[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 101 (Thursday, May 25, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33960-33962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11189]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2022-0235]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Approval of a New 
Information Collection Request: Crash Causal Factors Program: Knowledge 
of Systems and Processes

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, 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 ``Study of Commercial Motor Vehicle Crash Causation,'' mandated 
by Congress in the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act (IIJA). To 
plan and execute this study, FMCSA must collect information from the 
States and local jurisdictions to understand their interest or ability 
to participate in the study. FMCSA will collect information on existing 
crash data collection processes, systems, and resources and commercial 
motor vehicle (CMV) enforcement funding mechanisms and sources.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before June 26, 
2023.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection (IC) should be sent within 30 days of 
publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find 
this IC by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for Public 
Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelly Stowe, Office of Analysis, 
Research, and Technology/Research Division, DOT, FMCSA, West Building 
6th Floor, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001; 202-
366-2646; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Crash Causal Factors Program: Knowledge of Systems and 
Processes.
    OMB Control Number: 2126-00XX.
    Type of Request: New ICR.
    Respondents: State and local Government employees (first-line 
supervisors of police and detectives; police and sheriff's patrol 
officers; general and operations managers; chief executives; computer 
and information systems managers; and computer and mathematical 
operations workers).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,320 respondents.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1.61 hours (rounded) per response, 
average (across all ICs).
    Expiration Date: N/A. This is a new ICR.
    Frequency of Response: Once for each IC.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 2,124 hours total, or 708 hours 
annually (51 annual hours for State computer and information systems 
managers + 9 annual hours for local computer and information systems 
managers + 119 annual hours for State police and sheriff's patrol 
officers + 9 annual hours for local police and sheriff's patrol 
officers + 114.75 annual hours for State first-line supervisors of 
police and detectives + 42.75 annual hours for local first-line 
supervisors of police and detectives + 114.75 annual hours for State 
general and operations managers + 40.5 annual hours for local general 
and operations managers + 114.75 annual hours for State chief 
executives + 40.5 annual hours for local chief executives + 34 annual 
hours for State computer and mathematical operations workers + 18 
annual hours for local computer and mathematical operations workers = 
708 annual hours).

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 the IIJA 
(Pub. L. 117-58), which contains requirements for a larger study under

[[Page 33961]]

section 23006, ``Study of Commercial Motor Vehicle Crash Causation.'' 
The requirements under section 23006 define the scope of the study to 
include all CMVs as defined in 49 U.S.C. 31132.
    Section 23006(b)(1) of the IIJA requires 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:
    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 is establishing a 
Crash Causal Factors Program. Through this program, FMCSA will execute 
a multi-phased study of crash causal factors, with Phase 1 focused on 
fatal crashes involving Class \7/8\ large trucks. This Phase 1 effort 
is referred to as the Large Truck Crash Causal Factors Study. Future 
phases of the study will focus on different CMV populations (such as 
medium-duty trucks) or crash severities (e.g., serious injury crashes).
    Congress anticipated that FMCSA would need to consult with the 
States and a variety of other experts when planning and executing the 
study, as noted in section 23006(d), which reads: ``In designing and 
carrying out the study, the Secretary may consult with individuals or 
entities with expertise on--
    1. Crash causation and prevention;
    2. Commercial motor vehicles, commercial drivers, and motor 
carriers, including passenger carriers;
    3. Highways and noncommercial motor vehicles and drivers;
    4. Federal and State highway and motor carrier safety programs;
    5. Research methods and statistical analysis; and
    6. Other relevant topics, as determined by the Secretary.''
    This IC will collect data from Federal, State, and local highway 
and motor carrier safety programs. It will focus on identifying and 
documenting States' and local jurisdictions' ability to participate in 
the study; agreements that the States or jurisdictions will require to 
participate in the study; existing crash data collection processes, 
systems, training, and quality control processes; and CMV enforcement 
funding mechanisms and sources.

How the Agency Will Use Collected Information

    FMCSA will use collected information from four ICs:

 IC-1: Identifying Points of Contact
 IC-2: Sample Design; Partnerships and Coordination
 IC-3: Crash Data Collection
 IC-4: CMV Enforcement Resources and Funding

    Information collected under these four ICs will inform various 
elements of the study plan, including the sample design, data 
collection plans, participation agreements, resourcing plans, and 
development of the study database. Below are additional details on how 
FMCSA will use collected information to develop various study plan 
elements.

IC-1: Identifying Points of Contact

    Before collecting information for ICs 2, 3, and 4, FMCSA will first 
need to identify the appropriate points of contact in each State and a 
sample of local jurisdictions for the remaining IC components. Once 
FMCSA obtains contact information from the States, the Agency will 
distribute a web-based survey for IC-2, IC-3, and IC-4 to the relevant 
point of contact in each State or jurisdiction. Below are additional 
details on how FMCSA will use collected information to develop various 
study plan elements.

IC-2: Sample Design; Partnerships and Coordination

    The original Large Truck Crash Causation Study conducted from 2001 
through 2003 leveraged the sample design from the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) National Automotive Sampling 
System (NASS) Crashworthiness Data System (CDS). NHTSA has since 
developed the Crash Investigation Sampling System (CISS), which 
replaces NASS CDS. Both NASS CDS and CISS are focused on crashes 
involving passenger vehicles (i.e., passenger cars, light trucks, vans, 
and utility vehicles). Neither sampling system was designed to collect 
data on a representative sample of crashes involving CMVs. NHTSA 
acknowledged this in its 2019 sample design and weighting documentation 
for CISS, stating in a discussion on special crash populations, ``The 
most efficient way to study a rare population is to design a special 
study that solely targets that particular rare population.'' As a 
result, FMCSA is planning to develop a new sample design specific to 
crashes involving CMVs. However, FMCSA cannot simply select a random 
sample of State and local jurisdictions to include in the sample 
design. The Agency will need to identify an appropriate mix of State 
and local jurisdictions to allow for a nationally representative sample 
design. Participating States and local jurisdictions will be asked to 
collect and share the required study data and troubleshoot study-
related issues as they arise. The information collected under IC-2 will 
inform the sample design for this study. It will also provide important 
information about State- or local jurisdiction-required participation 
and data sharing agreements.

IC-3: Crash Data Collection

    FMCSA is planning to leverage existing State and local jurisdiction 
resources (where possible) to collect required study data. This will be 
a complex effort that will require substantial information sharing and 
coordination between participating States/jurisdictions and FMCSA.
    Under IC-3, FMCSA will seek to learn more about the data elements 
that State and local jurisdictions are already collecting; State and 
local jurisdiction CMV crash reporting criteria and notification 
processes; State and local jurisdiction crash data collection systems 
and processes (e.g., what systems exist, who owns the system(s), 
whether the system can interface with other systems, etc.); existing 
crash data collection trainings offered by the State/jurisdiction; and 
crash data quality reviews that States and local jurisdictions 
currently conduct. The Agency will use this information to inform the 
study crash data collection plan and requirements for the study 
database.

IC-4: CMV Enforcement Resources and Funding

    FMCSA must collect information from States and local jurisdictions 
to understand whether existing commercial vehicle enforcement resources 
can meet the study needs, and if not, to determine how much additional 
funding or resources jurisdictions will require to collect the 
necessary data. IC-4 will identify available CMV enforcement resources 
within States/jurisdictions, funding sources for existing commercial 
vehicle enforcement resources and activities (e.g., State-funded versus 
FMCSA grant-funded), and whether there is a mechanism for the local 
jurisdiction to receive study funding through FMCSA's grant programs 
(i.e., as a sub-grantee). Information collected under IC-4 will also 
inform FMCSA resourcing plans outside of the States/jurisdictions.

[[Page 33962]]

Method of Collection

    FMCSA will collect the required information for IC-1 via email. For 
ICs 2, 3, and 4, FMCSA will leverage a web-based survey application 
combined with email to collect information. FMCSA believes that all 
respondents will have State or local government-provided information 
technology equipment (e.g., laptops, mobile devices, etc.) and internet 
access; as such, the Agency believes electronic submissions will be 
most cost-effective and efficient for respondents (as opposed to mail-
based submissions or some other means). FMCSA estimates that 100 
percent of submissions will be electronic.

Results of Data Collection

    FMCSA does not plan to publish results from this data collection. 
Results from this data collection, which will be descriptive and/or 
qualitative in nature, will inform the study sample design, 
participation agreements, data collection plans, resource plans, and 
study database requirements. No complex analytical techniques will be 
used. Final results from the overall study, once completed, will be 
published in a final study report. Findings from the overall study will 
ultimately inform the identification and development of countermeasures 
to prevent crashes involving CMVs.
    As part of the Crash Causal Factors Program, this IC supports the 
DOT Strategic Goal of Safety.

Response to Public Comments

    On December 27, 2022, FMCSA published a 60-day notice in the 
Federal Register seeking public comment on this proposed IC (87 FR 
79419). FMCSA received six comments, two of which were unrelated to 
this ICR or the Large Truck Crash Causal Factors Study. Below are 
summaries of the four relevant comments received, along with FMCSA's 
responses.

Eric Hein (Two Comments)

    Eric Hein submitted two comments. The first comment included (1) a 
letter that discussed underreporting of fatal side underride crashes in 
NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and requested 
inclusion of side underride guard research in the Large Truck Crash 
Causal Factors Study, and (2) a report examining underreporting of side 
underride crashes in FARS. The second comment included revised versions 
of the letter and report that Mr. Hein had submitted earlier in the 
comment period.
    Agency Response: Mr. Hein's comments are not related to the 
proposed IC, but they are relevant to the Large Truck Crash Causal 
Factors Study in general. While the Agency cannot predict what types of 
crashes will occur in study locations during the data collection 
period, if side underride crashes do occur, FMCSA plans to collect 
relevant data to enable detailed analysis of such crashes. Before 
collecting crash data for the study, FMCSA will issue a separate 60-day 
notice announcing the proposed IC and requesting comments from the 
public. FMCSA invites Mr. Hein to submit additional comments at that 
time.

Industry Associations (Two Comments)

    The American Trucking Associations (ATA) submitted a letter 
expressing support for the proposed IC, along with a copy of the 
comments they submitted in response to FMCSA's request for information 
(RFI) on the Large Truck Crash Causal Factors Study, published January 
15, 2020 (85 FR 2481).
    The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) 
submitted a letter that (1) expressed support for the proposed IC, and 
(2) reiterated several comments the association had previously 
submitted in response to FMCSA's January 2020 RFI on the Large Truck 
Crash Causal Factors Study.
    Agency Response: FMCSA acknowledges and appreciates ATA's and 
OOIDA's support of the proposed IC and the Large Truck Crash Causal 
Factors Study. The Agency previously reviewed ATA's and OOIDA's 
comments on the January 2020 RFI and has taken those comments, along 
with all other comments received on the docket for that RFI, into 
consideration during the study planning process. The Agency will take 
ATA's and OOIDA's comments into consideration when developing the crash 
data collection ICR.
    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.
    Issued under the authority of 49 CFR 1.87.

Thomas P. Keane,
Associate Administrator, Office of Research and Registration.
[FR Doc. 2023-11189 Filed 5-24-23; 8:45 am]
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