[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 195 (Thursday, October 8, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54184-54185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27049]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[U.S. DOT Docket No. NHTSA-98-4440]


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 December 7, 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-98-4440.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. John Eberhard, 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, DC 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 
1230.8(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.
    According to the Paperwork Act of 1995, no persons are required to 
respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB 
control number. The valid OMB control number for this information 
collection will be published in the Federal Register after it is 
approved by the OMB.
    In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks public comment on 
the following proposed collection of information.

Older Persons' Driving and Transportation Issues

    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, 2000.
    Summary of the Collection of Information--NHTSA proposes to conduct 
a survey by telephone among a nationally representative sample of 3,220 
adults, including older adults. Participation by respondents would be 
voluntary. NHTSA's information needs require collection of information 
to assess the awareness of the American public concerning the mobility 
issues of seniors and establish benchmarks against which progress in 
improving seniors' safety and mobility can be assessed over time.
    In conducting the proposed survey, the interviewers would use 
computer-aided telephone interviewing (CATI) to reduce interview length 
and minimize recording errors. A Spanish-language translation and 
bilingual interviewers are proposed 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. The Department of 
Transportation, including NHTSA, has for years been extensively 
involved in work to support a safe transportation environment for the 
nation in general, and senior citizens in particular. In fact, NHTSA 
has had an older driver program since 1988. As the nation's population 
ages, the need for national-level data concerning the mobility needs of 
the elderly population has increased. To develop informed policy 
making, data are needed that not only measure current transportation 
practices and needs of the elderly population, but the role of the 
general public in (and their attitudes toward) providing transportation 
for the elderly who cannot--or should not--continue driving.
    So that Federal transportation policy makers, as well as 
professionals involved in the whole array of elderly issues, can make 
informed decisions concerning transportation policy (e.g., the 
allocation of resources, critical target audiences, etc.), a database 
that is easily accessible by such individuals is needed. Additionally, 
because the elderly population will continue to grow, and therefore so 
will the needs for alternatives to driving for this population segment, 
a database is needed that will serve as a benchmark against which to 
measure progress in meeting the mobility needs of the elderly.
    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 twenty minutes in length would be administered to each of 
3,220 randomly selected members of the general public aged sixteen and 
older in telephone households. The respondent sample would be selected 
from all fifty 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. There

[[Page 54185]]

would be only one interview per respondent.
    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 twenty minutes to 
complete the telephone interview. Thus, the number of estimated 
reporting burden hours a year on the general public (3,220 respondents 
multiplied by 1 interview multiplied by 20 minutes) would be 1,074 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.

    Issued on: October 2, 1998.
James Nichols,
Acting Associate Administrator for Traffic Safety Programs.
[FR Doc. 98-27049 Filed 10-7-98; 8:45 am]
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