[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 73 (Friday, April 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21422-21423]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9130]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket No. NHTSA-2011-0046]


Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping 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 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), 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 an Information Collection Request (ICR) for 
which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 14, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation Dockets, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Washington, DC 
20590. You may also submit comments electronically at http://www.regulations.gov. All comments should refer to the Docket No. NHTSA-
2011-0046.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jessica Cicchino, PhD, Contracting 
Officer's Technical Representative, Office of Behavioral Safety 
Research (NTI-131), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., W46-491, Washington, DC, 20590. Dr. 
Cicchino's phone number is 202-366-2752 and her e-mail address is 
[email protected].

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 collection of information:
    Title: Evaluation of Impaired Riding Interventions.
    Type of Request: New information collection request.
    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: The National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposes to collect information 
from the public to evaluate intervention programs in multiple locations 
designed to reduce impaired motorcycle riding. NHTSA anticipates that 
the programs will take place over the 2012 riding season. In-person 
interviews will be conducted with motorcycle riders in up to 4 program 
sites, and in up to 2 control sites not carrying out an intervention. 
Motorcycle riders will be interviewed at locations within the sites 
where riders congregate. Interview length will average 5 minutes and 
will collect information on attitudes, awareness, knowledge, and 
behavior related to the intervention.
    The interviews will follow a pre-post design where they are 
administered prior to the implementation of the intervention and after 
its conclusion. Up

[[Page 21423]]

to 2 waves of program activity are planned in each program site, and 
thus interviews will be administered a maximum of 4 times in each site 
(before and after each of 2 program waves). Sample size will be up to 
500 riders per interview administration, for a total maximum of 12,000 
riders.
    For interventions where a pre-post design would not be possible 
(i.e., interventions that are conducted in conjunction with an 
infrequently-occurring event), the interviews will follow a test-
control design where they are administered during the intervention in 
the program site, and in a control site that did not experience an 
intervention. The proposed interviews will be anonymous. Participation 
by respondents will be voluntary.
    Need and Use of Information: 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.
    The heavy toll that impaired driving exacts on the Nation in 
fatalities, injuries, and economic costs is well documented. Impaired 
motorcycle riding has also been an increasing concern on our Nation's 
roads. Motorcycle fatalities in the US decreased in 2009 for the first 
time after steadily increasing for 11 years; however, even with this 
decline, the number of motorcycle fatalities in 2009 was nearly double 
that from a decade earlier. Alcohol impairment is a factor that 
contributes to a substantial proportion of fatal motorcycle crashes. In 
2009, 30% of motorcycle riders fatally injured in crashes had a blood 
alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above .08 g/dL, which is per se 
evidence of impaired riding in all States. Forty-two percent of riders 
who died in single-vehicle crashes in 2009, and 63% of riders who died 
in single-vehicle crashes on weekend nights, had a BAC of .08 g/dL or 
higher.
    In 2012, NHTSA anticipates sponsoring demonstration projects in 
multiple sites to conduct interventions with the purpose of reducing 
impaired motorcycle riding. NHTSA plans to evaluate these interventions 
to determine their effectiveness. A key component of this evaluation 
effort will use brief interviews to assess motorcycle riders' knowledge 
of the intervention, self-reported drinking and riding behavior, and 
belief that alcohol-impaired driving laws are enforced for all 
motorists, including motorcycle riders in the areas in which the 
interventions will occur.
    The findings from this proposed collection of information will 
assist NHTSA in addressing the problem of alcohol-impaired motorcycle 
riding. NHTSA will use the findings to help focus current programs and 
activities to achieve the greatest benefit, to develop new programs to 
decrease the likelihood of impaired riding, and to provide 
informational support to States, localities, and law enforcement 
agencies that will aid them in their efforts to reduce impaired 
motorcycle crashes.
    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 up to 12,000 face-
to-face interviews with motorcycle riders. Interview length will 
average 5 minutes, and each member of the sample would complete one 
interview. Businesses would be ineligible for the sample and would not 
be interviewed. Interviews will be conducted in a maximum of 4 
demonstration sites and 2 control sites, with up to 4 interview 
administrations occurring in each site (baseline and post-intervention 
surveys before and after each of 2 program waves). Up to 500 motorcycle 
riders will be interviewed at each site during each interview 
administration.
    Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Record Keeping Burden 
Resulting from the Collection of Information: NHTSA estimates the 
respondents in the sample will require an average of 5 minutes to 
complete the interviews. Thus, for the 12,000 respondents, the 
estimated reporting burden hours on the general public will be a 
maximum of 1,000 hours, over one year. The respondents will not incur 
any record-keeping burden or record-keeping cost from the information 
collection.

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

Jeffrey Michael,
Associate Administrator, Research and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 2011-9130 Filed 4-14-11; 8:45 am]
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