[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 115 (Monday, June 16, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 32676]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15710]



[[Page 32676]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. 91-53; Notice 06]


Insurer Reporting Requirements; Reports on Section 612 of the 
Motor Vehicle Theft Law Enforcement Act of 1984

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces publication by NHTSA of three reports. 
Section 612(b) of Title VI of the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost 
Savings Act (MVICSA, Pub. L. 93-513) requires this information be 
periodically compiled and published by the agency in a form that will 
be helpful to the public, the law enforcement community, and Congress. 
The three reports are for reporting years 1989, 1990 and 1991. These 
reports cover Section 612 which provides information on theft and 
recovery of vehicles; rating rules and plans used by motor vehicle 
insurers to reduce premiums due to a reduction in motor vehicle thefts; 
and actions taken by insurers to assist in deterring thefts.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons may obtain a copy of the Section 612 
informational report by contacting the Docket Section, Room 5109, 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, 
S.W., Washington, DC 20590. Docket hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 
p.m, Monday through Friday. Requests should refer to Docket No. 91-53; 
Notice 06.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Motor Vehicle Theft Law Enforcement Act 
of 1984 (Theft Act) was implemented to enhance detection and 
prosecution of motor vehicle theft (Pub. L. 98-547). The Theft Act 
added a new Title VI to the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings 
Act, which required the Secretary of Transportation to issue a theft 
prevention standard for identifying major parts of certain high-theft 
lines of passenger cars. The Act also addressed several other actions 
to reduce motor vehicle theft, such as: increased criminal penalties 
for those who traffic in stolen vehicles and parts; curtailment of the 
exportation of stolen motor vehicles and off-highway mobile equipment; 
establishment of penalties for dismantling vehicles for the purpose of 
trafficking in stolen parts; and development of ways to encourage 
decreases in premiums charged to consumers for motor vehicle theft 
insurance.
    Title VI was designed to impede the theft of motor vehicles by 
creating a theft prevention standard which required manufacturers of 
designated high-theft car lines to mark or inscribe them with a vehicle 
identification number. The theft standard became effective in Model 
Year 1987 for designated high-theft car lines.
    The ``Anti-Car Theft Act of 1992'' amended the law relating to the 
parts-marking of major component parts on designated high-theft 
vehicles. One amendment made by the Anti-Car Theft Act was to 49 U.S.C. 
33101(10), where the definition of ``passenger motor vehicle'' now 
includes a ``multipurpose passenger vehicle or light-duty truck when 
that vehicle or truck is rated at not more than 6,000 pounds gross 
vehicle weight.'' Since ``passenger motor vehicle'' was previously 
defined to include passenger cars only, the effect of the Anti-Car 
Theft Act is that certain multipurpose passenger vehicle (MPV) and 
light-duty truck (LDT) lines may be determined to be high-theft 
vehicles subject to the Federal motor vehicle theft prevention standard 
(49 CFR Part 541).
    Section 612 of the Theft Act requires subject insurers or 
designated agents to report annually to the agency on theft and 
recovery of vehicles; rating rules and plans used by insurers to reduce 
premiums due to a reduction in motor vehicle thefts; and actions taken 
by insurers to assist in deterring thefts. Rental and leasing companies 
also are required to provide annual theft reports to the agency.
    The annual insurer reports provided under Section 612 of the Theft 
Act are intended to aid in implementing the Theft Act and fulfilling 
the Department's requirements to report to the public the results of 
the insurer reports. The first annual insurer reports, referred to as 
the Section 612 Report on Motor Vehicle Theft, was prepared by the 
agency and issued in December 1987. A notice announcing the 
availability of the first report was published in the Federal Register 
on February 19, 1988. The report included theft and recovery data by 
vehicle type, make, line, and model which were tabulated by insurance 
companies and, rental and leasing companies. Comprehensive premium 
information for each of the reporting insurance companies was also 
included. The fifth, sixth and seventh reports disclose the same 
subject information and follow the same reporting format.

    Issued on: June 9, 1997.
L. Robert Shelton,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 97-15710 Filed 6-13-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P