[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 235 (Monday, December 8, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68447-68448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-30361]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2003-14621]


Impaired Driving Integrated Project Team (IPT) Plan

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of document.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of NHTSA's high 
priority safety report describing the agency's current and planned 
activities to address impaired driving. The report is available from 
the Docket Management System, U.S. Department of Transportation, at 
http://dms.dot.gov or on NHTSA' Web site at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/IPTReports.html. While the document is final, the agency is offering 
the public the opportunity to comment on the agency's planned impaired 
driving activities. The comments will be considered for future agency 
efforts.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than January 22, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Impaired Driving DOT 
DMS Docket Number [NHTSA-2003-14621] by any of the following methods:
    [sbull] Web Site: http://dms.dot.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments on the DOT electronic docket site.
    [sbull] Fax: 1-202-493-2251. [sbull] Mail: Docket Management 
Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW, 
Nassif Building, Room PL-401, Washington, DC 20590.
    [sbull] Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the Nassif 
Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and 
docket number. Note that all comments received will be posted without 
change to http://dms.dot.gov, including any personal information 
provided.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://dms.dot.gov at any time or to Room PL-
401 on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW, 
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal Holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Wright, National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration, Room 5118, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, 
DC 20590. Telephone: 202-366-2724 or Dee Williams, National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration, Room 5208, 400 Seventh Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: 202-366-0498.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As a symptom of the larger substance abuse 
problem, impaired driving leaves thousands dead and injured each year, 
with a cost of billions to the nation. In 2002 alone, there was an 
estimated 17,419 alcohol-related motor vehicle deaths. Embedded within 
issues of alcoholism, underage and problem drinking, drug abuse, and 
illegal sale of alcohol and other drugs, the solutions to the impaired 
driving problem are complex, wide-ranging and expensive. NHTSA has made 
finding solutions to reduce impaired driving one of the agency's 
highest priorities. Initiatives the agency plans to pursue include:
(1) Priority Initiatives: National Level
a. Behavioral Modification Initiatives
    Provide Leadership in Fostering Federal Agency Collaboration
    Screening and Brief Intervention
    Coordinated Mass Media Campaign
b. Motor Vehicle and Environmental Initiatives
    Generate Vehicle-Based Solutions
    Collaborate with the Federal Highway Administration to Promote 
Roadway-Based Solutions
(2) Priority Initiatives: State Program Needs
a. Countermeasures
    High Visibility Law Enforcement
    DWI Courts
    DWI Prosecutors
    Increase Efficiency of Offender Processing
    Strong ABC Policy and Enforcement
    Alternative Sanctions/Limitations on Pre-Conviction Diversion 
Programs
b. Infrastructure Needs
    Promote Statewide Self-Sufficiency
    Increase BAC Testing
    Implement Model Impaired Driving Records System
    Establish DWI Task Forces
    Enact or Strengthen Effective Laws

NHTSA believes the initiatives described in this report will lead to 
both near-term and longer-term solutions to reducing impaired driving 
among the United States population.
    In September 2002, NHTSA assembled integrated project teams (IPTs) 
to address four highway safety programs of special interest: safety 
belt use; impaired driving; vehicle compatibility; and vehicle 
rollover. The reports associated with vehicle compatibility and vehicle 
rollover were released in June 2003. The report on safety belt use was 
released in July 2003. All can be found on NHTSA's Web site at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/IPTReports.html and also on DOT's docket management 
system (DMS) at http://dms.dot.gov/. The docket numbers for each of the 
respective reports are as follows:
    [sbull] Safety Belt Use--NHTSA-2003-14620;
    [sbull] Impaired Driving--NHTSA-2003-14621;
    [sbull] Rollover Mitigation--NHTSA-2003-14622; and
    [sbull] Vehicle Compatibility--NHTSA-2003-14623.

Each document describes the safety problem and provides strategies the 
agency plans to pursue in addressing vehicle compatibility, increasing 
safety belt use, reducing impaired driving and mitigating rollover. 
Comments received will be evaluated and incorporated, as appropriate, 
into planned agency activities.

How Do I Prepare and Submit Comments?

    Your comments must be written and in English. To ensure that your 
comments are correctly filed in the Docket, please include the Docket 
number of this document (NHTSA-2003-14621) in your comments.
    Please send two paper copies of your comments to Docket Management 
or submit them electronically. The mailing address is U.S. Department 
of Transportation Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, 
SW, Washington, DC 20590. If you submit your comments electronically, 
log onto the Docket Management System Web site at http://dms.dot.gov 
and click on ``Help & Information'' or ``Help/Info'' to obtain 
instructions.

How Can I Be Sure That My Comments Were Received?

    If you wish Docket Management to notify you upon its receipt of 
your comments, enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard in the 
envelope containing your comments. Upon receiving your comments, Docket 
Management will return the postcard by mail.

How Do I Submit Confidential Business Information?

    If you wish to submit any information under a claim of 
confidentiality, send three copies of your complete submission, 
including the information you claim to be confidential business 
information, to the Chief Counsel, NCC-110, National Highway Traffic 
Safety

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Administration, Room 5219, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20590. Include a cover letter supplying the information specified in 
our confidential business information regulation (49 CFR part 512).
    In addition, send two copies from which you have deleted the 
claimed confidential business information to Docket Management, Room 
PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590.

Will the Agency Consider Late Comments?

    In our response, we will consider all comments that Docket 
Management receives before the close of business on the comment closing 
date indicated above under DATES. To the extent possible, we will also 
consider comments that Docket Management receives after that date.
    Please note that even after the comment closing date, we will 
continue to file relevant information in the Docket as it becomes 
available. Further, some people may submit late comments. Accordingly, 
we recommend that you periodically check the Docket for new material.

How Can I Read the Comments Submitted by Other People?

    You may read the comments by visiting Docket Management in person 
at Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC from 10 a.m. to 
5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
    You may also see the comments on the Internet by taking the 
following steps:
    [sbull] Go to the Docket Management System (DMS) Web page of the 
Department of Transportation (http://dms.dot.gov).
    [sbull] On that page, click on ``search.''
    [sbull] On the next page (http://dms.dot.gov/search/) type in the 
four-digit Docket number shown at the beginning of this document 
(14621). Click on ``search.''
    [sbull] On the next page, which contains Docket summary information 
for the Docket you selected, click on the desired comments. You may 
also download the comments.

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

Noble N. Bowie,
Associate Administrator for Planning, Evaluation & Budget.
[FR Doc. 03-30361 Filed 12-5-03; 8:45 am]
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