[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 5, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 28560-28561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14144]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 571

[Docket No. 91-68; Notice 06]
RIN 2127-AC54


Consumer Information Regulations; Vehicle Rollover Stability 
Label

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

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: This notice reopens the comment period for a notice of 
proposed rulemaking published June 28, 1994, regarding a rollover 
stability label for light vehicles. The comment period for this 
proposed rulemaking action closed on October 21, 1994. Since that time, 
the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has published a study of 
consumer needs for automotive safety information. NHTSA would like 
public comments on the NAS study and how that study should be reflected 
in NHTSA's rulemaking decisions on requirements for rollover stability 
labeling. Accordingly, the agency is reopening the comment period for 
an additional 60 days.

DATES: Comments must be received by August 5, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to Docket No. 91-68; Notice 5 and be 
submitted to: Docket Section, Room 5109, National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. 
(Docket hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For labeling issues: Stephen R. 
Kratzke, Office of Safety Performance Standards, NPS-31, NHTSA, 400 
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Mr. Kratzke can be reached 
by telephone at (202) 366-5203 or by fax at (202) 366-4329.
    For general rollover issues: Gayle Dalrymple, Office of Safety 
Performance Standards, NPS-20, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Dalrymple can be reached by telephone at 
(202) 366-5559 or by fax at (202) 366-4329.
    For legal issues: Stephen P. Wood, Assistant Chief Counsel for 
Rulemaking, NCC-20, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20590. Mr. Wood can be reached by telephone at (202) 366-2992 or by fax 
at (202) 366-3820.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NHTSA currently requires that sport utility 
vehicles with a wheelbase of 110 inches or less have a prominent label 
advising drivers that these vehicles are less stable than passenger 
cars and more likely to roll over during abrupt maneuvers. 49 CFR 
575.105. On June 28, 1994 (59 FR 33254), NHTSA published a notice 
proposing to supplement the existing requirement for a rollover label 
with another label. This proposed additional rollover stability label 
would be required on all passenger cars, trucks, and multipurpose 
passenger vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 10,000 pounds 
or less. The comment period for this proposal was scheduled to close on 
August 29, 1994. However, NHTSA extended the comment period so that it 
closed October 21, 1994; 59 FR 44121, August 26, 1994. NHTSA received 
70 comments to its docket for the proposed additional labeling 
requirements.
    During this comment period, Congress enacted the Department of 
Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1995 (P.L. 103-
331; September 30, 1994). In that Act, Congress gave NHTSA funds ``for 
a study to be conducted by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of 
motor vehicle safety consumer information needs and the most cost 
effective methods of communicating this information.'' The Act directed 
NAS to complete its study by March 31, 1996. The Act also included the 
following language: ``In order to ensure that the results of the study 
are considered in the rulemaking process, the conferees agree that 
NHTSA shall not issue a final regulation concerning motor vehicle 
safety labeling requirements until after the NAS study is completed.'' 
As a result of this language, NHTSA deferred

[[Page 28561]]

action on its proposed expanded vehicle rollover stability labeling 
until the NAS study was done.
    The NAS study was completed and released to the public on March 26, 
1996. It is titled ``Shopping for Safety--Providing Consumer Automotive 
Safety Information,'' TRB Special Report 248. Copies of this study are 
available in NHTSA Docket No. 91-68; Notice 4. NHTSA's Docket Section 
can be reached by telephone at (202)366-4949.
    NHTSA is reviewing its proposal for rollover stability labeling in 
light of this NAS report. To aid the agency in this effort, NHTSA would 
like public comments on the NAS study and how that study should be 
reflected in NHTSA's rulemaking decisions on requirements for rollover 
stability labeling. The agency would also like up-to-date comments on 
the issues raised in its 1994 proposal. In light of the NAS study, 
NHTSA is also considering improvements to the existing sport utility 
vehicle label to enhance the effectiveness of that label. NHTSA 
welcomes any views and suggestions commenters may have on this issue. 
NHTSA is also interested in comments on whether the agency should 
extend its existing label to cover vehicle groups in addition to sport 
utility vehicles. It would also be helpful to learn if important 
additional information has become available since the original comment 
period closed. To obtain comments on these subjects, NHTSA is reopening 
the comment period for this rulemaking action for an additional 60 
days.
    In this reopened comment period, it is not necessary for commenters 
to resubmit views and information that have been expressed in previous 
comments. NHTSA will consider all of the comments it has already 
received.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30117; delegations of authority at 49 CFR 
1.50 and 49 CFR 501.8.

    Issued on May 31, 1996.
Barry Felrice,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 96-14144 Filed 5-31-96; 4:38 pm]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P