[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 236 (Thursday, December 9, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76781-76783]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-30975]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket No. NHTSA-2010-0157]


Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping Requirements

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Request for public comment on proposed revision of the 
previously approved collection of information, OMB 2127-0646.

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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 the collection of information for which 
NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 7, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 
NHTSA-2010-0157 using any of the following methods:
    Electronic submissions: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility, M-30, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building Ground 
Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590.
    Hand Delivery: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Instructions: Each submission must include the Agency name and the 
Docket number for this Notice. Note that all comments received will be 
posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov including any 
personal information provided.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Alan Block, Contracting Officer's 
Technical Representative, Office of Behavioral Safety Research (NTI-
131), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue, SE., W46-499, Washington, DC 20590. Mr. Block's phone number is 
202-366-6401 and his e-mail address is [email protected].

[[Page 76782]]


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 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 revision of the previously approved collection 
of information, OMB 2127-0646:

Evaluation Surveys for Impaired Driving and Seat Belt Interventions

    Type of Request--Revision of the previously approved collection of 
information.
    OMB Clearance Number--2127-0646.
    Form Number--NHTSA 1010, NHTSA 1011.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval--3 years from date of 
approval.
    Summary of the Collection of Information--The National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposes to conduct telephone 
surveys to evaluate interventions designed to increase seat belt use 
and reduce alcohol-impaired driving. Sample sizes would range from 200 
to 2000 depending on the geographic unit being surveyed (Nation, 
Region, State, Community) and the evaluation design for the 
intervention (e.g., number of analytic groups). Interview length would 
be 10 minutes. The surveys would collect information on attitudes, 
awareness, knowledge, and behavior related to the intervention. The 
surveys would 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 would use 
computer-assisted telephone interviewing to reduce interview length and 
minimize recording errors. The proposed surveys would be anonymous.
    Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the 
Information--NHTSA was established to reduce the 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.
    The heavy toll that alcohol-impaired driving exacts on the nation 
in fatalities, injuries, and economic costs is well documented. In 
addition, non-use of seat belts continues to contribute significantly 
to the number of traffic fatalities. The persistence of these traffic 
safety problems points to an ongoing need for effective interventions 
to address alcohol-impaired driving and non-use of seat belts. This in 
turn calls for strong evaluation efforts to identify what interventions 
are effective.
    The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity 
Act: A Legacy For Users (SAFETEA-LU) is a funding and authorization 
bill that governs United States federal Surface Transportation 
spending. Signed into law in 2005, sections within the law have 
stimulated heightened program activity to reduce alcohol-impaired 
driving and increase seat belt use. Under section 410 of SAFETEA-LU, 
spending authority for State grants to implement alcohol-impaired 
driving countermeasures rose from slightly under $40 million in 2005 to 
$139 million in 2009. To be eligible for the grants, States had to 
carry out a specified number of programs from the following list: 
Statewide checkpoints and/or saturation patrols, prosecution and 
adjudication outreach programs, increased rate of BAC testing of 
drivers in fatal crashes, stronger sanctions for high-risk drivers with 
BACs of 0.15 percent or more, effective alcohol rehabilitation for 
repeat offenders or a program to refer them to DWI courts, underage 
drinking prevention programs, administrative license suspension or 
revocation for DUI, and self-sustaining impaired driving prevention 
programs. Section 406 of SAFETEA-LU set the funding authority for State 
seat belt performance grants at $124.5 million per year between 2006 
and 2009. States were eligible for the grants based on specified seat 
belt performance criteria. Under Section 405 of SAFETEA-LU, funding 
authority for State occupant protection incentive grants increased from 
$19.84 million in 2005 to $25 million in 2009. Grant eligibility was 
based on specified criteria regarding the presence of occupant 
protection programs, laws, and associated penalties for violation. Use 
of grant funds was restricted to implementing and enforcing occupant 
protection programs. Section 2009 of SAFETEA-LU established a new 
program to administer at least 2 high visibility enforcement programs 
to increase seat belt use and/or reduce alcohol-impaired or drug-
impaired driving. Grant funds could be used for the development, 
production, and use of broadcast and print media in carrying out 
traffic safety law enforcement campaigns.
    Funding of these programs has continued with extension of SAFETEA-
LU into fiscal years 2010 and 2011. NHTSA needs to be prepared for 
inclusion of the programs in the upcoming Surface Transportation 
Reauthorization. This means maintaining a strong evaluation program 
that monitors the effectiveness of intervention models being 
implemented under this funded intervention activity, and identifies 
where changes are needed. Telephone surveys have been an important 
component in NHTSA's evaluation activity. They have been used to 
measure public awareness of intervention campaigns, penetration of 
campaign messages, and perceived risk of negative consequences from 
engaging in proscribed behavior. The surveys have typically followed a 
pre-post design, where differences between an initial baseline survey 
wave and a later survey wave were associated with an intervening 
intervention. NHTSA has found such surveys to be valuable in assessing 
the multi-million dollar national media campaigns conducted for the 
National Alcohol Crackdowns and the National Click It or Ticket 
Mobilizations. They also have been useful in evaluating localized 
programs that tested variants of intervention models by providing 
information to assess campaign communications or interpret collected 
behavioral measures. With seat belt and impaired driving intervention 
activity anticipated to remain heavy for the foreseeable future, there 
is a need for NHTSA to continue to apply these data collection

[[Page 76783]]

techniques to see if the campaigns are achieving their objectives.
    Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number, 
and Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of Information)--
Over the next 3 years, NHTSA intends to conduct National telephone 
surveys to collect data from 36,000 participants. For the National 
Alcohol Crackdown, 2 sets of pre/post intervention surveys, each with 
sample sizes of 1,500, will be administered annually for 3 years. 
Similarly, for the National Click It or Ticket Mobilization, 2 sets of 
pre/post intervention surveys, each with sample sizes of 1,500, will be 
administered annually for 3 years.
    In conducting one or more of the National surveys, NHTSA may have a 
need to collect information to assess localized activity associated 
with the National Alcohol Crackdown or National Click It or Ticket 
Mobilization. This would involve augmentation of the pre- and post-
national sample with one or more Regional, State, or Community samples. 
These samples will range from 200 to 2,000. Typically they will be 
approximately 500. NHTSA intends to complete a maximum of 24,000 of 
these localized interviews over the next three years.
    In addition to the surveys associated with the National Alcohol 
Crackdown and National Click It or Ticket Mobilization, NHTSA intends 
to conduct telephone surveys to assess selected demonstrations of 
interventions designed to reduce alcohol-impaired driving and/or 
increase seat belt use. The surveys will follow a pre-post design. 
Interventions sustained over an extended period of time may add one or 
more interim survey waves. Typically, a State demonstration survey will 
require 500 participants per survey wave. A regional demonstration can 
range from as few as 200 participants for a small county to 2,000 
participants for a Region covering more than one State. NHTSA intends 
to complete a maximum of 40,800 of these interviews over the next three 
years.
    Interviews will be conducted with persons at residential phone 
numbers selected using random digit dialing. For interviews conducted 
with persons using landline phones, no more than one respondent per 
household will be selected. For interviews conducted with persons on 
cell phones, a single user of the cell phone will be selected. Each 
sample member will complete just one interview. Businesses are 
ineligible for the sample and would not be interviewed.
    Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Record Keeping Burden 
Resulting from the Collection of Information--NHTSA estimates that 
respondents in the sample would require an average of 10 minutes to 
complete the telephone interviews. The annual estimated reporting 
burden on the general public for the National surveys would be a 
maximum of 2,000 hours to conduct 12,000 interviews. Over the requested 
three year period, this would be 6,000 hours to conduct 36,000 
interviews. The annual estimated reporting burden on the general public 
for the localized Crackdown and Mobilization surveys would be a maximum 
of 1,333.33 hours to conduct 8,000 interviews. Over the requested three 
year period, this would be 4,000 hours to conduct 24,000 interviews. 
The annual estimated reporting burden on the general public for the 
demonstration project surveys would be a maximum of 2,266.67 hours to 
conduct 13,600 interviews. Over the requested three year period, this 
would be 6,800 hours to conduct 40,800 interviews. In total, the annual 
estimated reporting burden on the public would be a maximum of 5,600 
hours to conduct 33,600 interviews. Over the requested three year 
period this would be 16,800 hours to conduct 100,800 interviews. The 
respondents would not incur any reporting cost from the information 
collection. The respondents also would not incur any record keeping 
burden or record keeping cost from the information collection.

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

Jeffrey Michael,
Associate Administrator, Research and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 2010-30975 Filed 12-8-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P