[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 160 (Monday, August 19, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53839-53840]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-21028]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket Number NHTSA-2002-12908]


Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping Requirements

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

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 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 reinstatement 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 October 18, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Comments must refer to the docket notice numbers cited at 
the beginning of this notice and be submitted to Docket Management, 
Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Please 
identify the proposed collection of information for which a comment is 
provided, by referencing its OMB Control Number. It is requested, but 
not required, that 2 copies of the comment be provided. The Docket 
Section is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Complete copies of each request for 
collection of information may be obtained at no charge from Johanna 
Lowrie, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Room 5311, NPS-10, Washington, 
DC 20590. Mrs. Lowrie's telephone number is (202) 366-5269. Please 
identify the relevant collection of information by referring to its OMB 
Control Number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB 
for approval, it must first 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 regulation (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;
    (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., in submission of 
responses.
    In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks for public 
comments on the following proposed collections of information:
    Title: Vehicle Information for the General Public.
    OMB Control Number: 2127 New.
    Affected Public: Manufacturers that sell motor vehicles in the 
United States under 10,000 lbs.
    Abstract: NHTSA currently collects vehicle information through the 
Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (OVSC). This information collection 
is mandatory and is specific to Compliance requirements of certain 
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). The information 
collected by OVSC has been useful to the New Car Assessment Program 
(NCAP) in selecting vehicles for it's crash testing programs, but more 
information is needed. At the same time, the public's interest in 
vehicle information continues to grow. The public is interested not 
only in crash test results and other vehicle ratings, but is also 
interested in information on the benefit and availability of safety 
features. NHTSA also needs safety feature information when it attempts 
to analyze petitions for rulemaking asking the agency to mandate 
certain safety features.
    An example of the type of information we propose to collect 
includes: Specific advanced frontal air bags information that would 
include the number if air bag deployment stages; technologies air bag 
deployment is dependent upon; air bag on/off switch information; child 
restraint anchorages system information; seat belt information that 
would include

[[Page 53840]]

pretensioner, load limiters or other energy management systems for the 
seat belt, seat belt extenders and adjustable upper belt anchorages; 
dynamic head restraints; side air bag information that would include 
where the side air bag is mounted, what type of side bag is mounted and 
whether the side air bags meet the requirements of the recommendations 
of the Technical Working Group on Out of Position Occupants (TWG); 
Automatic Door Lock (ADL) information; crash avoidance information, 
anti-theft devices, and Static Stability Rating (SSF) information.
    NHTSA will use this information on the NHTSA web site, in the 
``Buying a Safer Car'' and ``Buying a Safer Car for Child Passengers'' 
brochures, other consumer publications, as well as internally for 
benefit analysis. NHTSA plans on making this burden easier by sending 
out electronic files with the original letter requesting information. 
In the future, NHSTA plans on developing a process for the 
manufacturers to submit the information on a secure website.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 2-5 hours per vehicle model. Therefore, 
for a small manufacturer with only 6 vehicle models, the estimated 
burden would be 12-30 hours. For a large vehicle manufacturer with 100 
vehicle models, the estimated burden would be 200-500 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 45. Comments are invited on: Whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the Department, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; the accuracy of the 
Department's estimate of the burden of the proposed information 
collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

    Issued on: August 14, 2002.
Roger A. Saul,
Acting Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 02-21028 Filed 8-16-02; 8:45 am]
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