[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 123 (Tuesday, June 28, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38452-38455]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-13721]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2020-0073]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Request for 
Comment; Survey on Driver Awareness of Motorcycles

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments on a new information 
collection.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) 
abstracted below will be submitted to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The ICR describes the nature of 
the information collection and its expected burden. This document 
describes a new collection of information for which NHTSA intends to 
seek OMB approval. The Survey on Driver Awareness of Motorcycles is a 
one-time voluntary survey regarding motorists' knowledge, attitudes, 
and awareness of safe-driving behaviors towards motorcycles. A Federal 
Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting public comments 
on the following information collection was published on April 7, 2022. 
NHTSA received seven comments. The National Association of Mutual 
Insurance Companies submitted a letter of support for the proposed 
information collection, as did two individuals. The other four comments 
were either neutral, implicitly supportive, or not directly relevant to 
the proposed information collection, as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 29, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection, including suggestions for reducing burden, 
should be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget at 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. To find this particular information 
collection, select ``Currently under Review--Open for Public Comment'' 
or use the search function. Comments may also be sent by mail to the 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503, Attention: Desk 
Officer for Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration, or by email at [email protected], or 
fax: 202-395-5806.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or access 
to background documents, contact Kathryn Wochinger, Ph.D., Office of 
Behavioral Safety Research (NPD-310), (202) 366-4300, 
[email protected], National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, W46-487, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 
20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) a 
Federal agency must receive approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) before it collects certain information from the public and 
a person is not required to respond to a collection of information by a 
Federal agency unless the collection displays a valid OMB control 
number. In compliance with these requirements, this notice announces 
that the following information collection request will be submitted to 
OMB.
    A Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting 
public comments on the following information collection was published 
on April 7, 2022 (Federal Register/Vol. 87, No. 67/pp. 20501-20504). 
NHTSA received six

[[Page 38453]]

comments from individuals and one letter from the National Association 
of Mutual Insurance Companies expressing support for the proposed 
information collection. John Banta and John Tramburg provided comments 
supportive of the information collection. A third individual (John 
Herlihy) commented that ``. . . the most dangerous part about [riding a 
motorcycle] is other vehicle operators.'' A fourth anonymous post was 
that ``. . . many riders are most concerned about the use of additional 
ethenol [sic] in our gasoline as a method to increase the supply of 
gasoline and control price points,'' but the issue of gasoline is not 
addressed in the proposed information collection. A fifth comment 
submitted by Andy Kelly was about training of automobile drivers and 
motorcycle operators in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The sixth 
comment from John Chico Bethea was that ``. . . the greatest danger to 
a modern motorcyclist are [sic] the other motor vehicle (cars, trucks, 
SUVs) drivers on their cell phones.'' We appreciate the letter of 
support from the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies and 
the comments from each individual and thank them for their input.
    Title: Survey on Driver Awareness of Motorcycles.
    OMB Control Number: New.
    Form Numbers: NHTSA Forms 1577, 1578, 1579, 1580, 1581, 1582, 1583, 
and 1588.
    Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.
    Type of Review Requested: Regular.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years from date of 
approval.
    Summary of the Collection of Information: NHTSA is seeking approval 
to collect information from two samples of randomly selected adults who 
are aged 18 years or older and have driven a motor vehicle at least 
once in the past three months for a new one-time voluntary survey to 
report their knowledge, attitudes, and awareness of safe-driving 
behaviors towards motorcycles. One sample consists of adult drivers 
residing in Florida, and the other sample consists of adult drivers 
residing in Pennsylvania. Surveys would be conducted with respondents 
using an address-based sampling design that encourages respondents to 
complete the survey online. NHTSA will contact a total of 33,460 to 
achieve a target of at least 2,486 complete voluntary responses 
consisting of 1,243 completed instruments from the Florida sample and 
1,243 completed instruments from the Pennsylvania sample. The large 
geographic and demographic sizes of Florida and Pennsylvania allow for 
complex driving environments in which motorcycles and passenger 
vehicles operate in a range of traffic conditions. An Institutional 
Review Board (IRB) determined that this proposed information collection 
is exempt from IRB oversight. 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 and motorcycle safety stakeholders. 
This collection supports NHTSA's mission by obtaining information 
needed for the development of traffic safety countermeasures, 
particularly in the areas of communications and outreach, for the 
purpose of reducing fatalities, injuries, and crashes associated with 
multi-vehicle motorcycle crashes.
    Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the 
Information: NHTSA was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1970 to 
reduce deaths, injuries, and economic losses resulting from motor 
vehicle crashes on the Nation's highways. To further its mission, NHTSA 
is authorized to conduct research as a foundation for the development 
of traffic safety programs. Title 23, United States Code, Section 403, 
gives the Secretary of Transportation (NHTSA by delegation) 
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, 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. Motorcycle safety is a 
behavioral area for which NHTSA has developed programs to meet its 
injury reduction goals. Motorcycle safety is an increasing safety 
concern in highway transportation. For example, per vehicle miles 
traveled in 2019, motorcyclist fatalities occurred nearly 29 times more 
frequently than passenger car occupant fatalities in traffic crashes, 
and an estimated 84,000 motorcyclists were injured in 2019, which is a 
2-percent increase from 82,000 motorcyclists injured in 2018; the most 
harmful event for 55 percent of the 5,114 motorcycles involved in fatal 
crashes in 2019 was a collision with another motor vehicle; and in two-
vehicle crashes, 76 percent of the motorcycles involved in fatal 
crashes were struck in the front. Thus, strategies for improving 
motorcycle safety include addressing other motorists' perceptions and 
awareness of motorcycles.
    This collection supports NHTSA's efforts to increase motorcyclist 
safety by examining factors related to the interactions between 
motorcycles and other motorists and their vehicles. The information 
from this collection will assist NHTSA in (a) assessing the extent and 
limitations of motorist knowledge of safe behaviors toward motorcycles, 
and (b) identifying the issues to emphasize in traffic safety campaigns 
and driver education. The collected information will help identify the 
beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions underlying driving behaviors 
towards motorcycles and inform the development of countermeasures to 
improve the safety of interactions between motor vehicles, 
specifically, motorcycles, and other vehicle types (primarily passenger 
cars and Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs)).
    The survey data will be used to assist NHTSA in its ongoing 
responsibilities for: (a) planning and designing research and program 
activities to improve motorcycle safety; (b) providing support to 
groups involved in developing and implementing motorcycle safety 
outreach programs and driver safety campaigns; and (c) identifying 
areas in driver awareness and knowledge that need attention. NHTSA will 
use the information to produce a technical report that presents the 
results of the study. The technical report will provide aggregate 
(summary) statistics and tables as well as the results of statistical 
analysis of the information, but it will not include any personally 
identifiable information. The project data will serve as a resource for 
NHTSA and stakeholders to identify gaps in knowledge among the driving 
public. The technical report will be shared with State highway offices, 
local governments, and those who develop traffic safety communications 
that aim to improve motorcycle safety.
    Affected Public: Participants will be U.S. adults (18 years and 
older) who reside in Florida or Pennsylvania and who have driven a 
motor vehicle (car, van, SUV, or pickup truck) at least once in the 
past three months. Businesses are ineligible for the sample and would 
not be surveyed.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,486.
    Participation in this study is voluntary. The estimated respondents 
consist of 1,243 in the Florida sample and 1,243 in the Pennsylvania 
sample. The project will invite 33,460 people to

[[Page 38454]]

participate using address data from the most recent U.S. Postal Service 
computerized Delivery Sequence File of residential addresses. No more 
than one respondent will be selected per household.
    Frequency of Collection: The study will be conducted one time 
during the three-year period for which NHTSA is requesting approval and 
there will be no recurrence.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: NHTSA estimates the total 
burden of this information collection by estimating the burden to those 
who NHTSA contacts who respond and are eligible for participation 
(eligible respondents that take the survey) and those contacted that 
choose not to take the survey (non-responders) or are not eligible to 
participate. The estimated time to contact 33,460 potential 
participants (participants and non-responders) for the survey is one 
minute per person per contact attempt. Contact attempts will be made in 
five waves with fewer potential participants contacted in each 
subsequent wave. Potential participants will receive an initial 
postcard informing them of the project and inviting participation. The 
first contact is a postcard introducing the project and inviting 
participation. The second contact is an invitation letter with 
instructions for completing the survey online (as the methodology 
follows a ``push-to-web'' design to provide incentive to complete the 
survey online). The third contact is a reminder postcard. The fourth is 
a letter with a paper questionnaire and the fifth is a final reminder 
postcard. The sixth and final wave is a ``thank you'' letter that will 
include the contingent incentive to respondents who have provided a 
completed response. NHTSA estimates that 2,486 people will respond to 
the survey request. The estimated time to contact (1 minute) and 
complete the survey (14 minutes) is 15 minutes per person. The total 
burden estimated for this information collection is 3,289 hours. Table 
1 provides a description for each of the forms used in the survey 
protocol as well as their mailing wave. Details of the burden hours for 
each wave in the survey are included in Table 2. When rounded up to the 
nearest whole hour for each data collection effort, the total estimated 
annual burden is 3,289 hours for the project activities.

        Table 1--NHTSA Form Number, Description, and Mailing Wave
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       NHTSA form No.                 Description          Mailing wave
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1577........................  Initial Postcard--serves                 1
                               as a notice of selection,
                               explains survey rationale.
1578........................  Invitation Letter--                      2
                               provides instructions and
                               hyperlink to the online
                               survey and includes the
                               $1 non-contingent
                               incentive.
1579........................  Reminder Postcard #1--the                3
                               first reminder, includes
                               instructions and
                               hyperlink to the online
                               survey.
1580........................  Reminder Letter #1--the                  4
                               second reminder with the
                               paper survey, prepaid
                               return envelope, PIN, and
                               hyperlink to the online
                               survey.
1581........................  Reminder Postcard #2--last               5
                               reminder, includes
                               hyperlink to the online
                               survey.
1582........................  Questionnaire--the online       2, 3, 4, 5
                               version, provided on a
                               secure website.
1583........................  Questionnaire--the paper                 4
                               version, for responders
                               not using the online
                               questionnaire.
1588........................  Thank You Letter--includes               6
                               the contingent incentive.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Table 2 shows the estimated burden for each contact (wave) by 
participation type (non-respondent, eligible, and ineligible). In the 
first wave, 33,460 potential respondents are expected to spend 1 minute 
each reading the postcard, resulting in an estimated burden of 558 
hours. This calculation is applied for each subsequent wave, as 
detailed in Table 2.

                                                   Table 2--Estimated Total Burden for Data Collection
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                                                                                         Estimated
                                            Number of                                   burden per     Frequency    Number of      Burden       Total
         Mailing wave (Form No.)             contacts         Participant type          sample unit    of burden      sample       hours        burden
                                                                                       (in minutes)                   units                     hours
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Wave 1 NHTSA Form 1577...................       33,460  Contacted potential                        1            1       33,460          558          558
                                                         participant.
Wave 2 NHTSA Form 1578...................       33,460  Non-respondent..............               1            1       31,787          530          870
                                                        Ineligible respondent.......               1            1          335            6
                                                        Eligible respondent.........              15            1        1,338          334
Wave 3 NHTSA Form 1579...................       31,787  Non-respondent..............               1            1       30,833          514          708
                                                        Ineligible respondent.......               1            1          191            3
                                                        Eligible respondent.........              15            1          763          191
Wave 4 NHTSA Form 1580...................       30,833  Non-respondent..............               1            1       30,524          509          572
                                                        Ineligible respondent.......               1            1           62            1
                                                        Eligible respondent.........              15            1          247           62
Wave 5 NHTSA Form 1581...................       30,524  Non-respondent..............               1            1       30,351          506          541
                                                        Ineligible respondent.......               1            1           35            1
                                                        Eligible respondent.........              15            1          138           34
Wave 6 NHTSA Form 1588...................        2,486  Completed responders........               1            1        2,486           41           41
                                          -------------                              -------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total................................  ...........  ............................  ..............  ...........  ...........  ...........        3,289
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    Table 3 provides total burden hours associated with each NHTSA 
form. For example, 2,486 anticipated responders who provide completed 
questionnaires (NHTSA Forms 1582 and 1583) are expected to spend 14 
minutes each, resulting in an estimated burden of 580 hours.

[[Page 38455]]



                      Table 3--Estimated Total Burden by NHTSA Form for the Data Collection
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                                                                    Burden per      Burden per
             Information collection                  Number of       response       respondent     Total burden
                                                     responses       (minutes)       (minutes)         hours
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Questionnaire--NHTSA Forms 1582 and 1583........           2,486              14              14             580
Initial Postcard--NHTSA Form 1577...............          33,460               1               1             558
Invitation Letter--NHTSA Form 1578..............          33,460               1               1             558
Postcard Reminder--NHTSA Form 1579..............          31,787               1               1             530
Reminder Letter--NHTSA Form 1580................          30,833               1               1             514
Final Postcard Reminder--NHTSA Form 1581........          30,524               1               1             508
Thank You Letter--NHTSA Form 1588...............           2,486               1               1              41
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............           3,289
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost: NHTSA estimates that there are 
no costs to respondents beyond the time spent participating in the 
study.
    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, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 
35, as amended; 49 CFR 1.49; and DOT Order 1351.29.

Nanda Narayanan Srinivasan,
Associate Administrator, Research and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 2022-13721 Filed 6-27-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P