[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 82 (Tuesday, April 29, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22769-22770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-10447]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket Number NHTSA-2003-14375]


Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping Requirements

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation (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 procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit 
public comment on proposed information collections, 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 June 30, 2003.

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 clearance number. It is requested, but 
not required that two (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: Marvin M. Levy, Ph.D., NHTSA 400 
Seventh Street, SW., Room 5119, NTI-131 Washington, DC 20590. Dr. 
Levy's telephone number is (202) 366-5597.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
before a Federal agency submits a proposed collection of information to 
OMB for approval, it must first publish a document in the Federal 
Register providing for a 60-day comment period and otherwise consult 
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 
methods 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 response to these requirements, NHTSA asks for public comment on 
the following proposed collection of information:
    Title: Characteristics of Motorcycle Operators.
    OMB Clearance Number: None.
    Affected Public: Under this proposed collection, personal 
interviews will be administered to motorcycle operators from the 
general public. The survey will be administered by face-to-face 
interviews conducted at sponsored events, races, and recognized 
motorcyclist gathering sites throughout the United States. In addition, 
survey data also will be collected at smaller and more localized events 
such as motorcycle club meetings and popular riding locations. States 
currently being considered for inclusion are California, Maryland, 
Michigan, New York, Texas, Virginia, and Florida.
    Form Number: This collection of information uses no standard forms.
    Abstract: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 
(NHTSA) has a central role in the national effort to reduce motor 
vehicle-related traffic injuries and deaths. U.S. motorcycle-related 
deaths dropped consistently from 1980 to 1997, but over the past few 
years this downward trend reversed and injuries and deaths are 
increasing. The number of fatalities among motorcycle operators rose 
from 2,116 in 1997 to 3,181 in 2001. Data from NHTSA's National Center 
for Statistics and Analysis indicate that this increase is associated 
with older riders, use of larger motorcycles, and frequent use of 
alcohol, especially among older riders.
    NHTSA is committed to developing effective programs that can reduce 
the incidence of these crashes. Recently, NHTSA jointly sponsored an 
effort to assess future needs regarding motorcycle safety. 
Recommendations from the National Agenda for Motorcycle Safety 
(National Agenda) indicated that additional research is needed to 
determine rider characteristics and factors leading to motorcycle 
crashes. This study supports the National Agenda and future efforts to 
reduce motorcycle injuries and deaths by providing updated information 
about rider operator characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors. Of 
particular interest will be comparisons of the training, experience, 
attitudes, and behaviors of those operators who have been involved in 
crashes versus those who have not.
    Preliminary work was conducted to explore the possibility of 
obtaining a random sample of motorcycle operators using computer-
assisted telephone interviewing technology. Unfortunately, only two 
percent of the U.S. population aged 16 and older ride a motorcycle;

[[Page 22770]]

thus, standard, nationally based, telephone survey techniques would not 
be cost effective. Further, contacts with specific States indicated 
that it is not feasible to obtain a representative sample of motorcycle 
owners and operators given the limitations of data available from 
motor-vehicle departments. Therefore, an in-person survey using a 
convenience sample selected from various venues across broad geographic 
areas was chosen as the most practical approach. The survey will be 
administered using face-to-face interview. Motorcycle operators, both 
licensed and non-licensed will be included, with a special emphasis on 
riders over 40 years of age. Participation by respondents will be 
strictly voluntary. The basic interview will vary from 8-10 minutes; 
whereas for crash involved operators, an additional 5 minutes of 
questions will be administered. The average interview should last 
approximately 12 minutes. The requested expiration date of approval is 
June 30, 2005.
    Trained interviewers will use specially developed survey forms with 
multiple-choice responses where possible to reduce survey 
administration time and to minimize data collection errors. To further 
reduce survey administration time and to minimize data collection 
errors, the trained interviewers will be current motorcyclists where 
possible. A Spanish-language questionnaire and bi-lingual interviewer 
will be used to reduce language barriers to participation. 
Confidentiality will be assured by conformance to procedures described 
in CIPSEA 2002.
    The findings from this proposed survey will assist NHTSA in 
addressing the problem of motorcycle operator safety. NHTSA will use 
the findings to help focus current programs and activities to achieve 
the greatest benefit, to develop new programs, to decrease the 
likelihood of such crashes, and to provide informational support to 
states, localities, law enforcement agencies, and motorcyclists that 
will aid them in their efforts to reduce motorcyclist crashes, injuries 
and fatalities.

Estimate of the Total Annual Burden Resulting From the Collection of 
Information

    NHTSA estimates that respondents in the sample would require an 
average of 12 minutes to complete the personal interview. Thus, 
estimated reporting burden on the general public would be a total of 
400 hours per year for 2 years. The respondents would not incur any 
reporting or record keeping cost from the information collection.
    Number of Respondents: It is anticipated that the number of 
respondents will be 4,000 motorcycle operators during the course of 
this study.
    Comments are invited on: whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
NHTSA, including whether the information will have practical utility; 
the accuracy of NHTSA'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.

Marilena Amoni,
Associate Administrator for Program Development and Delivery, National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-10447 Filed 4-28-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P