Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping Requirements

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket No. NHTSA-98-4440]

Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping Requirements

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

ACTION: Request for public comment on proposed collection of

information.

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SUMMARY: Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from

the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and

Budget (OMB). Under new 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 reinstatements of previously approved

collections.

This document describes one collection of information for which

NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 7, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to U.S. Department of

Transportation Dockets, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Plaza 401,

Washington, D.C. 20590. Docket No. NHTSA-98-4440.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. John Eberhard, Contracting

Officer's Technical Representative, Office of Research and Traffic

Records (NTS-31), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400

Seventh Street, S.W., Room 6240, Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,

before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB

for approval, it must 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 regulations (at 5 CFR

1230.8(d)), an agency must ask for public comment on the following:

(i) 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;

(ii) 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;

(iii) How to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the

information to be collected; and

(iv) 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.

According to the Paperwork Act of 1995, no persons are required to

respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB

control number. The valid OMB control number for this information

collection will be published in the Federal Register after it is

approved by the OMB.

In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks public comment on

the following proposed collection of information.

Older Persons' Driving and Transportation Issues

Type of Request--New information collection requirement.

OMB Clearance Number--None.

Form Number--This collection of information uses no standard forms.

Requested Expiration Date of Approval--December 31, 2000.

Summary of the Collection of Information--NHTSA proposes to conduct

a survey by telephone among a nationally representative sample of 3,220

adults, including older adults. Participation by respondents would be

voluntary. NHTSA's information needs require collection of information

to assess the awareness of the American public concerning the mobility

issues of seniors and establish benchmarks against which progress in

improving seniors' safety and mobility can be assessed over time.

In conducting the proposed survey, the interviewers would use

computer-aided telephone interviewing (CATI) to reduce interview length

and minimize recording errors. A Spanish-language translation and

bilingual interviewers are proposed to minimize language barriers to

participation. The proposed survey would be anonymous and confidential.

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

Information--The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

was established to reduce the mounting number of deaths, injuries, and

economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes on the Nation's

highways. As part of this statutory mandate, NHTSA is authorized to

conduct research as a foundation for the development of motor vehicle

standards and traffic safety programs. The Department of

Transportation, including NHTSA, has for years been extensively

involved in work to support a safe transportation environment for the

nation in general, and senior citizens in particular. In fact, NHTSA

has had an older driver program since 1988. As the nation's population

ages, the need for national-level data concerning the mobility needs of

the elderly population has increased. To develop informed policy

making, data are needed that not only measure current transportation

practices and needs of the elderly population, but the role of the

general public in (and their attitudes toward) providing transportation

for the elderly who cannot--or should not--continue driving.

So that Federal transportation policy makers, as well as

professionals involved in the whole array of elderly issues, can make

informed decisions concerning transportation policy (e.g., the

allocation of resources, critical target audiences, etc.), a database

that is easily accessible by such individuals is needed. Additionally,

because the elderly population will continue to grow, and therefore so

will the needs for alternatives to driving for this population segment,

a database is needed that will serve as a benchmark against which to

measure progress in meeting the mobility needs of the elderly.

Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number

and Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of Information)--

Under this proposed effort, a telephone interview averaging

approximately twenty minutes in length would be administered to each of

3,220 randomly selected members of the general public aged sixteen and

older in telephone households. The respondent sample would be selected

from all fifty states plus the District of Columbia. Interviews would

be conducted with persons at residential phone numbers selected through

random digit dialing. Businesses are ineligible for the sample and

would not be interviewed. There

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would be only one interview per respondent.

Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Record Keeping Burden

Resulting From the Collection of Information--NHTSA estimates that each

respondent in the sample would require an average of twenty minutes to

complete the telephone interview. Thus, the number of estimated

reporting burden hours a year on the general public (3,220 respondents

multiplied by 1 interview multiplied by 20 minutes) would be 1,074 for

the proposed survey. The respondents would not incur any reporting cost

from the information collection. The respondents also would not incur

any record keeping burden or record keeping cost from the information

collection.

Issued on: October 2, 1998.

James Nichols,

Acting Associate Administrator for Traffic Safety Programs.

[FR Doc. 98-27049 Filed 10-7-98; 8:45 am]

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