80 FR 55903 - Request for Comments on New Information Collection

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 180 (September 17, 2015)

Page Range		55903-55904
FR Document		2015-23294

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is being submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comments.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 180 (Thursday, September 17, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 180 (Thursday, September 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55903-55904]
From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-23294]

[[Page 55903]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2014-0025]

Request for Comments on New Information Collection

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is being submitted to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comments.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by October 19, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street NW.,
Washington, DC 20503, Attention NHTSA Desk Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or access
to background documents, contact Julie Kang, Ph.D., Vehicle Safety
Research, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S.
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington,
DC 20590. Dr. Kang's telephone number is (202) 366-5195.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Before a Federal agency can collect certain
information from the public, it must receive approval from the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB). In compliance with these requirements,
this notice announces that the following information collection request
has been forwarded to OMB. A Federal Register notice with a 60-day
comment period soliciting comments on the following information
collection was published on March 13, 2014 (79 FR 14335).
NHTSA received one comment from the Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety (IIHS) on the proposed information collection. In NHTSA's
original proposed study, each driver would have experienced a one week
baseline period and two one week periods where each driver would use
each technology. IIHS stated a within-subject design may result in a
carryover effect in which changes in behavior resulting from exposure
to the first technology may influence behavioral responses to the
second technology in a subsequent week. IIHS's concern is that the
reinforcement contingencies drivers learn with the first technology may
carry over to a subsequent phase of study and potentially confound the
measurement of the second technology's effect on belt use. Based on
IIHS's suggestion, NHTSA has changed the experimental design from a
within-subjects design (32 participants, 3 weeks) to a between-subject
design (48 participants, 3 weeks). In this between-subject design
experiment, each participant will only experience one of the two seat
belt interlock technologies. This new design holds reasonable
statistical analysis power and clears out the concern of the behavior
carry-on effect.
OMB Control Number: Not assigned.
Title: Recruitment and Debriefing of Human Subjects for Field Test
of Vehicle Occupant Protection Technologies.
Form Numbers: None.
Type of Review: New Information Collection.
Background: NHTSA's mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, and
reduce economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes. Increasing
seat belt use is one of the agency's highest priorities. Seat belt use
has shown an increasing trend since 1995, accompanied by a steady
decline in the percentage of unrestrained passenger vehicle occupant
fatalities during daytime. In 2013, the nationwide seat belt use
reached 87 percent for drivers and front seat passengers.\1\ Despite
gains in seat belt usage, data from the 2011 Fatality Analysis
Reporting System (FARS) indicates that 52 percent of all passenger
vehicle crash fatalities \2\ were unbelted occupants.\3\ The age group
21 to 24 had the highest percentage of unrestrained occupants killed:
2,172 fatalities, of which 1,385 (64 percent) were unrestrained. The
second highest percentage of unrestrained passenger vehicle occupant
fatalities was 63 percent among 25- to 34-year-olds.\3\ Use of lap/
shoulder seat belts reduces the risk of fatal injury to front-seat
passenger car occupants by 45 percent and the risk of moderate-to-
critical injury by 50 percent. In 2011 alone, seat belts saved an
estimated 11,949 lives.\3\
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\1\ Pickrell, T.M., & Liu, C. (2014, January). Seat Belt Use in
2013--Overall Results. (Traffic Safety Facts Research Note. Report
No. DOT HS 811 875). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration.
\2\ The 2012 and 2013 data on the percent of unrestrained
passenger vehicle occupant fatalities during daytime is not yet
available.
\3\ NHTSA. (2013, June) Occupant Protection (Traffic Safety
Facts 2011 Data. Report No.DOT HS 811 729). Washington, DC: National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811729.pdf
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The proposed study will examine seat belt use, users' acceptance of
emerging vehicle technologies designed to increase seat belt use, the
likelihood of and potential strategies to circumvent the system, and
unintended consequences. The study method consists of a field
operational test to collect objective and subjective data about two
prototype technologies developed by automakers to increase seat belt
use. In response to comments received during the 60-day comment period,
NHTSA has changed the experimental design, from a within-subjects
design (32 participants, 3-week) to a between-subject design (48
participants, 3-week). This new design holds reasonable statistical
analysis power and clears out the concern of the behavior carry-on
effect. A total of 48 drivers from two age groups would be recruited to
participate in the study, 24 non-seat belt users (12 young drivers; 12
middle-aged drivers), and 24 part-time users (12 young drivers; 12
middle-aged drivers). The study sample would have equal numbers of male
and female drivers from each age group. The research team acknowledges
that it may be difficult to recruit non-users given the high seat belt
use rate in Michigan (more than 90 percent). As a result, the research
team will also draw from the University of Michigan Transportation
Researh Institute's (UMTRI) previous field operational test study
participant pool of low seat belt users. This pool of previous
participants have indicated that they would be willing do other
studies; therefore, it is expected that this strategy will greatly
expedite the recruitment process. The estimated burden hours are shown
for a maximum of 391 respondents to respond to the recruitment
advertisements. The number of call-ins was calculated based on:

--A 93 percent seat belt use rate in Michigan, so it takes about 343
call-ins to find the 24 non-seat belt users for screening purposes;
--It is estimated at least 50 percent of the part-time seat belt users
from previous studies will participate in the current study (pulling
from those who have indicated that they would be interested in
participating in future studies), so it takes about 48 call-ins to find
24 part-time seat belt users.

Each driver will be presented with one baseline condition and one
vehicle occupant protection technology. Each condition will last one
week. Therefore, each participant will drive the research vehicles for
two weeks. A data acquisition system will record system state (i.e.,
door, ignition, driver seat belt buckle) and video inside the vehicle
cabin. The University of Michigan

[[Page 55904]]

Transportation Research Institute, in collaboration with the Virginia
Tech Transportation Institute and Montana State University, Western
Transportation Institute, will conduct this study under a research
contract with NHTSA.

Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the
Information: The collection of information consists of: (1) An
eligibility questionnaire, (2) a demographic questionnaire; and (3)
post-study questionnaires. In the revised study design, minor changes
were also made to the three instruments to reflect the study changes.
Example changes include deleting the question asking for driver's
social security number in the demographic questionnaire, and adding
more open-end questions in the post-study questionnaires.
The information to be collected will be used to:
Eligibility questionnaire(s) will be used to obtain self-
reported driving history information. Individuals interested in
participating in the study will be asked to provide information about
their driving history. People who have been convicted of felony motor
convictions will be excluded. Individuals who pass the initial
screening will be asked to provide their driver's license number and
consent to review their driving records to confirm self-reported
driving history information. Drivers' consent and driving license
numbers will be used to obtain official driving records from the state
of Michigan. Individuals will be excluded from participating in the
study if they refuse to grant UMTRI permission to review their public
driving records or if they have been convicted of felony motor
convictions in the last 2 years. This exclusion criterion is used to
reduce the liability risk of providing participants with research
vehicles.
Demographic questionnaire will be used to obtain
demographic information to confirm that the study group includes
participants from various groups (e.g., age; gender; part-time seat
belt users or those who sometimes wear their belts; non-users or those
who never wear a seat belt; etc. Other demographic information will be
collected to describe the study sample (e.g., annual travel distance).
Post-study questionnaire(s) will be used to get
information about drivers' beliefs and attitude towards each occupant
protection technology tested, and to identify potential problems
associated with each system. These questionnaires will also be used to
assess perceived usability of the systems in terms of acceptance and
satisfaction, as well as willingness to have this technology in their
vehicle. Each driver will complete a post-study questionnaire once, at
the end of the second week.
Respondents: Michigan drivers with a valid driver license.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 50 to 391.
Estimated Number of Responses: One to three responses per person,
17 to 85 questions total.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 10 to 45 minutes per respondent
(95.2 hours total).
Estimated Frequency: One-time for the eligibility; demographic
questionnaire; and the post-study questionnaire.

Table 1--Estimated Burden Hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Total
Number of Frequency of Number of individual Total estimated annualize cost
Instrument respondents responses questions burden burden hours to respondents
\4\ (minutes) \5\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eligibility questionnaire.............................. 391 1 17 10 65.2 $1377.60
Demographic questionnaire.............................. 60 1 23 5 5 105.70
Post-study questionnaire............................... 50 1 45 30 25 528.50
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Total.............................................. .............. .............. .............. .............. 95.2 2011.80
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\4\ The number of respondents in this table includes drop-out rates.
\5\ Estimated based on the mean hourly rate for Michigan (all occupations) is $21.14 as reported in the May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage
Estimates, Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://www.bls.gov/oes/oes_dl.htm

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.

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44. U.S.C.
Chapter 35, as amended; 5 CFR part 1320; and 49 CFR 1.95.

Issued in Washington, DC.
Nathaniel Beuse,
Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety Research.
[FR Doc. 2015-23294 Filed 9-16-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 180 / Thursday, September 17, 2015 / Notices 55903

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION carry over to a subsequent phase of vehicle technologies designed to
study and potentially confound the increase seat belt use, the likelihood of
National Highway Traffic Safety measurement of the second technology’s and potential strategies to circumvent
Administration effect on belt use. Based on IIHS’s the system, and unintended
[Docket No. NHTSA–2014–0025] suggestion, NHTSA has changed the consequences. The study method
experimental design from a within- consists of a field operational test to
Request for Comments on New subjects design (32 participants, 3 collect objective and subjective data
Information Collection weeks) to a between-subject design (48 about two prototype technologies
participants, 3 weeks). In this between- developed by automakers to increase
Notice and request for
ACTION: subject design experiment, each seat belt use. In response to comments
comments. participant will only experience one of received during the 60-day comment
the two seat belt interlock technologies. period, NHTSA has changed the
SUMMARY: In compliance with the This new design holds reasonable experimental design, from a within-
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 statistical analysis power and clears out subjects design (32 participants, 3-week)
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice the concern of the behavior carry-on to a between-subject design (48
announces that the Information effect. participants, 3-week). This new design
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted OMB Control Number: Not assigned. holds reasonable statistical analysis
below is being submitted to the Office Title: Recruitment and Debriefing of power and clears out the concern of the
of Management and Budget (OMB) for Human Subjects for Field Test of behavior carry-on effect. A total of 48
review and comments. Vehicle Occupant Protection drivers from two age groups would be
DATES: Written comments should be Technologies. recruited to participate in the study, 24
submitted by October 19, 2015. Form Numbers: None. non-seat belt users (12 young drivers; 12
ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Type of Review: New Information middle-aged drivers), and 24 part-time
Office of Information and Regulatory Collection. users (12 young drivers; 12 middle-aged
Affairs, Office of Management and Background: NHTSA’s mission is to
drivers). The study sample would have
Budget, 725 17th Street NW., save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce
equal numbers of male and female
Washington, DC 20503, Attention economic losses resulting from motor
drivers from each age group. The
NHTSA Desk Officer. vehicle crashes. Increasing seat belt use
research team acknowledges that it may
is one of the agency’s highest priorities.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For be difficult to recruit non-users given
Seat belt use has shown an increasing
additional information or access to the high seat belt use rate in Michigan
trend since 1995, accompanied by a
background documents, contact Julie (more than 90 percent). As a result, the
steady decline in the percentage of
Kang, Ph.D., Vehicle Safety Research, research team will also draw from the
unrestrained passenger vehicle
National Highway Traffic Safety University of Michigan Transportation
occupant fatalities during daytime. In
Administration (NHTSA), U.S. Researh Institute’s (UMTRI) previous
2013, the nationwide seat belt use
Department of Transportation, 1200 field operational test study participant
reached 87 percent for drivers and front
New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, pool of low seat belt users. This pool of
seat passengers.1 Despite gains in seat
DC 20590. Dr. Kang’s telephone number previous participants have indicated
belt usage, data from the 2011 Fatality
is (202) 366–5195. that they would be willing do other
Analysis Reporting System (FARS)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Before a studies; therefore, it is expected that this
indicates that 52 percent of all
Federal agency can collect certain strategy will greatly expedite the
passenger vehicle crash fatalities 2 were
information from the public, it must recruitment process. The estimated
unbelted occupants.3 The age group 21
receive approval from the Office of burden hours are shown for a maximum
to 24 had the highest percentage of
Management and Budget (OMB). In of 391 respondents to respond to the
unrestrained occupants killed: 2,172
compliance with these requirements, recruitment advertisements. The
fatalities, of which 1,385 (64 percent)
this notice announces that the following number of call-ins was calculated based
were unrestrained. The second highest
information collection request has been on:
percentage of unrestrained passenger
forwarded to OMB. A Federal Register vehicle occupant fatalities was 63 —A 93 percent seat belt use rate in
notice with a 60-day comment period percent among 25- to 34-year-olds.3 Use Michigan, so it takes about 343 call-
soliciting comments on the following of lap/shoulder seat belts reduces the ins to find the 24 non-seat belt users
information collection was published on risk of fatal injury to front-seat for screening purposes;
March 13, 2014 (79 FR 14335). —It is estimated at least 50 percent of
passenger car occupants by 45 percent
NHTSA received one comment from the part-time seat belt users from
and the risk of moderate-to-critical
the Insurance Institute for Highway previous studies will participate in
injury by 50 percent. In 2011 alone, seat
Safety (IIHS) on the proposed the current study (pulling from those
belts saved an estimated 11,949 lives.3
information collection. In NHTSA’s The proposed study will examine seat who have indicated that they would
original proposed study, each driver belt use, users’ acceptance of emerging be interested in participating in future
would have experienced a one week studies), so it takes about 48 call-ins
baseline period and two one week 1 Pickrell, T.M., & Liu, C. (2014, January). Seat to find 24 part-time seat belt users.
periods where each driver would use Belt Use in 2013—Overall Results. (Traffic Safety Each driver will be presented with
each technology. IIHS stated a within- Facts Research Note. Report No. DOT HS 811 875). one baseline condition and one vehicle
Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety
subject design may result in a carryover Administration.
occupant protection technology. Each
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

effect in which changes in behavior 2 The 2012 and 2013 data on the percent of condition will last one week. Therefore,
resulting from exposure to the first unrestrained passenger vehicle occupant fatalities each participant will drive the research
technology may influence behavioral during daytime is not yet available. vehicles for two weeks. A data
3 NHTSA. (2013, June) Occupant Protection
responses to the second technology in a acquisition system will record system
(Traffic Safety Facts 2011 Data. Report No.DOT HS
subsequent week. IIHS’s concern is that 811 729). Washington, DC: National Highway
state (i.e., door, ignition, driver seat belt
the reinforcement contingencies drivers Traffic Safety Administration. http://www- buckle) and video inside the vehicle
learn with the first technology may nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811729.pdf cabin. The University of Michigan

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Document Created: 2015-12-15 09:34:03
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 09:34:03

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice and request for comments.
Dates		Written comments should be submitted by October 19, 2015.
Contact		For additional information or access to background documents, contact Julie Kang, Ph.D., Vehicle Safety Research, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. Dr. Kang's telephone number is (202) 366-5195.
FR Citation		80 FR 55903

80 FR 55903 - Request for Comments on New Information Collection

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 180 (September 17, 2015)

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration