[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 72 (Tuesday, April 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18333-18334]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9696]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION


Proposed Collection; Comment Request--All-Terrain Vehicle 
Exposure Survey

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission requests comments 
on a proposed survey to determine consumer exposure to the hazards 
associated with the use of All-Terrain Vehicles. All-Terrain Vehicles 
(``ATVs'') are three- and four-wheeled motorized vehicles, generally 
characterized by large, low-pressure tires, a seat designed to be 
straddled by the operator, and handlebars for steering, which are 
intended for off-road use by an individual rider on various types of 
non-paved terrain. (Three-wheeled ATVs were last made in the late 
1980s.) If conducted, the survey would seek information such as the 
characteristics of ATV users, the types of ATVs in use, the amount of 
time ATVs are used and the various types of ATV usage. The Commission 
will consider all comments received in response to this notice before 
requesting approval of this collection of information from the Office 
of Management and Budget.

DATES: Written comments must be received by the Office of the Secretary 
not later than June 16, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be captioned ``All-Terrain Vehicle 
Exposure Survey'' and mailed to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer 
Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207, or delivered to that 
office, room 502, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland. Written 
comments may also be sent to the Office of the Secretary by facsimile 
at (301) 504-0127 or by e-mail at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the proposed 
collection of information, or to obtain a copy of the questionnaire to 
be used for this collection of information, call or write Gregory B. 
Rodgers, Ph.D., Directorate for Economic Analysis, Consumer Product 
Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207; (301) 504-0962, Ext. 1330.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    In the mid-1980s, the Commission learned of a rapidly growing 
number of deaths and injuries--particularly to children under 16 years 
old--involving ATVs. ATV sales had increased dramatically during that 
time, including more than a tripling of sales between 1980 and 1985. 
Most of the ATVs produced during that period were three-wheeled 
vehicles.
    After studying ATVs, the Commission issued an Advance Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking (``ANPR'') in May 1985 (50 FR 23139). In December 
1987, the Department of Justice, at the Commission's request, filed a 
lawsuit in federal district court under section 12 of the Consumer 
Product Safety Act against five major distributors of ATVs. (United 
States v. American Honda Motor Co., et al., Civ. No. 87-3525 (D.D.C., 
filed Dec. 30, 1987).) The lawsuit, filed simultaneously with a 
Preliminary Consent Decree, sought a declaration by the court that ATVs 
constituted an ``imminent hazard'' and requested certain remedial 
relief. The matter was settled with the court's approval of a Final 
Consent Decree on April 28, 1988, and the Commission subsequently 
withdrew the ANPR (56 FR 47166).
    The Consent Decree has been successful in a number of areas, 
including stopping the sale of three-wheel ATVs and requiring dealer 
compliance with rider age requirements at the point of sale. However, 
the overall success of this and other Commission actions is ultimately 
determined by their impact on consumer safety. While injuries and 
deaths associated with ATVs declined in the late 1980s, the annual 
figures have plateaued since then.
    The Commission's most recent data show that, after gradually 
declining from an estimated 347 deaths in 1986, the number of deaths 
associated with ATVs has stabilized at an average of roughly 240 
annually from 1990 to 1994. The risk of death per 10,000 four-wheeled 
ATVs in use has remained relatively constant at roughly .8 since 1991, 
after gradually dropping to that level from a previous high of 1.5 in 
1985.
    The estimated number of injuries has shown a similar trend. After 
gradually declining from an estimated 108,000 injuries in 1986, the 
number of injuries has stabilized at an average of about 62,000 from 
1990 to 1995. Approximately 40% of all deaths and injuries occur to 
children under 16.
    The Consent Decree expires in April 1998. Therefore, the Commission 
must decide what, if any, action should be taken to address the deaths 
and injuries associated with ATVs after that date.
    An ATV exposure survey would provide information on the 
characteristics and use patterns of the general population of ATV 
riders, and the ATVs they use. This information would be compared to 
earlier ATV exposure surveys conducted in 1986 and 1989 to evaluate 
changes over the last decade. Additionally, in combination with a 
planned injury survey, the exposure survey would provide information to 
quantify ATV risk patterns.

B. Estimated Burden

    The exposure survey would be conducted by a contractor by either a 
mail panel methodology or a probability sample using random-digit-
dialing (``RDD'') methods. A mail panel would permit the Commission to 
obtain a sample size of approximately 1,000 completed interviews with 
ATV users. If

[[Page 18334]]

RDD methods were used, the sample size objective would be 500 completed 
interviews instead of 1,000 because of the small percentage of 
households that have ATVs (only two to three percent of households). 
This smaller sample for the RDD method would be done to keep the cost 
of the survey to a reasonable level and still provide reliable 
statistical results.
    Thus, the Commission staff estimates that the number of interviews 
would range from about 500 (RDD) to 1,000 (mail panel). The length of 
each interview would be approximately 20 minutes. Therefore, the total 
burden hours for respondents would be about 165 hours (500 x .33 hrs.) 
for the RDD survey or about 330 hours (1000  x  .33 hrs.) for the mail 
panel.
    The Commission staff estimates the costs of the time to respond to 
this collection of information at $12 an hour. This is the average 
hourly wage for all private industry workers reported by the U.S. 
Bureau of the Census in the 1996 edition of the Statistical Abstract of 
the United States. At this valuation, the estimated cost of this survey 
to the public would be about $1,980 (165 hours X $12/hour) to $3,960 
(330 hours  x  $12/hour).
    The Commission staff estimates that this collection of information 
would require approximately 18 weeks of professional staff time. That 
estimate includes five weeks to negotiate contracts, and to prepare 
questionnaires, interviewer guidelines, and other instruments and 
instructions used to collect the information. After the information 
collection, an additional 13 weeks would be required to edit and 
analyze the data and write the reports. Based on the average 
professional level, the 18 weeks of staff time would be valued at 
approximately $30,000.

C. Requests for Comments

    The Commission solicits written comments from all interested 
persons about the proposed survey. The Commission specifically solicits 
information about the hourly burden and monetary costs imposed by this 
collection of information. The Commission also seeks information 
relevant to the following topics:

     Whether the exposure survey described above is 
necessary for the proper performance of the Commission's functions;
     Whether the information would have practical utility 
for the Commission;
     Whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected could be enhanced; and
     Whether the burden imposed by the collection of 
information could be minimized by use of automated, electronic or 
other technological collection techniques, or other forms of 
information technology.

    Dated: April 10, 1997.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 97-9696 Filed 4-14-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P