[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 135 (Tuesday, July 14, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42486-42488]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-15184]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket No. NHTSA-2020-0024]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for 
Comments; National Survey of Drowsy Driving Knowledge, Attitudes and 
Behaviors

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

ACTION: Notice and request for public comment on a proposed new 
collection of information.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 
invites

[[Page 42487]]

public comments about our intention to request approval from the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) for a new information collection. Before 
a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it 
must receive approval from 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 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 received on or before September 14, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 
NHTSA-2020-0024 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. To be sure someone is there to 
help you, please call (202) 366-9322 before coming.
    Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Instructions: Each submission must include the agency name and the 
docket number for this Notice of proposed collection of information. 
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 comment (or signing the comment, 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 https://www.transportation.gov/privacy.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the street 
address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the 
dockets via internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or access 
to background documents, contact Jordan A. Blenner, JD, Ph.D., 
Contracting Officer's Representative, Office of Behavioral Safety 
Research (NPD-320), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, W46-470, Washington, DC 20590. Dr. Blenner's 
telephone number is 202-366-9982, 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 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; 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: National Survey of Drowsy Driving Knowledge, Attitudes and 
Behaviors.
    OMB Control Number: New.
    Type of Review Requested: Regular.
    Form Number: NHTSA Forms 1547, 1548, 1549, 1550, 1551, and 1552.
    Type of Information Collection Request: Approval of a new 
information collection.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years from date of 
approval.
    Summary of the Collection of Information: Title 23, United States 
Code, Chapter 4, Section 403 gives the Secretary authorization to use 
funds appropriated to conduct research and development activities, 
including demonstration projects and the collection and analysis of 
highway and motor vehicle safety data and related information needed to 
carry out this section, with respect to all aspects of highway and 
traffic safety systems and conditions relating to vehicle, highway, 
driver, passenger, motorcyclist, bicyclist, and pedestrian 
characteristics; accident causation and investigations; and human 
behavioral factors and their effect on highway and traffic safety.
    We are seeking approval to collect information from a random sample 
of adults (18 years or older) who have driven a motor vehicle in the 
past month for a one-time voluntary survey to report their knowledge, 
attitudes, and behaviors associated with drowsy driving. This 
collection has two parts. The first part is a pilot test for which 
NHTSA will contact 1,000 households for an expected number of 163 
voluntary responses. The second part is the full survey for which NHTSA 
will contact 81,490 households to achieve a total target of at least 
15,000 complete voluntary responses, consisting of 7,000 completed 
instruments from a nationally representative sample and 2,000 completed 
instruments from each of four samples representative of States that 
recently have had drowsy driving law or program activities (Arkansas, 
Iowa, Massachusetts, and New Jersey). The total estimated burden hours 
associated with this collection is 16,323 hours--up to 10,949 hours 
associated with survey invitations and reminders and up to 5,374 hours 
associated with completing the survey. NHTSA will summarize the results 
of the collection using aggregate statistics in a final report to be 
distributed to NHTSA program and regional offices, State Highway Safety 
Offices, and other traffic safety stakeholders. This collection will 
inform the development of countermeasures, particularly in the areas of 
communications and outreach, for reducing fatalities, injuries and 
crashes associated with drowsy driving.
    Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the 
Information: NHTSA's Congressional mandate is to reduce 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 
traffic safety programs. See 23 U.S.C. 403; 49 U.S.C. 30101(2); 49 
U.S.C. 32501. NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 
database reports that 2% of traffic fatalities were drowsy driving 
related in

[[Page 42488]]

2018.\1\ However, the involvement of drowsy driving in crashes is 
likely underreported due to difficulty in defining and reporting drowsy 
driving incidents.\2\ Using a multiple imputation methodology, the 
study estimated 21% of fatal crashes involved drowsy driving.\3\ If 
this estimate is accurate, it suggests that more than 7,000 people die 
in drowsy driving related motor vehicle crashes across the United 
States each year. While there have been several studies of self-
reported drowsy driving behavior, there is limited research about 
knowledge and attitudes that lead to drowsy driving. NHTSA last fielded 
a similar survey in 2002, and much has changed since then. The 
information will assist NHTSA in (a) planning drowsy driving prevention 
program activities; (b) supporting groups involved in improving public 
safety; and (c) identifying countermeasure strategies that are most 
acceptable and effective in reducing drowsy driving.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (October 2019). 
2018 Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes: Overview, pg. 8. (Traffic Safety 
Facts, Research Note, Report No. DOT HS 812 826). Washington, DC: 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
    \2\ National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (October 2017). 
Drowsy Driving 2015, pg. 2 (CrashStats, A Brief Statistical 
Summary. Report No. DOT HS 812 446). Washington, DC: National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (available at https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812446).
    \3\ Tefft, Brian C. (2014) Prevalence of Motor Vehicle Crashes 
Involving Drowsy Drivers, United States, 2009-2013. Washington, DC: 
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Number of Respondents: 82,490 Invitations/16,122 Expected 
Responses.
    Under this proposed collection, the potential respondent universe 
is U.S. residents aged 18 years or older who have driven a motor 
vehicle in the past month. The pilot study will invite one voluntary 
participant from 1,000 households, and the full study (national and 
four State surveys) will invite one voluntary participant from 81,490 
households. The expected number of survey responses is 16,122 (163 for 
the pilot and 15,959 for the full survey).
    Estimated Time per Participant: Pilot--25 minutes/Full--28 minutes.
    Households selected for the pilot survey will receive two 
invitation letters and a reminder postcard that would take an estimated 
five minutes to read (2 minutes for each letter, and 1 minute for the 
postcard). Households selected for the full survey will receive three 
invitation letters and two reminder postcards that would take an 
estimated eight minutes to read (2 minutes for each letter, and 1 
minute for each postcard). The estimated time to complete the survey is 
20 minutes.
    Total Estimated Burden Hours: 16,323.
    The total estimated burden hours associated with this collection is 
16,323 hours. The total burden hours for the respondents are derived by 
estimating the number of minutes each respondent would spend on each 
form and multiplying by the number of respondents (i.e., Form 1547 
invitation letter 1 for the pilot phase: 1,000 Respondents x 2 minutes 
/ 60 = 33.3 hours). This estimate includes 83 hours associated with 
pilot invitations and reminders (33.3 hours (Form 1547) + 16.7 hours 
(Form 1548) + 33.3 hours (Form 1549) = 83.3 or 83 hours), 10,866 hours 
associated with the full survey invitations and reminders (2,716.3 
hours (Form 1547) + 1,358.2 hours (Form 1548) + 2,716.3 hours (Form 
1549) + 1,358.2 hours (Form 1550) + 2,716.3 hours (Form 1551) = 
10,865.3 or 10,866 hours), and up to 5,374 hours associated with 
completing the survey (54.3 hours (pilot) + 5,319.7 hours (full) = 
5,374 hours). The details are presented in Table 1 below.

                                          Table 1--Burden Hours by Form
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                   Total burden
             Form                Description      Respondents   Est. minutes per  hours per form   Total burden
                                                                   respondent        per phase    hours per form
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Form 1547....................  Invitation                1,000                 2            33.3         2,749.6
                                Letter 1--
                                Pilot Survey.
                               Invitation               81,490                 2         2,716.3
                                Letter 1--Full
                                Survey.
Form 1548....................  Reminder                  1,000                 1            16.7         1,374.9
                                Postcard 1--
                                Pilot Survey.
                               Reminder                 81,490                 1         1,358.2
                                Postcard 1--
                                Full Survey.
Form 1549....................  Invitation                1,000                 2            33.3         2,749.6
                                Letter 2--
                                Pilot Survey.
                               Invitation               81,490                 2         2,716.3
                                Letter 2--Full
                                Survey.
Form 1550....................  Reminder                 81,490                 1         1,358.2         1,358.2
                                Postcard 2--
                                Full Survey.
Form 1551....................  Invitation               81,490                 2         2,716.3         2,716.3
                                Letter 3--Full
                                Survey.
Form 1552....................  Pilot Survey...             163                20            54.3         5,374.0
                               Full Survey....          15,959                20         5,319.7
                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals...................  ...............  ..............  ................  ..............     16,322.6 or
                                                                                                          16,323
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Total Estimated Burden Cost: NHTSA estimates that there are no 
costs to respondents beyond the time spent completing the survey.
    Frequency of Collection: This study is a one-time data collection, 
and there will be no recurrence.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspects of 
this information collection, including (a) whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the Department, including whether the information will 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Department's estimate 
of the burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be 
collected; 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.

    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; 49 CFR 1.49; and DOT Order 1351.29.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
Nanda Narayanan Srinivasan,
Associate Administrator, Research and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 2020-15184 Filed 7-13-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P