[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 50 (Monday, March 16, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12858-12859]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6630]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[U.S. DOT Docket No. NHTSA-98-3337]


Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping Requirements

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

ACTION: Request for public comment on proposed collection of 
information.

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SUMMARY: Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from 
the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB). Under new procedures established by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies 
must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, 
including extensions and reinstatements of previously approved 
collections.
    This document describes one collection of information for which 
NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 15, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to U.S. Department of 
Transportation Dockets, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Plaza 401, 
Washington, D.C. 20590. Docket No. NHTSA-98-3337.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB 
for approval, it must publish a document in the Federal Register 
providing a 60-day comment period and otherwise consult with members of 
the public and affected agencies concerning each proposed collection of 
information. The OMB has promulgated regulations describing what must 
be included in such a document. Under OMB's regulations (at 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)), an agency must ask for public comment on the following:
    (i) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    (ii) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (iii) how to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (iv) how to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.
    In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks public comment on 
the following proposed collection of information:

1998 Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey

    Type of Request--New information collection requirement.
    OMB Clearance Number--None.
    Form Number--This collection of information uses no standard forms.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval--December 31, 1999.
    Summary of the Collection of Information--NHTSA proposes to conduct 
a 1998 Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey by telephone among a 
national probability sample of 8,000 adults (age 16 and older). 
Participation by respondents would be voluntary. NHTSA's information 
needs require seat 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 proposed 
survey instrument would be divided into two series of modules. Each 
module would be administered to one-half the total number of subjects 
to be interviewed. Module Series #1 of the questionnaire would focus on 
seat belts and include smaller sections on air bags, motorcyclist 
safety, and general driving (including speed). Module Series #2 would 
focus on child safety seats, accompanied by smaller sections on 
bicyclist safety and Emergency Medical Services. Both series would 
contain sections on crash injury experience, and on drinking and 
driving because of the extensive impact of alcohol on the highway 
safety problem. Some basic seat belt questions contained in Module 
Series #1 would be duplicated on Module Series #2.
    In conducting the proposed survey, the interviewers would use 
computer-assisted telephone interviewing to reduce interview length and 
minimize recording errors. A Spanish-language translation and bilingual 
interviewers would be used to minimize language barriers to 
participation. The proposed survey would be anonymous and confidential.
    Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the 
Information--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 seat 
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 1996, total fatalities had fallen 
to 41,907, representing an 18% decline from 1966. In addition, the 
resident population and the number of vehicle miles traveled increased 
greatly over the past 30 years. When fatality rates are computed per 
100,000 population, the rate for 1996 (15.80) was about 40 percent 
lower than the 1966 rate (26.02). In sum, heightened highway safety 
activity conducted over the past three decades corresponds with

[[Page 12859]]

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. 
Moreover, crash fatalities have been edging higher since dropping to 
slightly under 40,000 in 1992, indicating that significant effort will 
be needed just to preserve the gains that already have been made. Up-
to-date information is essential to plot the direction of future 
activity that will achieve reductions in crash injuries and fatalities 
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 seat belts, child safety seats, air bags, 
bicyclist safety, motorcyclist safety, and Emergency Medical Services. 
It also contained small segments on alcohol use and on speeding. The 
survey was repeated in 1996, with the survey instrument updated to 
incorporate emergent issues and items of increased interest.
    The proposed survey is the third Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety 
Survey. The survey would collect data on topics included in the 
preceding surveys and would monitor changes over time in the use of 
occupant protection devices 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. As in 1996, NHTSA 
proposes to make a small number of revisions to the survey instrument 
to address new information needs.
    If approved, the proposed survey would assist NHTSA in addressing 
the problem of motor vehicle occupant safety and in formulating 
programs and recommendations to Congress. The results of the proposed 
survey would be used 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 
would 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.
    Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number, 
and Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of Information)--
Under this proposed effort, a telephone interview averaging 
approximately 20 minutes in length would be administered to each of 
8,000 randomly selected members of the general public age 16 and older 
in telephone households. The respondent sample would be selected from 
all 50 states plus the District of Columbia. Interviews would be 
conducted with persons at residential phone numbers selected through 
random digit dialing. Businesses are ineligible for the sample and 
would not be interviewed. No more than one respondent would be selected 
per household. Each member of the sample would complete one interview.
    Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Record Keeping Burden 
Resulting from the Collection of Information--NHTSA estimates that each 
respondent in the sample would require an average of 20 minutes to 
complete the telephone interview. Thus, the number of estimated 
reporting burden hours a year on the general public (8,000 respondents 
multiplied by 1 interview multiplied by 20 minutes) would be 2667 for 
the proposed survey. The respondents would not incur any reporting cost 
from the information collection. The respondents also would not incur 
any record keeping burden or record keeping cost from the information 
collection.
James Nichols,
Acting Associate Administrator for Traffic Safety Programs.
[FR Doc. 98-6630 Filed 3-13-98; 8:45 am]
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