[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 165 (Thursday, August 28, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42059-42062]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-16494]
[[Page 42059]]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
[Docket No. FMCSA-2025-0065]
Agency Information Collection Activities; New Information
Collection: Crash Causal Factors Program: Heavy-Duty Truck Study Data
Collection
AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Department
of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
FMCSA announces its plan to submit the information collection request
(ICR) described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for
its review and approval and invites public comment. This ICR relates to
the planned information collection (IC) titled: ``Crash Causal Factors
Program: Heavy-Duty Truck Study Data Collection.'' This IC supports the
data collection phase of the Heavy-Duty Truck Study, which was mandated
by Congress in Section 23006 of the Infrastructure and Investment and
Jobs Act (IIJA). This IC will collect data from the State jurisdictions
that were identified as part of a nationally representative study
sample of fatal crashes involving heavy-duty trucks (Class 7 and 8
trucks).
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before October
27, 2025.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Docket Number FMCSA-
2025-0065 using any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FMCSA-2025-0065/document. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments.
Mail: Dockets Operations, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Ground Floor,
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery or Courier: Dockets Operations, U.S.
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building,
Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590-0001, 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) 366-9317 or (202) 366-9826 before
visiting Dockets Operations.
Fax: (202) 493-2251.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jenny Guarino, Chief, Crash Data
Analytics Division, FMCSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC
20590; (202) 366-4143; [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Participation and Request for Comments
Submitting Comments
If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this
notice (FMCSA-2025-0065), indicate the specific section of this
document to which your comment applies, and provide a reason for each
suggestion or recommendation. You may submit your comments and material
online or by fax, mail, or hand delivery, but please use only one of
these means. FMCSA recommends that you include your name and a mailing
address, an email address, or a phone number in the body of your
document so FMCSA can contact you if there are questions regarding your
submission.
To submit your comment online, go to https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FMCSA-2025-0065/document, click on this notice, click
``Comment,'' and type your comment into the text box on the following
screen.
If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them
in an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for
copying and electronic filing.
FMCSA will consider all comments and material received during the
comment period.
Confidential Business Information (CBI)
CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of
Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public disclosure.
If your comments responsive to the notice contain commercial or
financial information that is customarily treated as private, that you
actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to the
notice, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission that
constitutes CBI as ``PROPIN'' to indicate it contains proprietary
information. FMCSA will treat such marked submissions as confidential
under the Freedom of Information Act, and they will not be placed in
the public docket of the notice. Submissions containing CBI should be
sent to Brian Dahlin, Chief, Regulatory Evaluation Division, Office of
Policy, FMCSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001 or
via email at [email protected]. At this time, you need not send a
duplicate hardcopy of your electronic CBI submissions to FMCSA
headquarters. Any comments FMCSA receives not specifically designated
as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this notice.
Viewing Comments and Documents
To view any documents mentioned as being available in the docket,
go to https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FMCSA-2025-0065/document and
choose the document to review. To view comments, click this notice,
then click ``Browse Comments.'' If you do not have access to the
internet, you may view the docket online by visiting Dockets Operations
on the ground floor of the DOT West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue
SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001, 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) 366-9317 or (202) 366-9826 before visiting
Dockets Operations.
Privacy
In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the
public to better inform its processes. DOT posts these comments,
including any personal information the commenter provides, to
www.regulations.gov as described in the system of records notice DOT/
ALL 14 (Federal Docket Management System (FDMS)), which can be reviewed
at https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/privacy/privacy-act-system-records-notices. The comments are posted without edits and are
searchable by the name of the submitter.
Background
On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021
(Pub. L. 116-260), was signed into law, appropriating $30 million to
FMCSA to ``carry out [a] study of the cause[s] of large truck
crashes.'' On November 14, 2021, the President signed into law IIJA
(Pub. L. 117-58) which contains requirements for a larger study under
Section 23006, ``Study of Commercial Motor Vehicle Crash Causation.''
The requirements under Section 23006 define the scope of the study to
include all commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) as defined in 49 U.S.C.
31132.
Section 23006(b)(1) of IIJA requires the Secretary of
Transportation (the Secretary) to ``carry out a comprehensive study to
determine the causes of, and contributing factors to, crashes that
involve a commercial motor vehicle.'' Section 23006(b)(2) further
requires the Secretary to:
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A. Identify data requirements, data collection procedures, reports,
and any other measures that can be used to improve the ability of
States and the Secretary to evaluate future crashes involving CMVs;
B. Monitor crash trends and identify causes and contributing
factors; and
C. Develop effective safety improvement policies and programs.
To meet the requirements of Section 23006, FMCSA established the
Crash Causal Factors Program (CCFP). Through CCFP, FMCSA is pursuing a
nuanced understanding of crashes involving CMVs so that policymakers,
law enforcement agencies, regulators, and other interested parties can
implement effective crash prevention strategies and programs.
This IC will collect data aimed at identifying key driver, vehicle,
motor carrier, and environmental factors that may contribute to fatal
crashes involving heavy-duty trucks.\1\ FMCSA developed research
questions to provide a framework for data collection and analysis in
support of this IC. The research questions were informed by insights
gained from the Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS) \2\ and input
provided by FMCSA and its CCFP Steering Committee, other DOT Agencies,
including the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), the Federal
Highway Administration, and the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, and industry stakeholders including American Trucking
Associations, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, and the Owner-
Operator Independent Drivers Association.
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\1\ Heavy-duty trucks are Class 7 and 8 trucks, which have a
gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more. Examples of
heavy-duty trucks include truck-tractor semi-trailers, furniture
trucks, garbage trucks, and cement trucks.
\2\ The LTCCS is available at https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/research-and-analysis/research/large-truck-crash-causation-study.
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Data will be collected from 30 State jurisdictions that were
identified as key sampling locations for a nationally representative
study sample of 2,000 fatal crashes involving heavy-duty trucks. To
ensure the IC collects at least 2,000 fatal crashes, FMCSA is targeting
3,333 fatal crashes. This number is based on a safety margin, or
multiplier, of 1.667 that takes into account historical crash data and
findings from the surveys conducted under the IC titled ``Crash Causal
Factors Program: Knowledge of Systems and Processes'' (OMB Control No.
2126-0079). This target of 3,333 fatal crashes is the basis for the
maximum conceivable burden and the detailed burden estimates below.
FMCSA selected sample States based on three study criteria: (1)
their investigative capability; (2) their frequency of State-
investigated crashes based on historical data; and (3) their location
and how it would contribute to the geographic diversity of the sample.
In addition to collecting data from sample States, this IC will accept
data from States that are not part of the study sample but would like
to participate. These States are referred to as non-sample
jurisdictions. To provide an estimate for the fatal crash submissions
by non-sample jurisdictions, FMCSA totaled the historical number of
fatal crashes involving heavy-duty trucks that they typically
investigate in a year (2,082) \3\ and took 36 percent of that for an
estimate of 750 crashes over the course of the 2-year data collection
period. If States are willing and able, this IC will also include data
collection on a convenience sample of serious injury crashes. Data will
be collected over the course of 2 years, with a target start date of
early 2026. Collection and receipt of data may continue beyond the 2-
year period based on State-specific agreements and the renewal of this
ICR.
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\3\ Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Accessible
through https://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/CrashStatistics/rptSummary.aspx,
2020-2021.
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After the data collection phase is complete, the data will be
analyzed to identify crash trends and inform the development of
effective, targeted safety policies and programs to help prevent
crashes. The CCFP is part of DOT and FMCSA's heightened effort to
address the rising number of fatal crashes and reduce roadway
fatalities.
How Data Will Be Collected
FMCSA will collect data for this IC using FMCSA's SafeSpect system,
which Federal and State Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP)
inspectors, investigators, and analysts currently use to upload motor
carrier and CMV inspection and investigation data, as well as a subset
of crash data for FMCSA-reportable crashes. FMCSA is developing a new
CCFP Reporting Module in SafeSpect to capture the detailed crash data
necessary to support the Heavy-Duty Truck Study. This will include an
electronic Heavy-Duty Truck Study Initial Incident Form, complete
police crash report (PCR) data, and detailed post-crash investigation
and reconstruction data. The extent of automated information collection
will vary by data type and by State, as each State has its own
processes for collecting and storing PCR, post-crash investigation, and
reconstruction data. Details about data collection by source are
provided below.
Heavy-Duty Truck Study Initial Incident Form. The SafeSpect CCFP
Reporting Module will include an electronic Heavy-Duty Truck Study
Initial Incident Form, which State MCSAP CMV Inspectors will complete
24 to 48 hours after a qualifying crash occurs.
PCR Data. The SafeSpect CCFP Reporting Module will ingest PCR data
for qualifying crashes from States' existing crash repositories (i.e.,
the system will ingest PCR data that has already been collected and
stored by the States). The extent of automation for this process will
be dependent on each State's system design and preferences. FMCSA is
working to automate the process as much as possible (e.g., via an
application programming interface) to reduce the technical burden on
participating States. There may be some instances where manual inputs
are required. In these cases, a single resource--a dedicated State CMV
Data Analyst--will upload, append, or update PCR data as needed.
Post-Crash Investigation Data. The SafeSpect CCFP Reporting Module
will ingest post-crash investigation data for qualifying crashes.
Detailed processes are to be determined. Post-crash investigators may
have the ability to enter post-crash investigation data directly in
SafeSpect. Alternatively, SafeSpect may be able to ingest portable
document format versions of completed post-crash investigation forms.
Where needed, a dedicated State CMV Data Analyst will upload, append,
or update post-crash investigation data.
Reconstruction Data. The SafeSpect CCFP Reporting Module will also
ingest reconstruction data for qualifying crashes, which will include
detailed reports, diagrams, photographs, and other data generated by
post-crash investigation and reconstruction teams. A dedicated State
CMV Data Analyst will review, code, and upload this data electronically
to the SafeSpect CCFP Reporting Module.
Other data will be collected through confidential interviews with
individuals and companies involved in the crash. These interviews will
be conducted by BTS and protected under BTS's confidentiality statute
and the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency
Act (Pub. L. 107-347, Title V, 116 Stat. 2962). More information on
this partnership is available in [insert name of BTS ICR, OMB Control
No. 2138-XXXX].
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Impact of Less Frequent Collection of Information
Inability to collect data for this study would jeopardize the
Agency's goals of gaining a nuanced understanding of the causal factors
contributing to crashes involving heavy-duty trucks today and building
a foundation for ongoing data collection and analysis.
Results of Data Collection
FMCSA intends to collect data over the course of two years with a
target start date of early 2026. Collection and receipt of data may
continue beyond the 2-year study period based on State-specific
agreements and the renewal of this ICR.
At the conclusion of the study, a final report and supporting
database with aggregate, anonymized results will be published. The
Agency intends to release partial data findings and analysis prior to
releasing the final report.
Title: Crash Causal Factors Program: Heavy-Duty Truck Study Data
Collection.
OMB Control Number: 2126-00XX.
Type of Request: New ICR.
Responses: For the purpose of this study, ``response'' is defined
in two ways: (1) collecting data to form an individual crash record,
and (2) completing training to support data collection. Respondents
include CMV Data Analysts/Designated Personnel, MCSAP CMV Inspectors,
and Post-Crash Investigators/Reconstructionists from sample and non-
sample jurisdictions that are participating in the study by taking
training and collecting data on fatal crashes involving heavy-duty
trucks.
Estimated Number of Responses:
Data Collection Responses
Sample jurisdictions: 9,999 responses (1 CMV Data Analyst/Personnel
+ 1 MCSAP CMV Inspector + 1 Post-Crash Investigator/Reconstructionist
per fatal crash x up to 3,333 sample fatal crashes involving heavy-duty
trucks).
Non-sample jurisdictions: 2,250 responses (1 CMV Data Analyst/
Personnel + 1 MCSAP CMV Inspector +1 Post-Crash Investigator/
Reconstructionist per fatal crash x non-sample of 750 fatal crashes
involving heavy-duty trucks).
Training Responses
Four trainings will be available to support data collection for the
Heavy-Duty Truck Study: (1) the ANSI D.16 Manual on Classification of
Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes and Fatality Analysis Reporting System
(FARS) Awareness Training; (2) the CCFP Data Coding and Entry Training;
(3) the MCSAP CMV Inspector Webinar Training; and (4) the Post-Crash
Investigation Training. The first two trainings will be geared toward
the CMV Data Analysts/Designated Personnel, the third training will be
for MCSAP CMV Inspectors, and the fourth training will be for Post-
Crash Investigators/Reconstructionists.
Sample jurisdictions: 420 training participants, or responses.
FMCSA estimates that all 30 sample jurisdictions will participate in
the trainings for the CMV Data Analyst and will send one representative
for each training (30 participants x 2 trainings = 60). The Agency
estimates that all 30 sample jurisdictions will send 10 MCSAP CMV
Inspectors to attend the MCSAP CMV Inspector Webinar Training (30
sample jurisdictions x 10 participants per State = 300). The Agency
estimates that 12 sample jurisdictions will need the training for the
Post-Crash Investigator/Reconstructionist and will send five
representatives for the training (60 participants x 1 training = 60).
Non-sample jurisdictions: 65 training participants, or responses.
The Agency estimates that up to five of the non-sample jurisdictions
will participate in each of the trainings and each jurisdiction will
designate one representative to attend the trainings for the CMV Data
Analyst (5 non-sample jurisdictions x 1 representative x 2 trainings =
10), one representative to attend the Post-Crash Investigation Training
(5 non-sample jurisdictions x 1 representative x 1 training = 5), and
10 representatives to attend the MCSAP CMV Inspector Webinar Training
(5 non-sample jurisdictions x 10 representatives x 1 training = 50).
Estimated Time per Response
Data Collection Time
It will take the CMV Data Analyst/Designated Personnel, MCSAP CMV
Inspector, and Post-Crash Investigator/Reconstructionist a total of 14
hours to collect data for a single fatal crash. This breaks down into
an estimate of 4 hours for the CMV Data Analyst/Designated Personnel, 2
hours for the MCSAP CMV Inspector, and 8 hours for the Post-Crash
Investigator/Reconstructionist. This estimate is the same for sample
and non-sample jurisdictions.
Training Time
As mentioned above, the Agency will provide four trainings to
support study data collection. They will only be offered once prior to
the 2-year data collection period. In total, the trainings will amount
to 91 hours. The estimates for each individual training are provided
below.
(1) ANSI D16 and FARS Awareness Training, 22 hours.
(2) CCFP Data Coding and Entry Training, 28 hours.
(3) MCSAP CMV Inspector Webinar Training, 1 hour.
(4) Post-Crash Investigation Training, 40 hours.
Expiration Date: N/A. This is a new ICR.
Frequency of Response: To ensure the IC collects at least 2,000
crashes, FMCSA is targeting 3,333 crashes over the 2-year data
collection period. The IC aims to collect an annual sample of at least
1,000 (and up to 1,666.5) fatal crashes involving heavy-duty trucks per
year for 2 years, for a minimum of 2,000 fatal crashes and a maximum of
3,333 fatal crashes.
Estimated Total Burden for Two-Year Period
Data Collection Hours
Sample Jurisdictions
CMV Data Analyst/Designated Personnel: 4 hours per fatal
crash x maximum of 3,333 fatal crashes = 13,332 hours.
MCSAP CMV Inspector: 2 hours per fatal crash x maximum of
3,333 fatal crashes = 6,666 hours.
Post-Crash Investigator/Reconstructionist: 8 hours per
fatal crash x maximum of 3,333 fatal crashes = 26,664 hours.
Sample Jurisdiction Data Collection Total: 46,662 hours.
Non-Sample Jurisdictions
CMV Data Analyst/Designated Personnel: 4 hours per fatal
crash x maximum of 750 non-sample crashes = 3,000 hours.
MCSAP CMV Inspector: 2 hours per fatal crash x maximum of
750 non-sample crashes = 1,500 hours.
Post-Crash Investigator/Reconstructionist: 8 hours per
fatal crash x maximum of 750 non-sample crashes = 6,000 hours.
Non-Sample Jurisdiction Annual Data Collection Total: 10,500 hours.
Training Hours
Sample Jurisdictions
CMV Data Analyst/Designated Personnel:
[cir] 30 participants x 22 hours for the ANSI and FARS Awareness
Training = 660 hours.
[cir] 30 participants x 28 hours for the CCFP Data Coding and Entry
Training = 840 hours.
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MCSAP CMV Inspector:
[cir] 300 participants x 1 hour MCSAP CMV Inspector Webinar
Training = 300 hours.
Post-Crash Investigator/Reconstructionist:
[cir] 60 participants x 40 hours Post-Crash Investigator/
Reconstructionist Training = 2,400 hours.
Sample Jurisdiction Training Total: 4,200 hours.
Non-Sample Jurisdictions
CMV Data Analyst/Designated Personnel:
[cir] 5 participants x 22 hours for the ANSI and FARS Awareness
Training = 110 hours.
[cir] 5 participants x 28 hours for the CCFP Data Coding and Entry
Training = 140 hours.
MCSAP CMV Inspector:
[cir] 50 participants x 1 hour for the MCSAP CMV Inspector Webinar
Training = 50 hours.
Post-Crash Investigator/Reconstructionist:
[cir] 5 participants x 40 hours Post-Crash Investigator/
Reconstructionist Training = 200 hours.
Non-Sample Jurisdiction Training Total: 500 Hours.
Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of
this IC, including: (1) whether the proposed collection is necessary
for the performance of FMCSA's functions; (2) the accuracy of the
estimated burden; (3) ways for FMCSA to enhance the quality,
usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways that
the burden could be minimized without reducing the quality of the
collected information. The Agency will summarize or include your
comments in the request for OMB's clearance of this IC.
Issued under the authority of 49 CFR 1.87.
Nicole Michel,
Acting Associate Administrator, Office of Research and Registration.
[FR Doc. 2025-16494 Filed 8-27-25; 8:45 am]
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