[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 143 (Thursday, July 25, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35927-35928]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15759]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket Number NHTSA-2019-0027]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for 
Comments; State Notification to Consumers of Motor Vehicle Recall 
Status

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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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, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit 
public comment on proposed collections of information, including 
extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections. A 
Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting 
comments on the following information collection was published on May 
7, 2019. No comments were received.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 26, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding the burden estimate, including 
suggestions for reducing the burden, to the Office of Management and 
Budget, Attention: Desk Office for the Office of the Secretary of 
Transportation, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexander Ansley, Program Support 
Division, Office of Defects Investigation (NEF-110), (202) 493-0481, 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, W48-336, Washington, DC 
20590. Please identify the relevant collection of information by 
referring to its OMB Control Number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB 
for approval, it must first 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 regulation 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; (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 for public 
comments on the following proposed collection of information:
    Title of Collection: State Notification to Consumers of Motor 
Vehicle Recall Status.
    OMB Control Number: None.
    Type of Request: New information collection request.
    Type of Review: Regular.
    Form Number: OMB SF 424, OMB SF 424A, and OMB SF 424B.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years from date of 
approval.
    Abstract: NHTSA is responsible for reducing deaths, injuries and 
economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes. This is 
accomplished by setting and enforcing safety performance standards for 
motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment, and through grants to state 
and local governments to enable them to conduct effective local highway 
safety programs. NHTSA investigates safety defects in motor vehicles; 
sets and enforces fuel economy standards; helps states and local 
communities reduce the threat of impaired drivers; promotes the use of 
safety belts, child safety seats and air bags; investigates odometer 
fraud; establishes and enforces vehicle anti-theft regulations; and 
provides consumer information on motor vehicle safety issues.
    The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, 49 U.S.C. 30101, 
et. seq., as amended (the Safety Act), requires a motor vehicle 
manufacturer to notify the owners and purchasers of its vehicles of a 
safety-related defect, or that the vehicle does not comply with an 
applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standard.\1\ A vehicle 
manufacturer must provide notice of a recall, in a manner prescribed 
through

[[Page 35928]]

regulation by NHTSA, to each person registered under State law as the 
owner and whose name and address are reasonably ascertainable by the 
manufacturer through State records or other available sources or, if a 
registered owner is not notified through State registration 
information, to the most recent purchaser known to the manufacturer.\2\
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    \1\ 49 U.S.C. 30118.
    \2\ 49 U.S.C. 30119(d).
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    In order to identify owners of vehicles subject to a safety-related 
recall and provide notification to them, a motor vehicle manufacturer 
typically contracts with a third party that obtains vehicle 
registration data for the affected vehicles from State motor vehicle 
administrations. The motor vehicle manufacturer then notifies owners 
and purchasers by U.S. Mail about the safety recall and, among other 
things, about how to obtain a remedy to fix the defect or 
noncompliance.\3\ To obtain a remedy, the consumer must then present 
the recalled motor vehicle to an authorized dealer for the dealer to 
remedy the defect or noncompliance. 49 U.S.C. 30120.
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    \3\ 49 U.S.C. 30119(d) and 49 CFR part 577.
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    Recall completion rates can and do vary widely depending on a 
variety of factors such as the age and type of vehicle, as well as 
owners' perception of relative risk.\4\ Considering this wide range, 
regardless of completion averages, the fact remains that there are at 
any time tens of millions of vehicles on the road with unremedied 
safety defects or noncompliances, each one creating a safety risk. 
NHTSA and the motor vehicle industry have sought to improve notice of 
safety-related defects to owners and to develop ways to increase the 
rate at which owners complete the remedy identified in the notice.
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    \4\ NHTSA, Report to Congress: ``Vehicle Safety Recall 
Completion Rates Report'' (2018). A copy of the Vehicle Safety 
Recall Completion Rates Report is located on NHTSA's website at: 
https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/documents/18-3122_vehicle_safety_recall_completion_rates_report_to_congress-tag.pdf.
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    In 2016, in accordance with Section 24105 of the Fixing America's 
Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, Public Law 114-94, NHTSA announced a 
pilot program to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a State 
process to inform consumers of open motor vehicle recalls at the time 
of motor vehicle registration. The grant was conditioned upon a State 
having the capability to use a vehicle identification number (VIN) to 
identify whether the specific vehicle was subject to an open safety 
recall. In 2017, NHTSA awarded the Maryland Motor Vehicle 
Administration a grant to provide vehicle owners and lessees notice of 
open safety related recalls on their vehicles. Maryland began notifying 
vehicle owners and lessees in the Spring of 2018.
    Since the start of the Maryland notification program, several 
States have expressed an interest in partnering with NHTSA to provide 
similar recall notification to consumers in their states. While the 
Maryland Pilot Program offers a promising effort to increase consumer 
awareness to repair open safety recalls (and an opportunity to measure 
the effectiveness of such notification), additional notification by 
State DMVs would increase consumer awareness of open safety recalls and 
increase the repair rate of recalled vehicles. NHTSA believes such 
efforts will ultimately reduce the risk of a crash or injury due to a 
safety defect. Under its existing authority provided in the Safety Act, 
NHTSA is offering this opportunity to further develop this State to 
consumer notification to increase awareness of open recalls.
    NHTSA encourages applicants to be creative and innovative when 
developing a proposal (application) for this grant. NHTSA is interested 
in proposals that provide vehicle owners and lessees with frequent 
notifications at touchpoints between the State and the vehicle. For 
example, NHTSA is interested in proposals that may offer options at the 
time of vehicle registration and other unique notification methods (or 
even follow-up notification). One potential option is to have 
notification at the time of registration and at motor vehicle emissions 
and/or safety inspection stations. A State is free to propose a process 
to make use of the functionality that may exist through its inspection 
stations or other intersection between the State and the consumer's 
vehicle. NHTSA does not want to discourage innovative approaches, 
provided they satisfy the program requirements of notification at the 
intersection of a vehicle owner or lessee and the State.
    NHTSA is also interested in proposals that provide an analysis of 
recall completion data on an ongoing basis to assist in program 
evaluation, or assessment of owners' attitudes toward a particular 
recall notification protocol. In particular, NHTSA is interested in 
ways for a State to identify the motor vehicles that were remedied 
following notification of an open recall by the State. NHTSA looks 
forward to reviewing resourceful approaches that will motivate owners 
to remedy open recalls.
    While this funding opportunity will be made available to all 
states, NHTSA anticipates an estimated twenty (20) state applications. 
NHTSA will require these applications not exceed 25 pages (not 
including resumes or appendices). NHTSA will also require OMB Standard 
Form (SF) 424 (including 424 ``Application for Federal Assistance,'' 
424A ``Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs,'' and 424B 
``Assurances for Non-Construction Programs''), with the required 
information filled in and certified assurances signed. NHTSA estimates 
the burden for completing these applications at 3,200 hours total (160 
hours x 20 state applicants = 3,200 hours) to allow each applicant 
thirty (30) days to conduct the necessary research, design their 
program, and complete the application package.
    Affected Public: State vehicle registration authorities.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 20.
    Frequency: One-time.
    Number of Responses: 20.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,200.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost: None.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including (a) whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the Department's 
performance, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Department's estimated burden; (c) 
ways for the Department to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of 
the information collection; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    A comment to OMB is most effective if OMB receives it within 30 
days of publication.

    Authority:  The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1:48.

Stephen A. Ridella,
Director, Office of Defects Investigation.
[FR Doc. 2019-15759 Filed 7-24-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-59-P