[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 145 (Monday, July 30, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41582-41583]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-14627]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2007-28629]


Statistical Analysis of the Effectiveness of Electronic Stability 
Control (ESC) Systems--Final 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 effectiveness of Electronic Stability Control 
(ESC) Systems. The report's title is: Statistical Analysis of the 
Effectiveness of Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Systems--Final 
Report.

DATES: Please submit comments by November 27, 2007.

ADDRESSES: 
    Report: The report is available for viewing online in PDF format at 
the Docket Management System (DMS) Web page of the Department of 
Transportation, http://dms.dot.gov. Click on ``Simple Search''; type in 
the five-digit docket number shown at the beginning of this Notice 
(28629) and click on ``Search''; that brings up a list of every item in 
the docket, starting with a copy of the Federal Register notice (item 
NHTSA-2007-28629-1) and a copy of the report in PDF format (item NHTSA-
2007-28629-2).
    Comments: You may submit comments [identified by DOT DMS Docket 
Number NHTSA-2007-28629] 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, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, 
DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.
    You may call Docket Management at 1-800-647-5527 and visit the 
Docket from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer N. Dang, Evaluation Division, 
NPO-131, National Center for Statistics and Analysis, National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration, Room W53-455, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, 
SE., Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: 202-493-0598. FAX: 202-366-3189. 
E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 2004, NHTSA initiated an evaluation to 
assess the effectiveness of ESC in reducing single-vehicle crashes in 
various domestic and imported passenger cars and Sport Utility Vehicles 
(SUVs). The preliminary results from that study indicated that ESC was 
highly effective in reducing single-vehicle crashes. In 2006, NHTSA 
published a draft of this report (an update and modification to the 
2004 report) in support of a proposed rulemaking to establish a new 
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, FMVSS No. 126, which requires 
ESC systems on passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, 
and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less. 
Statistical analyses of 1997-2004 crash data from the Fatality Analysis 
Reporting System (FARS) and 1997-2003 crash data from the State data 
files estimate reductions with ESC for various types of crash 
involvements.
     ESC reduced fatal run-off-road crashes by 36 percent for 
passenger cars and 70 percent for light trucks and vans (LTVs). The 
reductions are statistically significant.
     Police-reported run-off-road involvements were decreased 
by 45 percent in passenger cars and 72 percent in LTVs. The decreases 
are statistically significant.
     Fatal single-vehicle crashes that did not involve 
pedestrians, bicycles, and animals decreased (due to ESC) by 36 percent 
in passenger cars and 63 percent in LTVs. The decreases are 
statistically significant.
     ESC reduced police-reported single-vehicle crashes 
(excluding pedestrian, bicycle, animal crashes) by 26 percent for 
passenger cars and 48 percent for LTVs. The reductions are 
statistically significant.
     Rollover involvements in fatal crashes were decreased by 
70 percent in passenger cars and 88 percent in LTVs. The decreases are 
statistically significant.
     Police-reported crashes involving rollovers were reduced 
by 64 percent in passenger cars and 85 percent in LTVs. The reductions 
are statistically significant.
     ESC reduced culpable fatal multi-vehicle crashes by 19 
percent for passenger cars and 34 percent for LTVs. Only the reduction 
involving LTVs is statistically significant.
     Culpable involvements in police-reported multi-vehicle 
crashes were decreased by 13 percent in passenger cars and 16 percent 
in LTVs. The decreases are statistically significant.
     Overall, ESC reduced all fatal crashes by 14 percent for 
passenger cars and 28 percent for LTVs. Only the reduction in LTVs is 
statistically significant.
     Overall, police-reported crash involvements decreased by 8 
percent in passenger cars and 10 percent in LTVs. The decreases are 
statistically significant.

[[Page 41583]]

    This evaluation was peer-reviewed by two (2) qualified specialists 
who have experience in statistics and analysis of crash avoidance. The 
draft report (Docket No. NHTSA-2006-25801-2) was revised to address 
most of the comments from the peer-reviewers. You may access their 
comments on the draft and the entire peer review process in Docket No. 
NHTSA-2006-26415.

How can I influence NHTSA's thinking on this subject?

    NHTSA welcomes public review of the 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 
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-2007-28629) 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 W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., 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 Jennifer 
N. Dang, Evaluation Division, NPO-131, National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, Room W53-455, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, 
DC 20590 (alternatively, FAX to 202-366-3189 or e-mail to 
[email protected]). She can check if your comments have been received 
at the Docket and 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-110, Room W41-227, National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 
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 
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 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 W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 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 (28629). 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.

Joseph S. Carra,
Associate Administrator for the National Center for Statistics and 
Analysis.
 [FR Doc. E7-14627 Filed 7-27-07; 8:45 am]
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