[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 143 (Friday, July 25, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 43972-43973]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-18914]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 571

[Docket No. NHTSA-2003-15505]


NHTSA Vehicle Safety Rulemaking and Supporting Research: Calendar 
Years 2003-2006

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

ACTION: Vehicle safety rulemaking priorities document; notice of 
availability.

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SUMMARY: This document announces the availability of a planning 
document that describes NHTSA's vehicle safety rulemaking priorities 
with supporting research through 2006. The plan includes those 
rulemaking actions of highest priority for the period 2003 to 2006, 
based primarily on the greatest potential protection of lives and 
prevention of injury, that fall within the immediate four-year time 
frame. In

[[Page 43973]]

addition, NHTSA has considered the realistic likelihood for successful 
action, especially considering the reality of numerous worthwhile 
options competing for budgetary resources. The priorities were defined 
through extensive discussions within the agency, taking into account 
the views heard in recent years at public meetings and comments 
submitted to the agency via rulemaking notices and requests for 
comment. In addition, comments submitted by the public in response to a 
Request for Comments announcing the draft of this plan on July 25, 2002 
(Docket No. NHTSA-2002-12391) were evaluated and incorporated, as 
appropriate, into the planned agency activities. The results produced 
by previous NHTSA rulemaking priority planning exercises also provided 
input to this process. While the plan includes other active areas, in 
addition to the rulemaking priorities, it discusses only a portion of 
all rulemaking actions the agency has begun or plans to undertake in 
the four-year period. The absence of a particular regulatory or 
research activity from the plan does not necessarily mean that the 
agency will not pursue it. Although the execution of a priority plan is 
affected by factors beyond its control (e.g., petitions, budgets, 
legislation), this plan provides a blueprint for regulatory action on 
those vehicle safety goals the agency considers its highest priorities.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons may obtain a copy of the planning 
document by downloading a copy of the document from the Docket 
Management System, U.S. Department of Transportation, at the address 
provided below, or from NHTSA's Web site at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/rulings. Alternatively, interested persons may obtain a copy 
of the document by contacting the agency officials listed in the 
section titled, ``For Further Information Contact,'' immediately below.
    The Docket Management System is located on the Plaza level of the 
Nassif Building at the U.S. Department of Transportation, PL 401, 400 
Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590-0001. You can review public 
dockets there between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays. You can also review comments on-line 
at the DOT Docket Management System Web site at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lawrence L. Hershman, Office of 
Rulemaking, NVS-133, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 
Room 5320, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: 
202-366-4929. E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Motor vehicle crashes killed more than 
42,000 individuals and injured 2.9 million others in six million 
crashes in 2001. In addition to the terrible personal toll, these 
crashes make a huge economic impact on our society with an estimated 
annual cost of $230.6 billion, or an average of $820 for every person 
living in the United States. One of the most important ways in which 
NHTSA carries out its safety mandate is to issue and enforce Federal 
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). Through these rules, NHTSA 
strives to reduce the number of crashes and to minimize the 
consequences of those crashes that do occur. NHTSA's rulemaking 
activities, via the Rulemaking Program with support from the offices of 
Applied Research, Enforcement, Planning, Evaluation and Budget, 
Advanced Research and Analysis, and Chief Counsel, identify safety 
problem areas, develop countermeasures, and collect and analyze 
information to develop new FMVSS and amendments to existing FMVSS.
    As we continue into the new century, NHTSA will strive to influence 
the automotive industry to incorporate the rapidly accelerating pace of 
advances in vehicle and safety technology into new vehicles while 
ensuring that the use of the new technologies enhances vehicle safety. 
The plan outlines the highlights of NHTSA's vehicle safety rulemaking 
plans through 2006. Agency priorities emanate from many sources, 
including: the size of the safety problem and likelihood of solutions, 
Executive initiatives, Congressional interest and mandates, petitions 
to the agency for rulemaking and other expressions of public interest, 
interest in harmonizing safety standards with those of other nations, 
and changes needed as a result of new vehicle technologies. The 
starting point for rulemaking priorities is the quest for the greatest 
potential protection of lives and prevention of injury.
    The plan is organized along several broad categories: Crash 
Prevention includes crash avoidance data, driver distraction, vehicle 
visibility, crash warnings, and vehicle control and handling. Occupant 
Protection includes protection in frontal, side, rollover, and rear 
crashes. Other sections cover Incompatibility Between Passenger Cars 
and Light Trucks, Heavy Truck Safety, and Protecting Special 
Populations, including safety for children, people with disabilities, 
and older people.
    The plan includes several potential rulemaking projects that 
require additional research to determine whether rulemaking action is 
needed, but are priorities based on their potential for significantly 
sizeable death and injury prevention benefits. The plan also contains 
an appendix that discusses some other regulatory activities that the 
agency considers important, although not rising to the same level of 
immediate high priority as the activities included in the main body of 
the plan. Another appendix discusses upcoming milestones in consumer 
information activities that the agency plans to pursue in the next few 
years, including the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
    This document announces the availability of the document to the 
public. Received comments on the draft plan were evaluated and 
incorporated, as appropriate, into planned agency activities. Comments 
that could not be accommodated in the current plan will be considered 
in the context of future updates.
    The plan will be posted on NHTSA's Web site on July 21, 2003. The 
agency intends to periodically update the plan.
    You may also see the plan on the Internet by taking the following 
steps:
    1. Go to the Docket Management System (DMS) Web page of the 
Department of Transportation (http://dms.dot.gov).
    2. On that page, click on ``search.''
    3. On the next page (http://dms.dot.gov/search/) type in the five-
digit Docket number shown at the beginning of this document (NHTSA-
2003-15505). Click on ``search.''
    4. On the next page, which contains Docket summary information for 
the Docket you selected, click on the desired document. You may also 
download the document.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30111, 30117, 30168; delegation of 
authority at 49 CFR 1.50 and 501.8.

    Issued on: July 17, 2003.
Stephen R. Kratzke,
Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 03-18914 Filed 7-24-03; 8:45 am]
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