[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 214 (Wednesday, November 5, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65765-65767]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-26336]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket No. NHTSA-2014-0091]


Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping 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 January 5, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 
NHTSA-2014-0091 using any of the following methods:
    Electronic submissions: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the online 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: Diane Wigle, Division Chief, Impaired 
Driving Division (NTI-111), Office of Impaired Driving and Occupant 
Protection, National Highway Traffic

[[Page 65766]]

Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., W44-301, Washington, 
DC 20590. Ms. Wigle's phone number is 202-366-2695 and her 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:
    Title--Special Study on 18-24 Year Old Drivers Involved in Alcohol-
Related Motor Vehicle Crashes
    Type of Request--New information collection request
    OMB Clearance Number--None.
    Form Number--This collection of information uses no standard form
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval--3 years from date of 
approval.
    Summary of the Collection of Information--NHTSA has been 
particularly concerned with 18- to-24-year-old drivers' propensity for 
high-risk driving behaviors and overrepresentation in impaired driving 
crashes. While data collection efforts exist to identify basic 
demographics and some details of crash involvement, there is 
insufficient information to define the characteristics, circumstances, 
and patterns of 18-to-24-year-old drivers involved in alcohol-related 
motor vehicle crashes. NHTSA needs this information to design programs 
that are most likely to affect this age group. NHTSA plans to collect 
and analyze information on: (1) Environmental or behavioral conditions 
that may have played a role in the cause of the crash, (2) whether 
there is a correlation between trip purpose, type, frequency, 
departure, destination, or familiarity of location, (3) determine, 
other than age, if there are demographic commonalities, (4) determine 
methods of message delivery to be most highly accepted among this 
group.
    Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the 
Information--NHTSA was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1970 
(23 U.S.C. 101) to carry out the Congressional mandate 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 safety standards and 
traffic safety programs.
    Every year, alcohol-impaired driving fatalities account for more 
than 30 percent of the total motor vehicle traffic fatalities in the 
United States. In 2012, 10,322 people died in alcohol-impaired-driving 
crashes. Yearly data from the National Center for Statistics and 
Analysis (NCSA) consistently show that nearly 30 percent of drivers age 
18-24 involved in fatal crashes are alcohol impaired (BAC .08+). In 
addition, a significant amount of research has indicated that heavy and 
binge drinking, as well as signs of alcohol dependence and abuse, is 
high among this age group.
    In support of its mission, NHTSA proposes to gather information on 
drivers age 18-24 involved in alcohol-related crashes and the 
circumstances of these crashes. A sample of non-alcohol-related crashes 
involving drivers age 18-24 will also be collected as a comparison 
group. NHTSA is requesting approval to gather information through the 
National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) new record-based 
data collection system to be launched in January 2016, which will 
replace the National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates 
System (NASS GES), and is called the Crash Report Sampling System 
(CRSS). NHTSA would like to gather additional information that isn't 
currently being collected. NHTSA did not identify any national 
databases with detailed information on impaired drivers age 18-24 and 
specifically the characteristics, circumstances, and patterns of being 
involved in alcohol-related crashes.
    NHTSA is seeking approval to collect data from surviving drivers, 
who were age 18-24 years old at the time of the crash, on driver 
demographics, driving behavior, contributing crash factors, and other 
circumstances. If the driver is unavailable, NHTSA will collect data 
from surviving passengers of the vehicle driven by the 18-24 year old. 
NHTSA, other federal agencies such as the National Institute for 
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), state and local governments, 
safety research organizations, and universities will use the data to 
design, develop, or determine which countermeasures are most likely to 
reduce impaired driving among 18 to 24 year olds. The purpose of this 
data collection is to provide critical information needed by NHTSA to 
design effective countermeasures that meet the Agency's mandate to 
improve highway traffic safety.
    Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number, 
and Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of Information)--
The drivers and passengers will be identified through police reported 
crashes of which there are over 5 million every year. From the 
identified crashes involving 18-24 year old drivers, a random sample of 
reported crashes will be selected and weighted for a geographic 
representation of the nation. Since the data collection effort is 
intended to gather information on drivers involved in alcohol-related 
crashes and the circumstances of these crashes, a balanced 
representation of non-alcohol and alcohol-related crashes are required 
to make any meaningful findings. According to the General Estimates 
System (GES) 2012 file, 1,026 of 18,566 total drivers ages 18 to 24 
were in alcohol-related crashes. To show comparisons and identify 
patterns between drivers involved and not involved in alcohol-related 
crashes at significant confidence levels and considering a response 
rate at 10%, investigators will need to make approximately 4,100 calls 
for an estimated 410 possible completed interviews. NHTSA proposes to 
make 6,000 contacts to be able to interview approximately 600 
participants in 36 months. Participants are the surviving drivers and 
passengers who have detailed knowledge of the crash and the driver 
involved. Data will be collected by staff contracted to NHTSA under the 
CRSS program. Special investigators will use telephone and in-person 
interviews to gather information. Investigators may also make contact 
by sending a questionnaire by mail.

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    Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Record Keeping Burden 
Resulting from the Collection of Information--NHTSA estimates 30 
minutes for each interview for an estimated an annual burden of 100 
hours and a total burden of 300 hours over a three year period. Based 
on median per capita income, the maximum total input cost, if all 
respondents were interviewed on the job, is estimated as follows: 
$22.01 per hour x 100 interviewing hours = $2,201 per year and $6,603 
total over a three year period. There are no record keeping or 
reporting costs to respondents. All responses are provided 
spontaneously. Each respondent only participates once in the data 
collection. Thus there is no preparation of data required or expected 
of respondents. Respondents do not incur: (a) Capital and startup 
costs, or (b) operation, maintenance, and purchase costs for 
interviewing

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

    Dated: October 31, 2014.
Jeff Michael,
Associate Administrator, Research and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 2014-26336 Filed 11-4-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P