[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 41 (Thursday, March 2, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10754-10755]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-3007]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[NHTSA-2005-23090]


Amendments to Highway Safety Program Guidelines

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

ACTION: Extension of comment period for proposed amendments to highway 
safety guidelines.

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SUMMARY: This document extends the comment period for proposed 
amendments to six (6) highway safety guidelines published on February 
9, 2006 (71 FR 6830). The comment due date was March 13, 2006.
    In a letter dated February 22, 2006, the Motorcycle Riders 
Foundation asked NHTSA for an extension of this due date. This document 
grants that request and extends the comment due date for the proposed 
highway safety guidelines to March 27, 2006.

DATES: The due date for comments on DOT Docket No. NHTSA-2005-23090 is 
extended to March 27, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may submit your comments in writing to: Docket 
Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. 
Alternatively, you may submit your comments electronically by logging 
onto the Docket Management System Web site at http://dms.dot.gov. Click 
on ``Help & Information'' or ``Help/Info'' to view instructions for 
filing your comments electronically. Regardless of how you submit your 
comments, you should mention the docket number of this document.
    You may call the Docket at 202-366-9324. You may visit the Docket 
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for Federal 
holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The following person at the National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20590: Julie Ross, Program Development and Delivery, 
NTI-100, telephone (202) 366-9895, facsimile: (202) 366-7149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 9, 2006 (71 FR 6830), NHTSA 
published a notice requesting comments on proposed amendments to six 
(6) existing highway safety guidelines: Guideline No. 3 Motorcycle 
Safety, Guideline No. 8 Impaired Driving, Guideline No. 14 Pedestrian 
and Bicycle Safety, Guideline No. 15 Traffic Enforcement Services 
(formerly Police Traffic Services), Guideline No. 19 Speed Management 
(formerly Speed Control), and Guideline No. 20 Occupant Protection.
    Section 402 of title 23 of the United States Code requires the 
Secretary of Transportation to promulgate uniform guidelines for State 
highway safety programs. As the highway safety environment changes, it 
is necessary for NHTSA to update the guidelines to provide current 
information on effective program content for States to use in 
developing and assessing their traffic safety programs. Each of the 
proposed revised guidelines reflects the sound science and the 
experience of States in traffic safety program content. NHTSA updates 
the guidelines periodically to reflect new issues and to emphasize 
program methodology and approaches that have proven to be highly 
effective in these program areas.
    The guidelines offer direction to States in formulating their 
highway safety plans for highway safety efforts that are supported with 
Section 402 grant funds. The guidelines provide a framework for 
developing a balanced highway safety program and serve as a tool with 
which States can assess the effectiveness of their own programs. NHTSA 
encourages States to use the guidelines and build upon them to optimize 
the effectiveness of highway

[[Page 10755]]

safety programs conducted at the State and local level. The revised 
guidelines will emphasize areas of national concern and highlight 
effective countermeasures.
    The February 9, 2006 notice announced a comment due date of March 
13, 2006. In a letter dated February 22, 2006, the Motorcycle Riders 
Foundation asked NHTSA for an extension of this due date. Although the 
letter did not indicate a specific length for the requested extension, 
the explanation for the requested extension was that ``the motorcycling 
community should have more than thirty three calendar days to dissect 
and address all of the eleven recommendations put forth in the Federal 
Register on February 9th, 2006.'' We interpret the reference to the 
``eleven recommendations'' to apply to the eleven (11) subparts of the 
proposed revised motorcycle safety guideline.
    After considering the request for additional time to consider the 
proposed motorcycle safety guideline, NHTSA has decided that it is in 
the public interest to grant the request. In granting this request, the 
agency is mindful that early publication of the revised highway safety 
guidelines is important in light of the new motorcyclist safety grant 
program authorized in section 2010 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, 
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), 
Pub. L. 109-59. Therefore, NHTSA extends until March 27, 2006 the 
closing date for submission of comments for all six (6) proposed 
highway safety guidelines published on February 9, 2006. To the extent 
possible, comments filed after this extended closing date will also be 
considered. However, the final guidelines may be published at any time 
after that date. The agency will continue to file relevant material in 
the docket as it becomes available after the closing date, and it is 
recommended that interested persons continue to examine the docket for 
new material.

    Issued on: February 27, 2006.
Brian M. McLaughlin,
Senior Associate Administrator for Traffic Injury Control.
[FR Doc. E6-3007 Filed 3-1-06; 8:45 am]
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