
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 3, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 175-176]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31820]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket No. NHTSA-2016-0119]


Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping Requirements

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S. 
Department of Transportation.

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 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 reinstatement 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 March 6, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by the docket number in 
the heading of this document, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments on 
the electronic docket site by clicking on ``Help'' or ``FAQ.''
     Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building 
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time, 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
    Regardless of how you submit comments, you should mention the 
docket number of this document.
    You may call the Docket Management Facility at 202-366-9826.
    Instructions: For detailed instructions on submitting comments and 
additional information on the rulemaking process, see the Public 
Participation heading of the Supplementary Information section of this 
document. Note that all comments received will be posted without change 
to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided.
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all 
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78) or you may visit https://www.transportation.gov/privacy.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov, or the street 
address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the 
dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Joyce, Marketing Specialist, 
Office of Communications and Consumer Information (NCO-0200), National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., W52-
238, Washington, DC, 20590. Mike Joyce's phone number is 202-366-5600 
and his email address is Mike.Joyce@dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
before an agency submits a proposed

[[Page 176]]

collection of information to OMB for approval, it must first 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 regulation (at 5 CFR 1320.8(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;
    (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.
    In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks for public 
comments on the following proposed collection of information for which 
the agency is seeking approval from OMB:
    Title: Safety Ratings and Advanced Crash Avoidance Technologies 
Consumer Research
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from approval 
date.
    Abstract: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 
(NHTSA) was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1970 (23 U.S.C. 
101) to carry out a Congressional mandate to reduce the mounting number 
of deaths, injuries, and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle 
crashes on the Nation's highways. In support of this mission, NHTSA 
previously conducted two comprehensive consumer research studies in 
2012 and 2014 to better understand (1) the type of information 
consumers seek during their vehicle purchase decisions, (2) consumer 
comprehension of vehicle safety ratings, and (3) consumer knowledge and 
interest in advanced crash avoidance technologies in order to guide 
NHTSA communications. Building on that research, NHTSA proposes to 
conduct a quantitative online survey that draws from findings in the 
previous qualitative research studies to further explore consumer 
perception, interest and understanding of the 5-star safety ratings 
(including response to half stars), overall vehicle scores, and 
advanced crash avoidance technologies information to support the 
development of consumer communications.
    Summary of the Collection of Information: In this collection of 
information, NHTSA is seeking approval to conduct an online survey with 
1,500 consumer respondents. The survey will be used to further support 
findings from previous qualitative research studies and will achieve 
the following objectives:
    (1) Confirm qualitative research findings with regard to vehicle 
purchase decision-making criteria;
    (2) Identify and evaluate sources of vehicle safety information to 
help inform the development of a consumer education program;
    (3) Understand consumer knowledge and interest in communications 
around safety ratings;
    (4) Explore consumer knowledge, interest and engagement with 
advanced crash avoidance technologies;
    (5) Assess consumer response to overall vehicle score; and,
    (6) Evaluate consumer perception of the 5-Star safety ratings and 
its components (including incorporation of \1/2\ star ratings).
    Description of the Need for the Information and the Proposed Use of 
the Information: NHTSA will obtain critical information that will 
fulfill a congressional mandate to improve highway traffic safety. 
Specifically, the data from this collection will be used to enhance 
consumer understanding of NHTSA's safety ratings and advanced crash 
avoidance technologies and guide the development of communication 
materials that will help consumers as they factor this information into 
their vehicle purchase decisions. In addition, this data will be used 
to substantiate the effectiveness of communications approaches.
    Affected Public: For this collection, NHTSA plans to conduct an 
online survey with 1,500 panel member respondents that will take 
approximately 20 minutes to complete. In order to identify 1,500 
qualified respondents, approximately 20,000 respondents will be needed 
to complete a 1.5-minute screener. NHTSA plans to administer this study 
one time, amounting to 963 burden hours.
    Prior to administering the online survey, NHTSA will administer a 
cognitive test of the survey instrument. For the cognitive test, a 
total of eight to 12 potential participants will be recruited via 
dialed telephone screening calls, which are estimated to take 10 
minutes per response. The recruitment calls will utilize the screening 
section of the survey document to determine qualified respondents. 
NHTSA anticipates needing 45 minutes to allow respondents to navigate 
the survey while also discussing their feedback on survey questions. 
The Agency will conduct interviews with one respondent at a time.
    Based on experience, it is prudent to recruit up to 12 people in 
order to help achieve at least eight participants showing up for the 
cognitive tests. Approximately 600 potential participants will complete 
a 1.5-minute pre-screen in order to identify a pool of potentially 
qualified respondents. Among the 12 selected qualified recruits, the 
total burden per participant is estimated to be 55 minutes (10 minutes 
for the screening/recruiting telephone call, plus 45 minutes for the 
interview).
    Therefore, the total annual estimated burden imposed by this 
collection of information is approximately 989 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 989 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 1,512.
    The results of this research will be used to inform communications 
for the New Car Assessment Program's Government 5-Star Safety Ratings 
program.
    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 on: December 27, 2016.
Susan Gorcowski,
Associate Administrator, NHTSA NCO-010.
[FR Doc. 2016-31820 Filed 12-30-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-59-P


