's information needs require safety belt 
and child safety seat sections too large to merge into a single survey 
instrument without producing an inordinate burden on respondents. 
Rather than reduce these sections, the survey instrument will be 
divided into two series of modules. Each module will be administered to 
one-half the total number of subjects to be interviewed. Module Series 
#1 of the questionnaire will focus on safety belts and include smaller 
sections on airbags, motorcyclist safety, general driving (including 
speed), and crash experience. Module Series #2 will focus on child 
safety seats, accompanied by smaller sections on bicyclist safety and 
Emergency Medical Services. Both series will contain sections on 
drinking and driving because of the extensive impact of alcohol on the 
highway safety problem. Some basic safety belt questions contained in 
Module Series #1 will be duplicated on Module Series #2. (Some topics 
may be changed from one series to the other in the final 
questionnaires.)
    The interviewers will use computer-assisted telephone interviewing 
to reduce interview length and minimize recording errors. A Spanish-
language translation and bilingual interviewers will be used to 
minimize language barriers to participation. The survey will be 
anonymous and confidential.

III. Use of Findings

    The findings of this study will assist NHTSA in addressing the 
problem of motor vehicle occupant safety and in formulating programs 
and recommendations to Congress. NHTSA will use the findings to: (a) 
Identify areas to target current programs and activities to achieve the 
greatest benefit; (b) develop new programs and initiatives aimed at 
increasing the use of occupant safety devices by the general public; 
and (c) provide informational support to States and localities in their 
traffic safety efforts. The findings will also be used directly by 
State and local highway safety and law enforcement agencies in the 
development and implementation of effective countermeasures to prevent 
injuries and fatalities to vehicle occupants.

IV. Data

OMB Number: None
Form Number: None
Type of Review: Regular Submission
Affected Public: The population of the United States age 16 and older 
living in households with telephones.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 8000
Estimated Time Per Respondent: 20 minutes
Estimated Total Burden: 2667 hours
Estimated Total Cost: $46.97 per survey respondent

V. Requests for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including the hours and cost) of the proposed collection of 
information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of 
the collection of information on respondents, including through the use 
of automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for approval by the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) of this information collection. Copies of all comments 
will be placed in Docket 96-042, Notice 1, in the NHTSA Docket Section 
in Room 5109, Nassif Building, 400 7th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 
20590, and will become a matter of public record.
James H. Hedlund,
Associate Administrator for Traffic Safety Programs.
[FR Doc. 96-11748 Filed 5-9-96; 8:45 am]
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