[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 24 (Thursday, February 5, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5660-5661]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-2326]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2004-16996]


Results of the Survey on the Use of Passenger Air Bag On-Off 
Switches; Technical Report

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

ACTION: Request for comments on technical report.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces NHTSA's publication of a technical 
report describing the use of passenger air bag on-off switches in 
pickup trucks. The report's title is Results of the Survey on the Use 
of Passenger Air Bag On-Off Switches.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than June 4, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Report: The report is available on the Internet for viewing 
on line in HTML format at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/regrev/Evaluate/AirBagOnOffSurvey/index.html and in PDF format at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/regrev/Evaluate/AirBagOnOffSurvey/images/809 689.pdf. You may also obtain a copy of the report free of charge by 
sending a self-addressed mailing label to Christina Morgan (NPO-321), 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20590.
    Comments: You may submit comments [identified by DOT DMS Docket 
Number NHTSA-2004-16996] by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://dms.dot.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments on the DOT electronic docket site.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, 
Room PL-401, Washington, DC 20590-001.
     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.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
    You may call Docket Management at 202-366-9324 and visit the Docket 
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina Morgan, Evaluation Division, 
NPO-321, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Budget, National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration, Room 5208, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: 202-366-2562. Fax: 202-366-2559. E-
mail: [email protected].
    For information about NHTSA's evaluations of the effectiveness of 
existing regulations and programs: Visit the NHTSA Web site at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov and click ``Regulations & Standards'' underneath 
``Car Safety'' on the home page; then click ``Regulatory Evaluation'' 
on the ``Regulations & Standards'' page.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The technical report includes the results of 
a survey conducted by NHTSA to investigate how pickup truck drivers are 
using the passenger air bag on-off switches. On-off switches have been 
standard equipment in most pickup trucks since 1998. They enable a 
driver to turn off the air bag and prevent harm to a child passenger, 
but turn it on to protect an adult passenger. How often were the 
switches turned off for child passengers and how often were they turned 
on for adult passengers? The survey was conducted from July to November 
2000 in four States--California, Georgia, Michigan, and Texas.
    On the whole, the switches have been a necessary and a fairly 
successful interim measure that made it possible to offer life-saving 
air bags to adult passengers in pickup trucks without back seats, while 
allowing the opportunity to protect infants and children from the 
hazards of air bags when they must ride in the front seats of those 
vehicles. Nevertheless, the survey shows many of the air bags are being 
left on for children and turned off for adults. Drivers with children 
in rear-facing child safety seats achieved the highest rate of correct 
use of the air bag switch--86 percent. Forty-eight percent of the air 
bags were left on when only child passengers 1-12 years old were in the 
front seat, potentially exposing these children to a deployment. There 
is also a problem when drivers ride with only adult passengers (age 13 
and older). While 83 percent of the switches were on, as they should 
be, 17 percent were switched off.

How Can I Influence NHTSA's Thinking on This Subject?

    NHTSA welcomes public review of the technical report and invites 
reviewers to submit comments about the data and the statistical methods 
used in the analyses. NHTSA will submit to the Docket a response to the 
comments and, if appropriate, additional analyses that supplement or 
revise the technical report.

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-2004-16996) in your comments.
    Your primary comments must not be more than 15 pages long (49 CFR 
553.21). However, you may attach additional documents to your primary 
comments. There is no limit on the length of the attachments.
    Please send two paper copies of your comments to Docket Management, 
submit them electronically, fax them, or use the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal. 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 Dockets 
Management System Web site at http://dms.dot.gov and click on

[[Page 5661]]

``Help & Information'' or ``Help/Info'' to obtain instructions. The fax 
number is 1-202-493-2251. To use the Federal eRulemaking Portal, go to 
http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for 
submitting comments.
    We also request, but do not require you to send a copy to Christina 
Morgan, Evaluation Division, NPO-321, National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, Room 5208, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20590 (alternatively, Fax to 202-366-2559 or e-mail to 
[email protected]). She can check if your comments have been 
received at the Docket and she can expedite their review by NHTSA.

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-01, National Highway Traffic 
Safety 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, or submit them 
electronically.

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:
    A. Go to the Docket Management System (DMS) Web page of the 
Department of Transportation (http://dms.dot.gov).
    B. On that page, click on ``search.''
    C. On the next page (http://dms.dot.gov/search) type in the five-
digit Docket number shown at the beginning of this Notice (16996). 
Click on ``search.''
    D. 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, 30168; delegation of authority at 49 
CFR 1.50 and 501.8.

James Simons,
Director of the Office of Regulatory Analysis and Evaluation.
[FR Doc. 04-2326 Filed 2-4-04; 8:45 am]
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