[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 165 (Friday, August 24, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51609-51610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-20940]
[[Page 51609]]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[U.S. DOT Docket No. NHTSA-2012-0121]
Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of 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 one collection of
information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 23, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to the docket number and be submitted
to: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Management Facility, West
Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W12-140, Washington, DC
20590. Docket hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays. You may call the docket at 202-647-5527. You may also
submit comments electronically at www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Amy Berning, Contracting Officer's
Technical Representative, Office of Behavioral Safety Research (NTI-
131), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.
Ms. Berning's phone number is 202-366-5587 and the email 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:
National Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drugged Driving 2013
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
a study to estimate the prevalence of alcohol-, drug-, and alcohol-and-
drug-involved driving, primarily among nighttime weekend drivers, but
also daytime Friday drivers, on our Nation's roadways. A minimum of
7,500 drivers at various locations across the country will be
interviewed anonymously at the roadside to: (1) Determine the
prevalence of drivers at various BACs, and (2) determine the prevalence
of drivers with the presence of various (over-the-counter,
prescription, and illegal) drugs in their system. Trained survey teams
will obtain data on alcohol and drug use of drivers through passive
alcohol sensors (PASs), preliminary breath-test samples, oral fluid
samples, and, for a subset of the drivers, blood samples. Each driver
will be asked several questions regarding their general driving
behavior, alcohol use, drinking-and-driving behavior, drug use, and
drugged-driving behavior. Some demographic data will be recorded as
well.
Data collection would take place over a six month period at 60
different locations across the United States, with five data collection
sites within each location for a total of 300 data collection sites.
Researchers would conduct surveys with at least 7,500 drivers. The
research team will consist of a survey manager, a licensed
phlebotomist, data collectors, and two off-duty law enforcement
officers. Law enforcement officers will wave vehicles into the survey
site, and then a data collector will ask the driver to participate in a
voluntary, anonymous, research survey.
The survey includes questions about alcohol and drug use and
impaired driving, a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) breath test,
collection of an oral fluid specimen, and collection of a blood sample.
The results of the breath and biological samples will not be known to
the researchers on site. Breath alcohol test results will be downloaded
and analyzed later. Biological samples will be analyzed later at a
central laboratory by a trained toxicologist.
Drivers must be at least age 16 to participate (18 years to provide
a blood sample), speak English or Spanish, not be in emotional or
physical distress, not be driving a commercial vehicle, and be able to
understand that they are being asked to voluntarily participate in a
confidential research study.
A road sign will indicate ``Voluntary Survey Ahead.'' The team's
police officer will flag down the first available vehicle after the
data collector indicates that he/she is ready to commence data
collection. The data collector will invite the driver to participate in
a voluntary anonymous research survey and explain the details of the
data collection. The same survey questions as noted above will be used.
There will be a total of at least 7,500 subjects.
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 in
alcohol-related (.08+ BAC) crashes per 100 million vehicle miles
traveled, 0.45 in 2011 (the rate in 2006 was .50). NHTSA also has the
responsibility to reduce drug-involved driving. While much is known
about alcohol-involved driving, relatively little is known about drug-
involved driving associated with drivers having consumed psychoactive
drugs other than alcohol, alone and in combination with alcohol. This
study would significantly add to the body of knowledge about that
important issue, providing critical data on alcohol-, drug-, and
alcohol-and-drug-involved
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drivers on the road. The alcohol use prevalence estimates among drivers
will be compared with previous National Roadside Surveys conducted in
1973, 1986, 1996, and 2007. The drug use prevalence estimates will be
compared with the results of the 2007 National Roadside Survey, the
first time these data were collected. The results of the study will be
used by NHTSA to help guide policy development and countermeasure
programs intended to reduce the risk on our highways presented by
impaired drivers.
Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number,
and Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of Information)--
Under this proposed effort, the Contractor would collect data from
approximately 7,500 subjects. Data collection would take place over a
six month period at 60 different sites across the United States, with
five data collection sites within each location for a total of 300 data
collection locations.
Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Record Keeping Burden
Resulting from the Collection of Information--NHTSA estimates that
participants will spend an average of 20 minutes each to complete the
survey, for a total of approximately 2,500 hours for the study
respondents. The respondents would not incur any reporting cost or
record keeping burden from the data collection.
Authority: 44 U.S.C. Section 3506(c)(2)(A).
Issued on: August 21, 2012.
Jeffrey P. Michael,
Associate Administrator for Research and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 2012-20940 Filed 8-23-12; 8:45 am]
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