[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 76 (Tuesday, April 20, 2004)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 21069-21070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-8932]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 595

[Docket No. NHTSA-04-17536]


Retrofit On-Off Switches for Air Bags; Vehicle Modifications To 
Accommodate People With Disabilities

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

ACTION: Correcting amendment.

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SUMMARY: This document corrects the regulation governing vehicle 
modifications made to accommodate people with disabilities.

DATES: The effective date of this final rule is April 20, 2004. 
Petitions for reconsideration must be submitted so they are received by 
the agency June 4, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Petitions for reconsideration must be identified by the 
Docket Number in the title to this document and submitted to: 
Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 
Seventh St., SW., Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical and other non-legal 
issues, you may call Ms. Gayle Dalrymple of the NHTSA Office of Crash 
Avoidance Standards at (202) 366-5559.
    For legal issues, you may call Mr. Chris Calamita, Office of Chief 
Counsel (Telephone: (202) 366-2992) (Fax: (202) 366-3820).
    You may send mail to both of these officials at the National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The regulation that is subject to this correction is 49 CFR Part 
595 subpart C, Vehicle Modifications to Accommodate People with 
Disabilities. On February 27, 2001, NHTSA issued a final rule 
establishing a limited exemption from a statutory provision that 
prohibits specified types of commercial entities from either removing 
safety equipment or features installed on motor vehicles pursuant to 
the Federal motor vehicle safety standards or altering the equipment or 
features so as to adversely affect their performance (66 FR 12638). The 
exemption allows repair businesses to modify certain types of 
federally-required safety equipment and features when passenger motor 
vehicles are modified for use by persons with disabilities.

Need for Correction

    As published, the February 2001 final rule contained an error that 
needs correction. Included in the list of Federal standards that 
qualify for this limited exemption is Federal Motor Vehicle Safety 
Standard (FMVSS) No. 202, Head restraints. However, Sec.  595.7, 
Requirements for vehicle modifications to accommodate people with 
disabilities, erroneously cites S3(b)(1) and S3(b)(2) of FMVSS No. 202, 
which do not exist. This correction amends Sec.  595.7(c)(9) to cite 
S4.3(b)(1) and S4.3(b)(2) of FMVSS No. 202.

Correction of Publication

List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 595

    Imports, Motor vehicle safety, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.

0
In consideration of the foregoing, NHTSA is amending 49 CFR part 595 as 
follows:

PART 595--[AMENDED]

0
1. The authority citation for part 595 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117, 30122, and 30166; 
delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50.

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2. In Sec.  595.7, paragraph (c)(9) is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  595.7  Requirements for vehicle modifications to accommodate 
people with disabilities.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *

[[Page 21070]]

    (9) S4.3(b)(1) and (2) of 49 CFR 571.202, in any case in which the 
driver's head restraint must be modified to accommodate a driver with a 
disability.
* * * * * *

    Issued on: April 9, 2004.
Roger A. Saul,
Director, Office of Crashworthiness Standards.
[FR Doc. 04-8932 Filed 4-19-04; 8:45 am]
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