[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 79 (Monday, April 26, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 20209-20210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10318]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Parts 571 and 575

[Docket No. NHTSA-98-3381, Notice 3]
RIN 2127-AG53


Consumer Information Regulations; Utility Vehicle Label

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

ACTION: Clarification of compliance date.

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SUMMARY: This document relates to a final rule that amended the 
rollover warning currently required for small and mid-sized utility 
vehicles, to require a new label that uses graphics, bright colors, and 
short bulleted text messages. The final rule also required the 
inclusion in the owners' manuals of these vehicles of additional 
information related to rollover risks. The effective date for the final 
rule is September 1, 1999. The mandatory compliance date for the rule 
(i.e., the date on which manufacturers must begin complying with the 
amendments) is also September 1, 1999.
    We typically include language in our regulations, when appropriate, 
to permit manufacturers the option of complying with new requirements 
before the compliance date of those requirements. However, we 
inadvertently omitted such language from the above-mentioned rulemaking 
document. Today's document corrects this oversight and announces the 
date on which it is permissible for manufacturers to begin voluntarily 
producing warning labels and owner's manuals that comply with the new 
requirements.

DATES: The effective date of the final rule published March 9, 1999 (64 
FR 11724) remains September 1, 1999. The mandatory compliance date of 
that final rule is also September 1, 1999, however, voluntary 
compliance with the final rule is allowed as of April 26, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The following persons at the National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20590:

For labeling issues: Mary Versailles, Office of Planning and Consumer 
Programs, NPS-31, telephone (202) 366-2057, facsimile (202) 366-4329
For legal issues: Nicole Fradette, Office of Chief Counsel, NCC-20, 
telephone (202) 366-2992, facsimile (202) 366-3820


[[Page 20210]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 9, 1999 (64 FR 11724), we published 
a final rule amending the rollover warning label and owners' manual 
requirements for small and midsize utility vehicles (utility vehicles 
with a wheelbase of 110 inches or less).1 The rule requires 
a new label that uses graphics, bright colors, and short bulleted text 
messages in place of the current, text-only warning label containing a 
paragraph of information. The rule also requires that additional 
information related to rollover risks be included in the owners' 
manuals of these utility vehicles. In addition, the final rule amended 
the air bag warning label requirements in Standard No. 208, Occupant 
crash protection, to allow the utility vehicle rollover warning label 
and the air bag warning label to be placed on the same side of the sun 
visor. The mandatory compliance date for the rule is September 1, 1999.
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    \1\ ``Utility vehicles'' are defined in 49 CFR Part 575 as 
multipurpose passenger vehicles (other than those which are 
passenger car derivatives) with a wheelbase of 110 inches or less 
and with special features for off-road operation. 49 CFR 575.105. 
These vehicles (regardless of wheelbase) are commonly referred to as 
sport utility vehicles in the media.
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    In our final rules, we normally discuss the issue of whether 
vehicles or equipment manufactured before the compliance date for new 
requirements may comply with those new requirements in lieu of 
complying with the existing requirements. However, in the rule 
establishing the upgraded requirements for the rollover warning label 
and owners' manual information requirements, we inadvertently omitted 
any discussion of early voluntary compliance. To correct that 
oversight, this document makes it clear that manufacturers of utility 
vehicles with a wheelbase of 110 inches or less may comply with the 
upgraded requirements in advance of the September 1, 1999, mandatory 
compliance date without violating any other provisions of 49 CFR 
575.105, Vehicle rollover, 49 CFR 571.208, Occupant crash protection, 
or 49 U.S.C. 30101 et seq. (formerly the National Traffic and Motor 
Vehicle Safety Act). Any manufacturer choosing to comply with the new 
rule before September 1, 1999, must comply with the new rule in its 
entirety (i.e., they must comply with the new owners' manual 
information requirements as well as with the new, improved labeling 
requirements).
    We find good cause to make voluntary compliance with the final rule 
published March 9, 1999 (64 FR 11724) effective upon publication of 
this document. This document does not impose any additional 
responsibilities on any vehicle manufacturer. Instead, it corrects an 
oversight in the rule of March 9, 1999. This document merely clarifies 
that manufacturers which wish to produce rollover warning labels and 
owner's manuals that comply with the upgraded requirements of 49 CFR 
575.105 and 49 CFR 571.208 before September 1, 1999, may do so.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117 and 30166; 
delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50.

    Issued on: April 20, 1999.
L. Robert Shelton,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 99-10318 Filed 4-23-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P