[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 117 (Tuesday, June 18, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36633-36635]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-14363]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA--2012-0084]


National Automotive Sampling System

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

ACTION: Notice of public listening session.

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SUMMARY: NHTSA has reached the next phase of the design for the 
modernization of National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) or Data 
Modernization (DataMod). NHTSA announces that it will hold a public 
listening session to solicit information and comments on: (a) Adding, 
deleting or changing the current NASS data elements for DataMod, and; 
(b) recommendations for changing or improving the NASS data collection 
methodology. NHTSA will give a brief status of the project and then 
open the floor to the public. The listening session will also be 
accessible through the Internet.

DATES: The listening session will be held on July 18, 2013, from 1:00-
5:00 p.m., EDT. If all participants have had an opportunity to comment, 
the session may conclude earlier.

ADDRESSES: The listening session will be held at the U. S. Department 
of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, 
in the Oklahoma City Conference Room. In addition to attending the 
session in person, the Agency offers several ways to provide comments 
as enumerated below.
     Internet Access Via the Web: NHTSA will post specific 
information on how to participate via the Internet on the NHTSA Web 
site at www.nhtsa.gov one week before the listening session.
    You may submit comments bearing the Federal Docket Management 
System Docket ID NHTSA-2012-0084 using any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail: Send comments to: Docket Management Facility, U.S. 
Department

[[Page 36634]]

of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590.
     Fax: Written comments may be faxed to (202) 493-2251
     Hand Delivery: If you plan to submit written comments by 
hand or courier, please do so at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West 
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC between 9 a.m. and 
5 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.
    Whichever way you submit your comments, please remember to mention 
the agency and the docket number of this document within your 
correspondence. Please note that all comments received will be posted 
without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
information provided. Please see the ``Privacy Act'' heading below.
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all 
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comments (or signing the comments, if submitted on 
behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review 
DOT's complete Privacy Act statement in the Federal Register published 
on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78) or you may visit http://DocketInfo.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information concerning the 
listening session or access via the Internet, please contact Delia 
Lopez, National Center for Statistics and Analysis, NHTSA (telephone: 
202-366-5365 or email: [email protected]). Registration is available 
at www.nhtsa.gov.
    If you need sign language assistance to participate in this 
listening session, contact Ms. Lopez by July 3, 2013, to allow us to 
arrange for such services. NHTSA cannot guarantee that interpreter 
services requested on short notice will be provided.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The listening session will allow interested 
persons to present comments and propose future data elements to be 
collected by NASS excluding comments already submitted. All comments 
and discussions will be transcribed and placed in docket NHTSA-2012-
0084 for NHTSA's consideration.

I. Background

    NHTSA is undertaking a modernization effort to upgrade the National 
Automotive Sampling System (NASS) by improving the information 
technology (IT) infrastructure, updating and prioritizing the data 
collected, reselecting the sample sites and sample sizes, re-examining 
the electronic formats in which the crash data files are made available 
to the public, and improving data collection methods and quality 
control procedures, among other activities. This project is called the 
Data Modernization (DataMod) Project.
    NASS collects crash data on a nationally representative sample of 
police-reported motor vehicle traffic crashes and related injuries. 
NASS data are used by Federal, State, and local government agencies, as 
well as by industry and academia in the U.S. and around the world. The 
data enable stakeholders to make informed regulatory, program, and 
policy decisions regarding vehicle design and traffic safety. The NASS 
system currently has two components: the General Estimates System (GES) 
and the Crashworthiness Data System (CDS). While the GES captures 
information on all types of traffic crashes, the CDS focuses on more 
severe crashes involving passenger vehicles to better document the 
consequences to vehicles and occupants in crashes--i.e., 
crashworthiness.
    NASS was originally designed in the 1970's, and has not received 
significant revision since that time with regard to the type of data 
collected and the sites for data collection. Over the last three 
decades NHTSA understands that the scope of traffic safety studies has 
expanded and the data needs of the transportation community have 
increased and significantly changed. In addition, the distribution of 
the U.S. population has shifted over the past 23 years, and there is a 
growing need for the collection of information that addresses issues of 
crash avoidance. Recognizing the importance of this data, NHTSA is 
pursuing the DataMod Project to enhance the quality of the data 
collected and the overall effectiveness of the NASS.
    This modernization effort includes the following major objectives:
     Propose data elements for the crash investigation portion 
of NASS that are responsive to the current and future needs of both 
internal and external data users;
     Develop a detailed, executable sample design and data 
collection protocol blueprint that meets data needs in an effective and 
efficient manner while still maintaining national representativeness;
     Modernize the information technology (IT) infrastructure;
     Re-examine the electronic formats in which the crash data 
files are made available to the public; and
     Examine using new data collection methods and quality 
control procedures to improve data quality and timeliness.

II. Comments From Stakeholders

    On June 21, 2012, NHTSA published a Federal Register notice (77 FR 
37471-72) soliciting comments from NASS users on the current data 
elements, proposed new data elements, suggestions on the research 
design and data collection protocol for the modernized study, and any 
other ideas NHTSA should consider to improve crash data.
    Twenty-five organizations and individuals submitted comments in 
response to the Federal Register Notice. Most of the comments came from 
research organizations and automobile manufacturers and their 
associations. The 25 organizations and individuals provided 313 
specific comments. As expected, most of the specific comments were 
related to NASS CDS (292 or 93%). The remaining comments were related 
to GES, the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), or multiple 
NHTSA crash data bases.
    Specific comments fell into common general topic areas. The most 
common topic areas were scene, followed by sample design, data 
elements, and vehicle reconstruction. Once the comments were grouped 
into topic areas, it was clear that many of the comments overlapped or 
were the same. At least two or more associations and individuals 
requested the same information in the new system. For example, although 
we received 41 specific comments on scene information, many of the 
comments were similar. In fact, if you group by unique comments there 
are only 18 unique comments related to scene. Seven commenters wanted 
latitude and longitude data added to both GES and CDS in the new 
system.
    Anyone who responded previously to the previous Federal Register 
Notice requesting comments does not need to resubmit their comments. To 
see the comments that were submitted, please go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for docket number, NHTSA-2012-0084.

III. Meeting Participation and Information NHTSA Seeks From the Public

    The listening session is open to the public. NHTSA will open the 
meeting by providing a brief presentation on the current status. The 
status update will include an overall description of the Data Mod 
Project and project timing, provide information on the new sample 
design and describe the information

[[Page 36635]]

technology implementation. NHTSA has reached the next phase of the 
design for the modernization of NASS. In this phase we need to finalize 
the new data elements. Current NASS data elements, coding instructions, 
and descriptive materials can be reviewed on NHTSA's Web site at: 
http://nhtsa.gov/NASS.
    Speakers' remarks will be limited to 10 minutes each. Pre-
registration is required for in-person and webinar participation. 
Register at www.nhtsa.gov by July 11, 2013. For questions contact Delia 
Lopez at [email protected] or 202-366-5365. In-person participants 
need to bring photo identification and should plan to arrive 45 minutes 
before the session starts to allow time to clear building security. The 
public may submit material to the NHTSA staff at the session for 
inclusion in the public docket, NHTSA-2012-0084.

IV. Alternative Access Via the Internet During the Listening Session on 
July 18, 2013

    NHTSA will also provide access via the Internet for participants. 
The telephone access number and other information on how to participate 
via the Internet will be posted on the NHTSA Web site at www.nhsta.gov 
one week before the listening session. Internet participants must 
register at www.nhtsa.gov by July 11, 2013.

Terry Shelton,
Associate Administrator, National Center For Statistics and Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2013-14363 Filed 6-17-13; 8:45 am]
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