[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 168 (Tuesday, August 31, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53369-53370]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-21757]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration


Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements Agency Information 
Collection Activity Under OMB Review

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR 
describes the nature of the information collection and the expected 
burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment

[[Page 53370]]

period was published on May 6, 2010 (75 FR 25033-25034).

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before September 30, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, within 30 days, to the Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725-17th 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention NHTSA Desk Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Vegega, PhD Chief, Behavioral 
Research Division, Office of Behavioral Safety Research (NTI-131), 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, 
SE., W44-302, Washington, DC 20590. Dr. Vegega's phone number is 202-
366-2668 and her e-mail address is [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Focus Group Review of Advanced Alcohol Detection Technology.
    Type of Request: New information collection requirement.
    Abstract: In 2008, 11,773 people were killed in alcohol-impaired-
driving crashes. Drivers are considered to be alcohol-impaired when 
their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is .08 grams per deciliter (g/
dL) or higher. These alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities accounted for 
32 percent of the total motor vehicle traffic fatalities in the United 
States.
    In a continuing effort to reduce the adverse consequences of 
alcohol-impaired driving, NHTSA in conjunction with the Automotive 
Coalition for Traffic Safety (ACTS) is undertaking research and 
development to explore the feasibility of, and public policy challenges 
associated with, use of in-vehicle alcohol detection technology. The 
agency believes that use of vehicle-based, alcohol detection 
technologies could help to significantly reduce the number of alcohol-
impaired driving crashes, deaths and injuries by preventing drivers 
from driving while their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is at or 
above the legal limit. In 2008, ACTS and NHTSA entered into a 5-Year 
Cooperative Agreement to ``explore the feasibility, the potential 
benefits of, and the public policy challenges associated with a more 
widespread use of unobtrusive technology to prevent drunk driving''. 
The goal of this research effort, the Driver Alcohol Detection System 
for Safety (DADSS) project, is to develop and test prototypes that may 
be considered for vehicle integration thereafter.
    As technology development progresses and decisions are being made 
about how to integrate such technology into vehicles, NHTSA needs a 
better understanding of public preferences with respect to in-vehicle 
alcohol detection devices. Optimization of technology and public 
acceptance of it once deployed will depend on the extent to which 
public attitudes are taken into account during the development process. 
Recognizing the need to obtain input from drivers early in the 
development process, NHTSA proposes to conduct a total of 24 focus 
groups in two stages. The first set of focus groups (12 focus groups) 
will obtain information from licensed drivers on public perceptions and 
attitudes concerning in-vehicle alcohol detection technology designed 
to prevent alcohol-impaired driving. Information from this phase of the 
project will be used by NHTSA and the DADSS research team to provide 
input to decision making regarding vehicle integration with respect to 
the technology under investigation. A second set of focus groups (12 
focus groups) will gauge driver reaction to technology prototypes, 
obtain input on alternative prototype features, and obtain guidance on 
strategies for introduction of the technology into the vehicle fleet. 
The information will also be used to identify potential barriers to 
acceptance of the technologies.
    Affected Public: Drivers age 21 years and older will be recruited 
in four locations to participate in focus groups. They will be provided 
with a stipend to reimburse them for expenses and compensate them for 
their time in participating in the discussions. Participation by all 
respondents would be voluntary and anonymous. All focus groups will be 
conducted by a trained moderator.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 288 hours (24 focus groups with 
eight participants in each, averaging 1.5 hours).
    Comments are invited 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 information collection;
    (iii) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (iv) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information 
on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    A comment to OMB is most effective if OMB receives it within 30 
days of publication.

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

Jeff Michael,
Associate Administrator, Research and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 2010-21757 Filed 8-30-10; 8:45 am]
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