[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]



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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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