Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping Requirements; Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping Requirements; Agency Information

Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501

et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection

Requests (ICRs) abstracted below have been forwarded to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for approval of a new collection,

reinstatement, with change, of a previously approved collection for

which approval has expired. The ICRs describes the nature of the

information collection and its expected burden. The Federal Register

Notice soliciting comments on collection of information 2127-new was

published on July 1, 1996 [FR 61, page 33891] and the Federal Register

Notice soliciting comments on collection of information 2127-0021 was

published on July 12, 1996 [FR 61, page 36778].

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 18, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edward Kosek, (202) 366-2590, and

refer to the OMB Control Number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration (NHTSA)

Title: Highway Crash Data Collection for Evaluation of Conspicuity

Marking on Heavy Truck Trailers.

Type of Request: New Collection.

OMB Control Number: 2127-new.

Form Number: N/A.

Affected Public: State and local governments.

Abstract: Under Executive Order 12866, ``Regulatory Planning and

Review'' (58 FR 51735), NHTSA is required to conduct periodic

evaluations to assess the effectiveness of the vehicle safety standards

it has promulgated. These studies estimate the actual safety benefits

achieved by the standards and provide a basis for assessing whether the

standards are functioning as intended. Typically, the evaluation

studies consist of the analyses of highway crash data which compare the

experience of vehicles equipped with a given standard with the

experience of vehicles not equipped with the standard. In addition to

all trailers manufactured since December 1993, which are required to

have conspicuity marking, some companies have also equipped their older

trailers with the material. Trailers equipped prior to December 1993

sometimes used colors and patterns which differ from those specified in

the standard. A data collection effort is planned to provide crash

information for the purpose of evaluating the safety effects of the

conspicuity requirement under FMVSS No.108. NHTSA will analyze the data

to estimate the safety benefits, in terms of crashes, injuries, and

fatalities avoided that can be attributed to the requirement.

Annual Estimated Burden: The total estimated annual burden is 2,666

hours.

Title: National Accident Sampling System (NASS).

Type of Request: Reinstatement, with change, of a previously

approved collection for which approval has expired.

OMB Control Number: 2127-0021.

Form Numbers: HS-433A, HS-433B, HS-435H, HS-435I, and HS-435F.

Affected Public: Participation is voluntary for all respondents.

NHTSA contractor employers begin by going to the police to get copies

of accident reports. They select certain accidents, usually the more

serious, to investigate. They interview occupants and witnesses,

acquire medical records, and inspect the crash scene and vehicles. Data

is coded on standard forms and entered into a computerized database.

Abstract: NASS investigates high severity crashes. Once a crash has

been selected for investigation, several activities are initiated by

the NASS Crashworthiness Data System (CDS) team. Researchers locate,

visit, measure, and photograph the crash scene; locate, inspect, and

photograph all involved vehicles; conduct a telephone or personal

interview with each involved person or surrogate; and obtain and record

injury information from hospitals or emergency rooms for all injured

victims. During each activity the researchers record information on the

NASS vehicle, and occupant/ pedestrian forms as appropriate.

Need for the Information and Proposed Use: NASS CDS data are used

to describe and analyze circumstances, mechanisms, and consequences of

high severity motor vehicle crashes in the United States. These

descriptions and analyses in turn will help to describe the magnitude

of vehicle damage and injury severity as related to traffic safety

problems. It will give motor vehicle researchers an opportunity to

specify areas in which improvements may be possible, design

countermeasure programs, and evaluate the effects of existing and

proposed safety measures. Users include virtually every program

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area in NHTSA, other federal agencies such as the Federal Highway

Administration, state and local governments, domestic and foreign motor

vehicle manufacturers, insurance and consumer organizations, safety

research organizations, universities, foreign government agencies, and

individual citizens.

Annual Estimated Burden: The total estimated annual burden is 5,807

hours.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory

Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725-17th Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20503, Attention OST Desk Officer.

Comments are Invited on: 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; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the

proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility

and clarity of the information to be collected; and 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.

Issued in Washington, DC, on November 13, 1996.

Phillip A. Leach,

Clearance Officer, United States Department of Transportation.

[FR Doc. 96-29484 Filed 11-15-96; 8:45 am]

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