[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 133 (Wednesday, July 13, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40416-40417]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-13714]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2005-21784]


Trends in the Static Stability Factor of Passenger Cars, Light 
Trucks, and Vans 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 evaluating the changes over time in static stability factor in 
passenger vehicles. The report's title is: Trends in the Static 
Stability Factor of Passenger Cars, Light Trucks, and Vans.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than November 10, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Report: The entire report is available on the Internet for 
viewing online in HTML and PDF format at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/regrev/evaluate/809868/pages/index.html. You may also obtain 
copies of the reports free of charge by sending a self-addressed 
mailing label to Marie C. Walz (NPO-131), National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590.
    Comments: You may submit comments [identified by DOT DMS Docket 
Number NHTSA-2005-21784] 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.
    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: Marie Walz, Evaluation Division, NPO-
131, National Center for Statistics and Analysis, National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration, Room 5208, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: 202-366-5377. FAX:

[[Page 40417]]

202-366-2559. E-mail: mailto: [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/cars/rules/regrev/evaluate.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Rollover crashes kill more than 10,000 
occupants of passenger vehicles each year. As part of its mission to 
reduce fatalities and injuries, since model year 2001 NHTSA has 
included rollover information as part of its New Car Assessment Program 
ratings. One of the primary means of assessing rollover risk is the 
static stability factor (SSF), a measurement of a vehicle's resistance 
to rollover. The higher the SSF, the lower the rollover risk. This 
report tracks the trend in SSF over time, looking in particular at 
changes in various passenger vehicle types.
    Data are presented for average SSFs by vehicle type over a number 
of model years. Passenger cars, as a group, have the highest average 
SSF, and these have remained high. SUVs have substantially improved 
their SSF values over time, especially after model year 2000, whereas 
those of pickup trucks have remained consistent over the years. 
Minivans showed considerable improvement since they were first 
introduced, while full-size vans showed a small but steady improvement. 
In model year 2003, the sales-weighted average SSF was 1.41 for 
passenger cars, 1.17 for SUVs, 1.18 for pickup trucks, 1.24 for 
minivans, and 1.12 for full-size vans.

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-2005-21784) 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, or fax them. 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 ``Help'' to obtain instructions. The 
fax number is 1-202-493-2251.
    We also request, but do not require you to send a copy to Marie 
Walz, Evaluation Division, NPO-131, 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 ``Simple Search.''
    C. On the next page ((http://dms.dot.gov/search/searchFormSimple.cfm/) type in the five-digit Docket number shown at 
the beginning of this Notice (21784). 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.

Dennis Utter,
Acting Associate Administrator for the National Center for Statistics 
and Analysis.
[FR Doc. 05-13714 Filed 7-12-05; 8:45 am]
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