[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 23 (Monday, February 4, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6556-6558]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-2016]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket No. NHTSA-2007-0043]


Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements

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

ACTION: Request for public comment on proposed collection of 
information.

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SUMMARY: Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from 
the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit 
public comment on proposed collections of information, including 
extensions and reinstatements of previously approved collections.
    This document describes one collection of information for which 
NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 4, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to U.S. Department of 
Transportation Dockets, 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE., Washington, DC 20590. 
Docket No. NHTSA-2007-0043.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Keith Williams, Contracting 
Officer's Technical Representative, Highway Safety Specialist, 
Enforcement and Justice Services Division, NTI-122, National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Room W44-
231, Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB 
for approval, it must publish a document in the Federal Register 
providing a 60-day comment period and otherwise consult with members of 
the public and affected agencies concerning each proposed collection of 
information. The OMB has promulgated regulations describing what must 
be included in such a document. Under OMB's regulations (at 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)), an agency must ask for public comment on the following:
    (i) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    (ii) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the

[[Page 6557]]

validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
    (iii) How to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (iv) How to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.
    In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks public comment on 
the following proposed collection of information:

Evaluation Surveys for Demonstration of Speed Management Programs 
(including Automated and Traditional Enforcement)

    Type of Request--New information collection requirement.
    OMB Clearance Number--None.
    Form Number--This collection of information uses no standard forms.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval--3 years from date of 
approval.
    Summary of the Collection of Information--NHTSA proposes to conduct 
telephone surveys to evaluate an intervention designed to reduce 
speeding. Sample size will range from 200 to 400 per survey wave 
depending on the geographic area unit being surveyed (State, community) 
and the evaluation design for the intervention (e.g., number of 
analytic groups). Interview length will be approximately10 minutes. The 
surveys will collect information on attitudes, awareness knowledge, and 
behavior related to the speed management program intervention. Surveys 
will be administered in areas where NHTSA is conducting speed 
management enforcement demonstration projects and similar control 
sites. The surveys will follow a pre-post design where they are 
administered prior to the implementation of the intervention and after 
its conclusion. Interim survey waves may also be administered if the 
duration of the intervention permits.
    In conducting the proposed surveys, the interviewers will use 
computer-assisted telephone interviewing to reduce interview length and 
minimize recording errors. A Spanish Language translation and bilingual 
interviewers will be used to minimize language barriers in 
participation. The proposed surveys will be anonymous.

Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the 
Information

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) 
mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce healthcare and 
other economic costs associated with motor vehicle crashes. The 
agency's goal is to reduce the rate of fatalities from speeding-related 
crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was 
established to reduce the mounting number of deaths, injuries, and 
economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes on the Nation's 
highways. As part of this statutory mandate, NHTSA is authorized to 
conduct research as a foundation for the development of motor vehicle 
standards and traffic safety programs.
    NHTSA has periodically updated its knowledge and understanding of 
the public's attitudes and behaviors with respect to speeding. In 1998, 
NHTSA conducted a national survey (National Survey of Speeding and 
Other Unsafe Driving Actions: Volume III: Countermeasures, Final 
Report) which indicated 71% of the general public favored automated 
devices for speed enforcement, and 76% believed the use of automated 
devices reduced speeding-related accidents. This survey also showed 
females were 15% more likely to be in favor of using automated speed 
enforcement than males, as well as, reasons why the public liked or 
disliked automated speeding devices. Twenty percent (20%) liked 
automated speeding devices because photo evidence proved a violation 
and 19% liked it because it increased driver awareness and fewer law 
enforcement officers were needed for traffic enforcement. Twenty-six 
percent (26%) did not like automated speeding enforcement because it 
invaded privacy, was a violation of rights or was a governmental 
infringement. Four years later NHTSA sponsored another national survey 
(National Survey of Speeding and Unsafe Driving Attitudes and Behavior: 
2002: Volume II.) that found 68% of the general public believed the use 
of automated speed enforcement was good for anyone driving at least 20 
miles per hour more than the speed limit, and 78% favored automated 
enforcement in a school zone. Fifty-Six percent (56%) of the public 
favored photos being taken of the driver from a frontal view while 32% 
favored taking photos of the rear license plate only. Since these 
surveys were conducted years ago they cannot be used to evaluate new 
programs scheduled to be initiated in the next few years.
    Beginning in 2008, NHTSA intends to administer a demonstration 
project over a three-year period that will include two years where 
selected sites will incorporate both traditional law enforcement and 
use of automated enforcement of speeding in the demonstration area. The 
demonstration project will be accompanied by a Public Information and 
Education campaign about speeding and driving safety. Before and after 
this demonstration project, NHTSA will conduct telephone surveys in 
waves of up to 400 adult drivers living in the selected demonstration 
project areas, as well as, a comparison area. These surveys will 
measure the change in public attitude about speeding and driving 
behavior resulting from the enforcement and Public Information and 
Education campaigns.
    These surveys will collect the following type of information: 
Whether members of the general public support automated enforcement; if 
the support varies by the specific speed being traveled; where the 
speeding occurs, such as a school zone or other road type; whether 
there is a preference for photos to be taken of the driver versus the 
license plate of the vehicle; whether there are a differences by sex or 
age; the reasons for supporting or not supporting automated speed 
enforcement versus traditional law enforcement officer enforcement; 
whether members of the general public are aware of the public 
information campaign in their area about speeding; whether this public 
information campaign has caused them to change their opinions toward 
speeding or whether the public information campaign has affected their 
behavior by causing them to be more careful about observing speed 
limits or reducing the speed they drive; the overall effectiveness of 
the public information campaign; determining what is an appropriate 
balance between automated speed enforcement and traditional law 
enforcement officer enforcement; whether members of the general public 
believe automated speeding enforcement should be expanded, and the 
effectiveness of automated and traditional enforcement measures on 
reducing crashes, injuries and saving lives.
    These surveys will help NHTSA to evaluate a demonstration project 
on speed management using automated and traditional speed enforcement. 
The findings will be used to help focus the program and determine which 
activities achieve the greatest benefit. This information will then be 
used to develop new programs to decrease the likelihood of speeding, 
and to provide

[[Page 6558]]

informational support to States, localities, and law enforcement 
agencies that will aid them in their efforts to reduce speeding crashes 
and injuries. This demonstration project could be a model for how 
jurisdictions can develop a self-sustaining and effective speed 
management program using both traditional and automated speed 
enforcement methods. A demonstration project incorporating rational 
speed limits, a public communications plan and rigorously enforced 
speed limits over a defined geographic area will assist jurisdictions 
in understanding how to gain higher compliance with speed limits and 
bring about a reduction in speeding-related crashes, injuries and 
deaths.

Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number and 
Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of Information)

    Under this proposed effort, NHTSA intends to conduct telephone 
surveys to collect data from up to 1,600 licensed drivers age 18 and 
older. Interviews will be conducted with persons at residential phone 
numbers selected through random digit dialing and located within the 
jurisdiction where the speed enforcement demonstration project is 
conducted, as well as control areas. Businesses will be ineligible for 
the sample and will not be interviewed. No more than one respondent 
will be selected per household. Each member of the sample will complete 
one interview. After each wave is completed and the data analyzed, the 
findings will be disseminated to the participating States for review.

Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden 
Resulting From the Collection of Information

    NHTSA estimates the respondents in the sample will require an 
average of 10 minutes to complete the telephone interviews. Thus, the 
estimated reporting burden hours on the general public will be a 
maximum of 137 hours per year, for two years. The respondents will not 
incur any reporting cost from the information collection. The 
respondents also will not incur any record keeping burden or record 
keeping cost from the information collection.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A).

Marilena Amoni,
Associate Administrator, Research and Program Development.
 [FR Doc. E8-2016 Filed 2-1-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P