[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 159 (Friday, August 17, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46289-46291]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-4022]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2007-28934]


Public Comment on Educational Messages To Improve Use of Child 
Restraint Systems

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

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NHTSA is working with representatives of the child restraint 
and automobile manufacturers and child passenger safety advocacy groups 
to identify common awareness messages that could be used by 
manufacturers, advocates and others to inform parents or caregivers 
about the importance of correct use of the Lower Anchors and Tethers 
for Children (LATCH) system. This notice presents proposed messages and 
solicits public comment on their suitability.

DATES: Written comments may be submitted to the agency and must be 
received no later than August 30, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Michael, Ed.D., Director of 
the Office of Impaired Driving and Occupant Protection, 202-366-4299 
([email protected]), NHTSA, NTI-110, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 
Washington, DC 20590.

ADDRESSES: Written comments must refer to the docket number of this 
Notice and be submitted 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. DOT, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 
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.
    Note that all comments received will be posted without change to 
http://dms.dot.gov, including any personal information provided. Please 
see the Privacy Act discussion under the heading ``How do I prepare and 
submit comments?'' at the end of this notice. Please see also the 
discussion there of confidential business information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The LATCH system was introduced in 1999 as a means to standardize 
installation of child restraint devices in motor vehicles without the 
use of vehicle seat belt systems. In March 1999, NHTSA issued a final 
rule establishing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 
225, ``Child Restraint Anchorage Systems,'' requiring motor vehicle 
manufacturers to install a specified LATCH attachment system for child 
restraints (64 CFR 10786; March 5, 1999) in nearly all new passenger 
vehicles. In September 1999, the Agency amended FMVSS 213, Child 
Restraint Systems, in a complementary manner, requiring the provision 
of LATCH attachment points including upper tether attachments. A phase-
in period was specified for both the vehicle and child restraint 
requirements with full implementation in specified applications by 
2002.
    To assess progress with implementation and consumer use, NHTSA 
conducted a detailed survey of LATCH system use from April to October 
2005. Findings from the survey were published in December 2006 (``Child 
Restraint Use Survey--LATCH Use and Misuse,'' available at http://dms.dot.gov under Document number NHTSA-2006-26735-2; also available 
online at http://www.nhtsa.gov). The survey examined whether drivers of 
LATCH-equipped vehicles used available LATCH attachments to secure 
their child restraints to the vehicle, and if so, whether they properly 
installed the restraints. The survey recorded the make/model and the 
type of restraint installed in each seating position, and details on 
both the vehicle and child restraint equipment available in that 
seating position. In addition, information was gathered about the 
drivers' knowledge of the LATCH system, opinions on its ease of use, 
and reasons for its use or nonuse.
    Findings from the survey indicate that while the users of the LATCH 
system correctly install the child restraint system more frequently 
than those observed in previous surveys using non-LATCH restraints and 
vehicles, a number of misuse problems still exist.
    On February 8, 2007, NHTSA convened a public meeting to discuss 
findings from the NHTSA survey along with information on use of LATCH 
systems available from auto and child restraint manufacturers, child 
passenger safety advocacy organizations and others. A transcript of 
this meeting is available under Document number NHTSA-2007-26833-23 or 
by visiting NHTSA 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, or by Internet through the Docket Management System Web 
page of the Department of Transportation (http://dms.dot.gov).
    As a result of this meeting, NHTSA is working with representatives 
of the child restraint and automobile manufacturers and child passenger 
safety advocacy groups to identify common awareness messages that could 
be used by manufacturers, advocates and others to inform parents or 
caregivers about the importance of correct use of the Lower Anchors and 
Tethers for Children (LATCH) system.
    Between March and July 2007 this working group of representatives 
met by conference call and in person to discuss awareness goals and to 
identify several message variations that were subsequently tested for 
effectiveness in focus groups of parents and caregivers. The messages 
were selected with the assumption that they would supplement rather 
than supplant existing and additional LATCH educational and 
instructional communications from individual manufacturers, government 
agencies and advocacy organizations. An advertising agency was enlisted 
by NHTSA to assist with development of appropriate messages.
    The message and graphic listed below were those identified by the 
working group that proved most effective in focus group testing. NHTSA 
is seeking public comment on the suitability of the message and graphic 
for use as a supplement to other LATCH education and instruction 
efforts in a variety of settings to include news periodicals (print and 
electronic), Web sites, posters, brochures, vehicle owner's manuals, 
child restraint manufacturers' instructions, child restraint packaging, 
in-store displays, and advertising (print and broadcast).

[[Page 46290]]

II. LATCH Awareness Message

    Please note that the Federal Register produces its manual in black 
and white and is void of color.
    The illustration above has the following color specifications.

The Color Specs (Coated):
    Pantone 123 C
    Pantone Process Black C
The Color Specs (Uncoated):
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN17AU07.007

    Pantone 109 U
    Pantone Process Black U

    Public comments will be considered by the working group as they 
finalize identification of LATCH awareness message(s).

III. Public Participation

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 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.
    Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments 
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19477-78) or you may visit 
http://dms.dot.gov.

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, National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, Room W41-227, 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, in the manner 
described at the beginning of this notice.

Will the agency consider late comments?

    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:
     Go to the Docket Management System (DMS) Web page of the 
Department of Transportation (http://dms.dot.gov).
     On that page, click on ``Simple Search.''
     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. Click on ``Search.''
     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.


[[Page 46291]]


    Dated: August 10, 2007.
Nicole R. Nason,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 07-4022 Filed 8-15-07; 8:54 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P