Preliminary Theft Data; Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-01-8906; Notice 01]

RIN 2127-AI06

Preliminary Theft Data; Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Publication of preliminary theft data; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

This document requests comments on data about passenger motor vehicle thefts that occurred in calendar year (CY) 1999, including theft rates for existing passenger motor vehicle lines manufactured in model year (MY) 1999. The theft data preliminarily indicate that the vehicle theft rate for CY/MY 1999 vehicles (2.89 thefts per thousand vehicles) increased by 14.2 percent from the theft rate for CY/MY 1998 vehicles (2.53 thefts per thousand vehicles).

Publication of these data fulfills NHTSA's statutory obligation to periodically obtain accurate and timely theft data, and publish the information for review and comment.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before May 14, 2001.

ADDRESSES:

All comments should refer to the docket number and notice number cited in the heading of this document and be submitted, preferably with two copies to: U.S. Department of Transportation, Dockets, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Docket hours are from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Rosalind Proctor, Office of Planning and Consumer Programs, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Proctor's telephone number is (202) 366-0846. Her fax number is (202) 493-2290.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

NHTSA administers a program for reducing motor vehicle theft. The central feature of this program is the Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard, 49 CFR Part 541. The standard specifies performance requirements for inscribing or affixing vehicle identification numbers (VINs) onto certain major original equipment and replacement parts of high-theft lines of passenger motor vehicles.

The agency is required by 49 U.S.C. 33104(b)(4) to periodically obtain, from the most reliable source, accurate and timely theft data, and publish the data for review and comment. To fulfill the § 33104(b)(4) mandate, this document reports the preliminary theft data for CY 1999, the most recent calendar year for which data are available.

In calculating the 1999 theft rates, NHTSA followed the same procedures it used in calculating the MY 1998 theft rates. (For 1998 theft data calculations, see 65 FR 40721, June 30, 2000). As in all previous reports, NHTSA's data were based on information provided to the agency by the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The NCIC is a governmental system that receives vehicle theft information from nearly 23,000 criminal justice agencies and other law enforcement authorities throughout the United States. The NCIC data also include reported thefts of self-insured and uninsured vehicles, not all of which are reported to other data sources.

The 1999 theft rate for each vehicle line was calculated by dividing the number of reported thefts of MY 1999 vehicles of that line stolen during calendar year 1999, by the total number of vehicles in that line manufactured for MY 1999, as reported by manufacturers to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The preliminary 1999 theft data show an increase in the vehicle theft rate when compared to the theft rate experienced in CY/MY 1998. The preliminary theft rate for MY 1999 passenger vehicles stolen in calendar year 1999 increased to 2.89 thefts per thousand vehicles produced, an increase of 14.2 percent from the rate of 2.53 thefts per thousand vehicles experienced by MY 1998 vehicles in CY 1998. For MY 1999 vehicles, out of a total of 201 vehicle lines, 54 lines had a theft rate higher than 3.5826 per

thousand vehicles, the established median theft rate for MYs 1990/1991. (See 59 FR 12400, March 16, 1994). Of the 54 vehicle lines with a theft rate higher than 3.5826, 50 are passenger car lines, four are multipurpose passenger vehicle lines, and none are light-duty truck lines.

In Table I, NHTSA has tentatively ranked each of the MY 1999 vehicle lines in descending order of theft rate. Public comment is sought on the accuracy of the data, including the data for the production volumes of individual vehicle lines.

Comments must not exceed 15 pages in length (49 CFR Part 553.21). Attachments may be appended to these submissions without regard to the 15 page limit. This limitation is intended to encourage commenters to detail their primary arguments in a concise fashion.

If a commenter wishes to submit certain information under a claim of confidentiality, three copies of the complete submission, including purportedly confidential business information, should be submitted to the Chief Counsel, NHTSA, at the street address given above, and two copies from which the purportedly confidential information has been deleted should be submitted to Dockets. A request for confidentiality should be accompanied by a cover letter setting forth the information specified in the agency's confidential business information regulation. 49 CFR Part 512.

All comments received before the close of business on the comment closing date indicated above for this document will be considered, and will be available for examination in the docket at the above address both before and after that date. To the extent possible, comments filed after the closing date will also be considered. Comments on this document will be available for inspection in the docket. NHTSA will continue to file relevant information as it becomes available for inspection in the docket after the closing date, and it is recommended that interested persons continue to examine the docket for new material.

Those persons desiring to be notified upon receipt of their comments in the rules docket should enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard in the envelope with their comments. Upon receiving the comments, the docket supervisor will return the postcard by mail.

Authority:

49 U.S.C. 33101, 33102 and 33104; delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50.

Preliminary Report of Theft Rates of 1999 Model Year Passenger Motor Vehicles Stolen in Calendar Year 1999

No.

Manufacturer

Make/model (line)

Thefts 1999

Production (Mfr's) 1999

1999 theft rate (per 1,000 vehicles produced)

1

HONDA

ACURA INTEGRA

496

25,790

19.2323

2

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

INTREPID

1

9

480

18.7500

3

MITSUBISHI

MIRAGE

564

53,884

10.4669

4

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

PLYMOUTH NEON

350

38,944

8.9873

5

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

NEON

1

2

226

8.8496

6

MITSUBISHI

MONTERO SPORT/NATIVA

2

368

42,268

8.7063

7

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

DODGE STRATUS

715

84,128

8.4990

8

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

DODGE INTREPID

1,104

139,847

7.8943

9

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

DODGE NEON

448

56,850

7.8804

10

BMW

Z3

18

2,547

7.0671

11

MITSUBISHI

ECLIPSE

349

50,070

6.9702

12

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

SEBRING CONVERTIBLE

319

46,758

6.8224

13

GENERAL MOTORS

OLDSMOBILE ALERO

799

121,343

6.5846

14

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

PLYMOUTH BREEZE

367

56,048

6.5480

15

MITSUBISHI

DIAMANTE

54

8,347

6.4694

16

MITSUBISHI

GALANT

390

62,488

6.2412

17

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

STRATUS

1

3

482

6.2241

18

BMW

M3

41

7,415

5.5293

19

KIA MOTORS

SEPHIA

315

57,099

5.5167

20

DAEWOO

LEGANZA

74

14,217

5.2050

21

GENERAL MOTORS

PONTIAC SUNFIRE

383

74,944

5.1105

22

NISSAN

SENTRA/200SX

399

79,115

5.0433

23

GENERAL MOTORS

PONTIAC GRAND AM

1,510

299,775

5.0371

24

TOYOTA

TERCEL

59

12,122

4.8672

25

SUZUKI

ESTEEM

69

14,255

4.8404

26

MERCEDES BENZ

140 (CL-CLASS & S-CLASS)

63

13,532

4.6556

27

FORD MOTOR CO

MUSTANG

579

125,973

4.5962

28

FORD MOTOR CO

MERCURY TRACER

117

25,972

4.5049

29

GENERAL MOTORS

PONTIAC BONNEVILLE

231

53,371

4.3282

30

GENERAL MOTORS

OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS

186

43,584

4.2676

31

NISSAN

ALTIMA

739

174,349

4.2386

32

FORD MOTOR CO

LINCOLN TOWN CAR

379

89,564

4.2316

33

GENERAL MOTORS

CHEVROLET CAVALIER

986

233,756

4.2181

34

DAIMLER CHRYSLER

CIRRUS

138

32,903

4.1941

35

MITSUBISHI

MONTERO

31

7,399

4.1898

36

GENERAL MOTORS

OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE

359

86,481

4.1512

37

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

LHS

149

36,369

4.0969

38

HONDA

PRELUDE

46

11,366

4.0472

39

JAGUAR

XJ8

29

7,235

4.0083

40

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

JEEP CHEROKEE

610

154,377

3.9514

41

GENERAL MOTORS

BUICK REGAL

286

73,309

3.9013

42

NISSAN

INFINITI Q45

28

7,208

3.8846

43

HONDA

CIVIC

1,039

269,109

3.8609

44

GENERAL MOTORS

CADILLAC DEVILLE

411

106,554

3.8572

45

GENERAL MOTORS

CHEVROLET MALIBU

822

213,692

3.8467

46

GENERAL MOTORS

CHEVROLET BLAZER S10/T10

762

199,042

3.8283

47

TOYOTA

LEXUS GS

116

30,513

3.8017

48

FORD MOTOR CO

CONTOUR

524

139,339

3.7606

49

DAEWOO

LANOS

31

8,312

3.7295

50

MITSUBISHI

3000GT

12

3,244

3.6991

51

GENERAL MOTORS

CHEVROLET METRO

95

25,749

3.6895

52

TOYOTA

COROLLA

940

255,693

3.6763

53

MERCEDES BENZ

208 (CLK-CLASS)

65

17,795

3.6527

54

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

DODGE AVENGER

61

16,883

3.6131

55

KIA MOTORS

SPORTAGE

135

38,232

3.5311

56

SUZUKI

VITARA/GRAND VITARA

124

35,651

3.4782

57

DAEWOO

NUBIRA

33

9,553

3.4544

58

GENERAL MOTORS

PONTIAC FIREBIRD/TRANS AM/FORMULA

119

35,115

3.3889

59

HYUNDAI

SONATA

82

24,539

3.3416

60

FORD MOTOR CO

MERCURY MYSTIQUE

134

40,939

3.2732

61

FORD MOTOR CO

ESCORT

933

287,150

3.2492

62

HYUNDAI

TIBURON

23

7,215

3.1878

63

ISUZU

RODEO

230

72,544

3.1705

64

HYUNDAI

ACCENT

120

37,950

3.1621

65

GENERAL MOTORS

CHEVROLET CAMARO

123

39,041

3.1505

66

GENERAL MOTORS

PONTIAC GRAND PRIX

437

142,546

3.0657

67

GENERAL MOTORS

CHEVROLET CORVETTE

90

29,904

3.0096

68

JAGUAR

XK8

17

5,747

2.9581

69

NISSAN

PATHFINDER

181

61,310

2.9522

70

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

SEBRING COUPE

81

27,519

2.9434

71

MAZDA

PROTÉGÉ

208

70,802

2.9378

72

MERCEDES BENZ

129 (SL-CLASS)

28

9,633

2.9067

73

ROLLS-ROYCE

BENTLEY ARNAGE

1

348

2.8736

74

GENERAL MOTORS

CHEVROLET LUMINA/MONTE CARLO

561

197,430

2.8415

75

FORD MOTOR CO

EXPLORER

1,099

386,943

2.8402

76

MAZDA

626

244

88,473

2.7579

77

FORD MOTOR CO

TAURUS

1,163

423,308

2.7474

78

BMW

7

23

8,391

2.7410

79

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

CONCORDE

175

64,234

2.7244

80

GENERAL MOTORS

CHEVROLET PRIZM

136

49,999

2.7201

81

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

300M

206

76,130

2.7059

82

HYUNDAI

ELANTRA

158

60,317

2.6195

83

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

729

284,429

2.5630

84

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

PLYMOUTH VOYAGER/GRAND

377

150,111

2.5115

85

NISSAN

INFINITI QX4

59

23,505

2.5101

86

SUZUKI

SWIFT

5

1,998

2.5025

87

NISSAN

MAXIMA

239

95,789

2.4951

88

TOYOTA

TACOMA PICKUP TRUCK

412

167,637

2.4577

89

FORD MOTOR CO

MERCURY SABLE

295

120,113

2.4560

90

MAZDA

MILLENIA

47

19,249

2.4417

91

GENERAL MOTORS

CADILLAC SEVILLE

86

35,624

2.4141

92

FORD MOTOR CO

MERCURY COUGAR

212

88,258

2.4020

93

FORD MOTOR CO

MERCURY MOUNTAINEER

105

43,743

2.4004

94

HONDA

ACURA RL

31

12,961

2.3918

95

VOLVO

C70

12

5,087

2.3590

96

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

JEEP WRANGLER

197

84,990

2.3179

97

TOYOTA

4-RUNNER

292

126,929

2.3005

98

HONDA

ACURA SLX

2

870

2.2989

99

NISSAN

FRONTIER PICKUP TRUCK

104

45,256

2.2980

100

GENERAL MOTORS

OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA

57

25,782

2.2108

101

GENERAL MOTORS

BUICK CENTURY

329

150,061

2.1924

102

GENERAL MOTORS

CADILLAC ELDORADO

35

15,982

2.1900

103

GENERAL MOTORS

GMC JIMMY S-15

137

63,541

2.1561

104

TOYOTA

CAMRY/CAMRY SOLARA

1,040

490,959

2.1183

105

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

DODGE CARAVAN/GRAND

595

297,350

2.0010

106

ISUZU

TROOPER

46

23,094

1.9919

107

VOLKSWAGEN

GOLF/GTI

28

14,204

1.9713

108

FORD MOTOR CO

RANGER PICKUP TRUCK

692

356,716

1.9399

109

ISUZU

HOMBRE PICKUP TRUCK

5

2,595

1.9268

110

GENERAL MOTORS

CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN

146

76,071

1.9193

111

VOLKSWAGEN

CABRIO

15

8,153

1.8398

112

TOYOTA

RAV4

109

60,776

1.7935

113

TOYOTA

LEXUS SC

5

2,822

1.7718

114

MERCEDES BENZ

163 (ML-CLASS)

91

51,970

1.7510

115

MERCEDES BENZ

210 (E-CLASS)

97

55,719

1.7409

116

VOLKSWAGEN

JETTA

191

109,769

1.7400

117

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP TRUCK

233

134,058

1.7381

118

BMW

3

97

56,197

1.7261

119

BMW

5

52

30,490

1.7055

120

HONDA

ACCORD

607

356,993

1.7003

121

PONTIAC

MONTANA VAN

97

58,081

1.6701

122

NISSAN

INFINITI G20

38

22,842

1.6636

123

GENERAL MOTORS

CHEVROLET S-10 PICKUP TRUCK

296

179,498

1.6490

124

TOYOTA

CELICA

8

4,868

1.6434

125

GENERAL MOTORS

SATURN SL

311

190,414

1.6333

126

MERCEDES BENZ

170 (SLK-CLASS)

22

13,875

1.5856

127

FORD MOTOR CO

F-150 PICKUP TRUCK

276

174,285

1.5836

128

GENERAL MOTORS

OLDSMOBILE 88/REGENCY

61

39,921

1.5280

129

GENERAL MOTORS

GMC SONOMA PICKUP TRUCK

66

43,355

1.5223

130

SAAB

9-5

37

24,666

1.5000

131

VOLVO

S80

37

24,976

1.4814

132

FERRARI

F355

1

694

1.4409

133

GENERAL MOTORS

GMC SAFARI VAN

34

23,613

1.4399

134

TOYOTA

AVALON

89

61,819

1.4397

135

MAZDA

B SERIES PICKUP TRUCK

62

44,452

1.3948

136

FORD MOTOR CO

LINCOLN CONTINENTAL

37

27,054

1.3676

137

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

TOWN & COUNTRY MPV

104

76,795

1.3543

138

VOLVO

S70/V70

80

59,367

1.3475

139

SAAB

9-3

46

34,580

1.3302

140

HONDA

PASSPORT

36

27,499

1.3091

141

GENERAL MOTORS

BUICK PARK AVENUE

78

59,904

1.3021

142

TOYOTA

LEXUS RX

118

91,102

1.2953

143

TOYOTA

LEXUS ES

58

46,162

1.2564

144

NISSAN

QUEST

50

40,506

1.2344

145

GENERAL MOTORS

OLDSMOBILE AURORA

23

18,729

1.2280

146

GENERAL MOTORS

CADILLAC LIMOUSINE

1

821

1.2180

147

FORD MOTOR CO

MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS

146

122,586

1.1910

148

GENERAL MOTORS

CHEVROLET TRACKER

41

34,839

1.1768

149

GENERAL MOTORS

BUICK LESABRE

117

100,354

1.1659

150

GENERAL MOTORS

CADILLAC CATERA

16

13,801

1.1593

151

NISSAN

INFINITI I30

28

24,215

1.1563

152

FORD MOTOR CO

MERCURY VILLAGER MPV

59

51,066

1.1554

153

FORD MOTOR CO

WINDSTAR VAN

233

203,936

1.1425

154

GENERAL MOTORS

SATURN SC

54

47,578

1.1350

155

AUDI

A6

28

24,809

1.1286

156

MAZDA

MX-5 MIATA

38

33,723

1.1268

157

BMW

M

3

2,731

1.0985

158

HONDA

ACURA CL

27

24,960

1.0817

159

GENERAL MOTORS

CHEVROLET VENTURE VAN

93

88,071

1.0560

160

ISUZU

VEHICROSS

2

2,005

0.9975

161

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

DODGE VIPER

1

1,033

0.9681

162

GENERAL MOTORS

BUICK RIVIERA

2

2,091

0.9565

163

VOLKSWAGEN

PASSAT

75

79,396

0.9446

164

TOYOTA

LEXUS LS

16

17,291

0.9253

165

VOLKSWAGEN

NEW BEETLE

60

66,867

0.8973

166

AUDI

A8

2

2,244

0.8913

167

FORD MOTOR CO

CROWN VICTORIA

104

118,849

0.8751

168

SUBARU

LEGACY

78

90,840

0.8587

169

PORSCHE

911

11

12,887

0.8536

170

SUBARU

IMPREZA

17

20,208

0.8413

171

AUDI

A4

26

31,892

0.8153

172

HONDA

ACURA TL

45

55,646

0.8087

173

VOLKSWAGEN

EUROVAN

2

2,555

0.7828

174

MERCEDES BENZ

202 (C-CLASS)

28

37,472

0.7472

175

ISUZU

AMIGO

8

11,359

0.7043

176

SUBARU

FORESTER

32

46,668

0.6857

177

JAGUAR

VANDEN PLAS

3

4,435

0.6764

178

HONDA

CR-V

72

110,945

0.6490

179

TOYOTA

SIENNA VAN

43

69,531

0.6184

180

GENERAL MOTORS

SATURN SW

10

16,420

0.6090

181

JAGUAR

XJR

1

1,778

0.5624

182

PORSCHE

BOXSTER CONVERTIBLE

7

13,234

0.5289

183

GENERAL MOTORS

OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE VAN

20

38,130

0.5245

184

HONDA

ODYSSEY VAN

6

50,425

0.1190

185

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

PLYMOUTH PROWLER

0

3,655

0.0000

186

FERRARI

360

0

445

0.0000

187

FERRARI

456

0

119

0.0000

188

FERRARI

550

0

259

0.0000

189

GENERAL MOTORS

BUICK FUNERAL COACH

0

993

0.0000

190

HONDA

ACURA NSX

0

243

0.0000

191

ISUZU

OASIS VAN

0

702

0.0000

192

LAMBORGHINI

DB132/DIABLO

0

162

0.0000

193

LOTUS

ESPRIT

0

121

0.0000

194

ROLLS-ROYCE

BENTLEY AZURE

0

70

0.0000

195

ROLLS-ROYCE

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL R

0

6

0.0000

196

ROLLS-ROYCE

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL SC

0

23

0.0000

197

ROLLS-ROYCE

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL T

0

5

0.0000

198

ROLLS-ROYCE

BENTLEY TURBO R

0

2

0.0000

199

ROLLS-ROYCE

SILVER SERAPH

0

299

0.0000

200

ROLLS-ROYCE

SILVER SPUR

0

2

0.0000

201

ROLLS-ROYCE

SILVER SPUR PARK WARD

0

51

0.0000

1

These vehicles were manufactured for sale in the U.S. territories under the Chrysler name plate.

2

Nativa is the name applied to Montero Sport vehicles that are manufactured for sale only in Puerto Rico.

Issued on: March 7, 2001.

Stephen R. Kratzke,

Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.

[FR Doc. 01-6217 Filed 3-13-01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-59-P