[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 114 (Wednesday, June 12, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50042-50045]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-12798]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2024-0024]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for 
Comment; Motorcycle Crash Avoidance Technology Review

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

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

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SUMMARY: NHTSA invites public comments about our intention to request 
approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a new 
information collection. The new information collection would be a one-
time, voluntary, and anonymous survey of motorcycle riders to obtain 
consumer-reported feedback and perspectives on the use and availability 
of advanced crash avoidance motorcycle technologies. 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 reinstatement of previously approved 
collections. This document describes the proposed motorcycle crash 
avoidance technology survey for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB 
approval.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 12, 2024.

[[Page 50043]]


ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by the Docket No. NHTSA-
2024-0024 through any of the following methods:
     Electronic submissions: Go to the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions 
for submitting comments.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.
     Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management, U.S. Department 
of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except on Federal holidays. To be sure someone is there to help 
you, please call (202) 366-9322 before coming.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and 
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. 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 Mr. Ryan Rahimpour, NHTSA, Office of 
Vehicle Safety Research, (202) 366-8756, W46-432, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), 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: (a) 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; (b) 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; (c) how to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; 
and (d) 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 for which the agency is seeking approval from OMB.
    Title: Motorcycle Crash Avoidance Technology Review.
    OMB Control Number: New.
    Form Number(s): Eligibility Questionnaire, NHTSA Form 1811; 
Informed Consent, NHTSA Form 1812; Full Questionnaire, NHTSA Form 1813.
    Type of Request: New Information Collection.
    Type of Review Requested: Regular.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: One year from date of 
approval.

Summary of the Collection of Information

    NHTSA is seeking approval to conduct three voluntary, one-time, 
information collections that would be part of a survey of motorcycle 
riders to obtain consumer-reported feedback and perspectives on the use 
and availability of advanced crash avoidance motorcycle technologies. 
These information collections would be conducted by NHTSA's contractor, 
the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) 
and will involve a convenience sample of motorcycle riders and will 
collect information on current consumer perceptions of the utility and 
availability of the technologies, including consumer willingness to use 
advanced safety technology on motorcycles and the impact of various 
contextual factors (e.g., personal, mandates, costs) on this 
willingness. It is part of a research effort UMTRI is undertaking 
entitled ``Motorcycle Crash Avoidance Technology Review,'' which 
gathers data and performs analysis to summarize the scope of the 
motorcycle crashes, estimate the prevalence of different crash 
avoidance technologies available in the fleet, understand the crash 
avoidance technologies under development, and identify perspectives on 
advanced motorcycle technologies.
    The three information collections include: (1) an eligibility 
questionnaire; (2) an informed consent; and (3) the survey 
questionnaire. The survey will ask respondents for background 
information on themselves (demographics, riding behavior, and safety 
habits like helmet use) to gauge whether knowledge and beliefs about 
motorcycle systems differ by these contexts. The survey will ask about 
respondents' knowledge and beliefs regarding motorcycle safety 
technology using open-ended questions where respondents can type in 
their responses. These questions include consumer willingness to use 
various motorcycle technologies and their perspectives on the impact of 
various contextual factors (e.g., personal beliefs, mandates, costs).
     Technologies include braking systems (anti-lock braking, 
combined braking, automatic emergency braking); warning systems (lane 
departure, blind spot, curve speed, forward collision, and rear 
collision); and control systems (stability control and wheelie 
control).
     Open-ended questions aim to gather unbiased perspective 
and allow a measure of accuracy of information available to consumers 
and users. Additionally, overall thoughts on technologies provide 
insight into user acceptance and can be evaluated by demographics and 
user characteristics.
     Willingness to purchase and use technologies provides 
perspective for incentivized incorporation of technologies and 
potential disengagement or modification to make inoperative.
     Cost considerations provide insight for potential policy 
decisions as they relate to cost-benefit analyses.

Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the 
Information

    NHTSA's mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce the 
economic costs of road traffic crashes through education, research, 
safety standards, and enforcement activity. Subchapter V of chapter 301 
of title 49 of the United States Code (U.S.C.) authorizes the Secretary 
of Transportation to conduct ``motor vehicle safety research, 
development, and testing programs and activities, including activities 
related to new and emerging technologies that impact or may impact 
motor vehicle safety.'' 49 U.S.C. 30182. Pursuant to section 1.95

[[Page 50044]]

of title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), the Secretary has 
delegated this authority to the National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration (NHTSA).
    As crash avoidance technologies advance, they have the potential to 
reduce the loss of life in roadway crashes. In order to better inform 
the agency's efforts regarding crash avoidance technologies for 
motorcyclists, NHTSA has contracted with the University of Michigan 
Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) to conduct a project entitled 
``Motorcycle Crash Avoidance Technology Review''. The objectives of 
this project are to gather data and perform analysis to summarize the 
scope of the motorcycle crashes, estimate the prevalence of different 
crash avoidance technologies available in the fleet, understand the 
crash avoidance technologies under development, and identify 
perspectives on advanced motorcycle technologies. NHTSA is seeking 
approval for the information collection requested described in this 
document to conduct a survey of motorcyclists that will be conducted as 
a part of this project, to gain understanding of users' thoughts on 
these technologies and identify possible unintended consequences of 
mandating the technology.
    This proposed survey would be a one-time, voluntary, and anonymous 
survey of motorcycle riders to obtain consumer-reported feedback and 
perspectives on the use and availability of advanced safety 
technologies on motorcycles. At this time, there is no similar 
information regarding consumer use and understanding of current 
advanced safety technology on motorcycles. The results of the 
information collection will help NHTSA better understand consumer-based 
barriers and facilitators to advanced motorcycle crash avoidance 
technology deployment. By understanding these barriers and 
facilitators, NHTSA can better develop related policy and consumer 
education materials to improve safety through the increased uptake and 
safe use of advanced technologies for motorcycles.
    Affected Public: General public with motorcycle experience.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: Initial outreach for respondents 
is targeted to reach 700 individuals, 420 individuals will move forward 
to the informed consent document, and 420 completed questionnaires.
    Frequency: Once.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 124 hours.
    This information collection request involves three information 
collections: (1) an eligibility questionnaire; (2) an informed consent 
form; and (3) the survey questionnaire. The administration of each of 
these information collections is completely electronic as well as the 
solicitation of respondents through targeted advertisements and 
motorcycle community web pages. The survey involves a convenience 
sample and will remain available for completion until a sample size of 
300 completed surveys is achieved.
    Initial outreach for respondents is targeted to reach 700 
individuals willing to initiate the survey (in order to arrive at the 
final desired sample size of 300). The landing page for the survey is a 
three-question eligibility questionnaire, with an estimated time for 
completion of one minute. As this is a new format for gathering this 
type of information from this community, the research team estimates 
that 60 percent of the individuals who take the eligibility 
questionnaire will qualify to move forward. As such, 420 individuals 
will move forward to the informed consent document. It is assumed that 
all 420 individuals will complete the informed consent, which is also 
expected to take an average of one minute.
    While all 420 respondents are expected to move forward for the 
survey questionnaire, the research team expects some non-response and 
some attrition of respondents. The research team is looking for 300 
completed questionnaires. The 420 respondents are considered the 
maximum number of respondents needed to arrive at 300 completed 
questionnaires. A completed survey questionnaire is estimated to take 
on average 15 minutes.
    The survey administration software contains the ability to set 
quotas for response. The research team will stop the solicitation of 
respondents once 700 individuals have begun the eligibility 
questionnaire or 300 completed questionnaires are gathered.
    Burden costs are calculated as opportunity costs, as these 
individuals are taking their own time to complete the survey. NHTSA 
used an average hourly wage for all occupations to estimate the 
opportunity costs associated with the information collections. The 
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that the mean hourly wage 
for all occupations is $31.48.\1\ This is the hourly wage rate used to 
calculate the opportunity costs for administration of this survey.
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    \1\ Bureau of Labor Statistics. ``May 2023 OEWS National 
Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates.'' Occupational 
Employment and Wage Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#00-0000. Accessed June 6, 2024
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    Full administration of the survey is expected to be completed 
within one year and, therefore, opportunity costs and hours are both 
total and annual estimates.

                                            Table 1--Burden Estimates
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                                                   Time per
  NHSTA Form      Information       Number of      response     Cost per    Frequency   Time burden  Burden cost
     No.          collection       respondents      (min)       response   of response    (hours)     (dollars)
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1811.........  Eligibility                  700            1        $0.52            1           12         $364
                Questionnaire.
1812.........  Informed Consent             420            1         0.52            1            7          218
1813.........  Full                         420           15         7.87            1          105        3,305
                Questionnaire.
                                --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Annual Burden...  ..............  ...........  ...........  ...........          124        3,887
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    The annual opportunity cost for the administration of the survey is 
$3,887 and the annual burden hours for administration of the survey is 
124 hours.
    Estimated Annual Burden Cost: $0.
    There is no cost to the respondents for this information 
collection. Respondents will not incur travel expenses nor be required 
to obtain equipment for completion of the survey.
    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

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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 1351.29A.

Cem Hatipoglu,
Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety Research.
[FR Doc. 2024-12798 Filed 6-11-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P