[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 124 (Wednesday, June 29, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38824-38827]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-13854]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2021-0016]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Notice and 
Request for Comment; Countermeasures That Work

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

ACTION: Notice and request for public comment on a reinstatement with 
modification of a previously approved collection of information.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) 
abstracted below will be submitted to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review. The ICR describes the nature of the 
information collection and its expected burden. The ICR is for a 
reinstatement with modification of a previously approved collection of 
information to conduct a survey that will inform the development of the 
12th edition of Countermeasures That Work and structured interviews to 
populate and update the 2nd edition of Countermeasures At Work. A 
Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting public 
comments on the following information collection was published on April 
18, 2022. NHTSA received no responses to the notice.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 29, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection, including suggestions for reducing burden, 
should be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget at 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. To find this particular information 
collection, select ``Currently under Review--Open for Public Comment'' 
or use the search function. Comments may also be sent by mail to the 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503, Attention: Desk 
Officer for Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration, or by email at [email protected], or 
fax: 202-395-5806.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or access 
to background documents, contact Kristie Johnson, Ph.D., Office of 
Behavioral Safety Research (NPD-310), (202) 366-2755, 
[email protected], National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, W46-498, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 
20590. Please identify the relevant collection of information by 
referring to its OMB Control Number 2127-0727.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), a 
Federal agency must receive approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) before it collects certain information from the public and 
a person is not required to respond to a collection of information by a 
Federal agency unless the collection displays a valid OMB control 
number. In compliance with these requirements, this notice announces 
that the following

[[Page 38825]]

information collection request will be submitted to OMB.
    A Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting 
public comments on the following information collection was published 
on April 18, 2022 (Federal Register/Vol. 87, No. 74/pp. 23013-23017). 
NHTSA received no responses to the notice.
    Title: Countermeasures That Work.
    OMB Control Number: 2127-0727.
    Form Numbers: NHTSA Form 1343, NHTSA Form 1344.
    Type of Information Collection Request: Reinstatement with 
modification of a previously approved information collection (OMB 
Control No. 2127-0727).
    Type of Review Requested: Regular.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years from date of 
approval.

Summary of the Collection of Information

    NHTSA is seeking approval to (1) collect user feedback on the 
Countermeasures That Work \1\ and Countermeasures At Work (1st edition 
to be published later in early 2022) guides, and (2) collect program 
information from program administrators to develop countermeasure case 
studies for Countermeasures At Work.
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    \1\ Venkatraman, V., Richard, C.M., Magee, K., & Johnson, K. 
(2021, July). Countermeasures that work: A highway safety 
countermeasure guide for State Highway Safety Offices, 10th edition 
(Report No. DOT HS 813 097). National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration. www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2021-09/15100_Countermeasures10th_080621_v5_tag.pdf.
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End-User Feedback Survey

    NHTSA proposes to conduct a web-based feedback survey of up to 120 
users of Countermeasures That Work and/or Countermeasures At Work 
representing State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) and/or local 
jurisdictions, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), State 
Coordinators from across the United States, and other important 
stakeholders with the intent to reach regular users of the documents to 
help improve the documents. Survey topics will include how the guides 
are used, weaknesses/drawbacks to the current guides, perceived 
usefulness of the ratings, and other suggestions for improvement.
    While previous feedback surveys were conducted via phone, the 
proposed survey would be administered using an online platform to 
reduce participant burden, improve data capture, and reduce coding 
needs. Participation by respondents would be voluntary. There are no 
record-keeping costs to the respondents. Responses will not be publicly 
reported, but NHTSA will internally use the aggregated information to 
revise and improve the Countermeasures That Work and Countermeasures At 
Work guides. Specifically, feedback will be used to determine which 
aspects of the guides should be improved and if there are features or 
topics that the guides do not currently have that they would like to 
have included.

Structured Interviews

    NHTSA also proposes to conduct up to 60 structured in-person or 
phone interviews with representatives from jurisdictions that currently 
administer effective countermeasures. The respondents for the 
interviews will be selected based on their job position, knowledge of 
domain, management of effective countermeasure implementations as noted 
in the literature, and recommendation from NHTSA or GHSA subject matter 
experts with the intent to reach program administrators of effective 
countermeasures with the goal of populating and enriching 
countermeasure descriptions. The findings of interviews conducted for 
Countermeasures At Work will be reported separately for each individual 
locality so that the reader can get an idea about the size and type of 
the featured locality and issues specific to that locality. The 
Countermeasures At Work guide will include general contact information 
about the locality (i.e., State DOT or SHSO office) or the contact 
information of key individuals (if permission is granted by the 
interview participant), so that readers of the document can follow-up, 
if desired, with the locality to obtain more information about the 
countermeasure.
    The Countermeasures That Work and Countermeasures At Work reports 
will be shared with SHSOs, local governments, and those who develop 
traffic safety programs that aim to change behaviors with the goal of 
reducing crashes and the resulting injuries and fatalities.

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

    NHTSA was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1970 and its 
mission is to reduce deaths, injuries, and economic losses resulting 
from motor vehicle crashes on the Nation's highways. To further this 
mission, NHTSA is authorized to conduct research for the development of 
traffic safety programs. Title 23, United States Code, Section 403 
authorizes the Secretary of Transportation (NHTSA by delegation) to use 
funds appropriated to conduct research and development activities, 
including demonstration projects and the collection and analysis of 
highway and motor vehicle safety data and related information, with 
respect to (a) all aspects of highway and traffic safety systems and 
conditions relating to vehicle, highway, driver, passenger, 
motorcyclist, bicyclist, and pedestrian characteristics; accident 
causation and investigations; and (b) human behavioral factors and 
their effect on highway and traffic safety.
    In 2019, 36,096 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes 
on U.S. roadways.\2\ While the number of people killed has increased 
slightly since the U.S. hit its lowest number of fatalities in 2014, 
over the past 40 years there has been a general downward trend. 
Effective behavioral safety countermeasures such as those described in 
Countermeasures That Work and detailed in the upcoming Countermeasures 
At Work have contributed to these reductions. This project addresses 
the issue of providing information to traffic safety professionals 
about countermeasures that have been demonstrated to be effective in 
addressing certain traffic safety problems.
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    \2\ National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2020, 
December). Overview of motor vehicle crashes in 2019 (Traffic Safety 
Facts Research Note. Report No. DOT HS 813 060). National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration. https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813060.
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    The public health approach to traffic safety which establishes 
injuries and fatalities as preventable has resulted in a mix of 
countermeasures, and the choices among them are driven by research on 
their effectiveness. Generally, this approach includes some combination 
of countermeasures aimed at improving safety in terms of improved 
vehicles, education, improved roads, enhanced road user perception, and 
behavior and better enforcement of traffic safety laws.
    In 2005, the Governors Highway Safety Association and the National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration developed a guide, 
Countermeasures That Work, for the State Highway Safety Offices that 
provides a basic reference to assist in selecting effective, evidence-
based countermeasures to address traffic safety problem areas. Given 
that SHSO's and other State practitioners responsible for implementing 
these countermeasures use Countermeasures That Work as an aid to make 
decisions, it is important to solicit their opinions about the document 
and its content. Specifically, it is important to know

[[Page 38826]]

which aspects of the guide should be improved and if there are features 
or topics that the guide does not currently have that they would like 
to have included. The Countermeasures At Work guide expands on the most 
effective countermeasures contained in the Countermeasures That Work 
guide by providing real world examples and details on localities where 
specific countermeasures were put into place. The descriptions of the 
effective countermeasures include details about locality size, 
implementation issues, cost, stakeholders involved, challenges, 
evaluation, and outcomes to help officials determine which 
countermeasures may be effective in their own jurisdictions.
    Per Section 1300.11 of the Uniform Procedures for State Highway 
Safety Grant Programs, each fiscal year, as part of the highway safety 
planning process for a State's Highway Safety Plan, a list of 
information and data sources consulted must be included in the plan. 
Countermeasures That Work is commonly referenced as a consulted source.
    The data from this proposed information collection will provide 
NHTSA with information that will guide updates to the Countermeasures 
That Work and Countermeasures At Work documents. Data collected from 
the survey and structured interviews will be used primarily to (1) 
update the content, format, and structure of information provided in 
Countermeasures That Work and Countermeasures At Work, and (2) identify 
the localities/implementation of countermeasures that should be 
presented as case studies in Countermeasures At Work.
    Affected Public: Participants will be U.S. adults (18 years old and 
older) who are members of State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) and/or 
local jurisdictions, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), 
State Coordinators from across the United States, or other important 
stakeholders. Businesses are ineligible for the survey and would not be 
interviewed.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 180.
    Participation in the end user feedback survey will be voluntary 
with up to 120 participants surveyed from SHSOs and/or local 
jurisdictions, GHSA, State Coordinators from across the United States, 
and other important stakeholders. In addition, up to 60 participants 
will be interviewed about effective countermeasure programs based on 
their job position, knowledge of domain, management of effective 
countermeasure implementations as noted in the literature, and 
recommendation from NHTSA regional specialists or GHSA Office subject 
matter experts.
    Frequency of Collection: This study is part a biennial update of 
effective countermeasures. Each of the surveys will be collected one 
time during the three-year period for which NHTSA is requesting 
approval. The last survey of stakeholders was in 2020.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 129.

End User Feedback Survey

    NHTSA estimates the total burden of this information collection by 
estimating the burden to those who NHTSA contacts who do not respond 
and those who are contacted and participate. The estimated time to 
contact 120 potential participants for the end user feedback survey is 
one minute per person to read the invitation email. For recruited 
participants, it is estimated that the survey will take thirty minutes 
to complete. For recruited participants, participation is estimated to 
take thirty-one minutes which includes time to read the email 
invitation (survey introduction) and complete the survey. While up to 
three email invites (or waves) are included in this estimate, potential 
respondents would be comprised of a sample hand-selected by the 
research team thus potentially reducing the number of subsequent 
contacts as well as the number of non-responders.

Structured Interviews

    NHTSA estimates the total burden of this information collection by 
estimating the burden to those who NHTSA contacts who do not respond 
and those who are contacted and participate. The estimated time to 
contact 60 potential traffic safety representative participants for the 
structured countermeasure program interviews is two minutes per person 
to read the invitation email. For recruited participants, participation 
is estimated to take ninety-two minutes per person. The ninety-two 
minutes estimate includes time to read the email invitation (interview 
introduction), schedule an interview time, and complete the interview. 
Again, while up to four email invites are included in this estimate, 
potential respondents would be comprised of a sample hand-selected by 
the research team thus potentially reducing the number of subsequent 
contacts as well as the number of non-responders.

Total Burden Hours for the End User Feedback Survey and the Structured 
Interviews

    The total estimated buxrden for contacting 120 traffic safety 
representatives for the end user feedback survey, if 75% of solicited 
participants respond, is approximately 50 hours, rounded up (((assuming 
90 completed surveys out of 120 contacted potential participants: 45 
hours for completed surveys (90 survey participants x 30 minutes to 
complete the survey) + ~4.5 hours for reading invitations ((Wave 1-120 
contacts x 1 minute) + (Wave 2-90 contacts x 1 minute) + (Wave 3-60 
contacts x 1 minute))). The total estimated burden for contacting 60 
traffic safety representatives for the program case study structured 
interviews, if 75% of solicited participants respond, is approximately 
79 hours, rounded up each wave (((assuming 48 completed interviews out 
of 60 contacted potential participants: 72 hours (48 completed 
interviews x 90 minutes for each interview) + ~5.6 hours ((Wave 1-60 
contacts x 2 minutes) + (Wave 2-48 contacts x 2 minutes) + (Wave 3-36 
contacts x 2 minutes) + (Wave 4-24 contacts x 2 minutes))). Overall, 
the total estimated burden for the feedback surveys and program case 
study interviews is 129 hours. This information is presented in the 
tables below.

                                              Table 1--Estimated Total Burden for End User Feedback Survey
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                                                                    Estimated time
                                   Number of                          burden per     Frequency     Number of      Burden       Burden     Average annual
              Wave                  contacts    Participant type   participant (in   of burden   participants    hours *     hours per     total burden
                                                                       minutes)                                                wave *
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Wave 1 (Initial Email                     120  Contacted                         1            1           120            2           17
 Invitation).                                   potential
                                                participant (read
                                                email).
                                               Recruited                        30            1            30           15
                                                participant
                                                (completed Form
                                                1343).

[[Page 38827]]

 
Wave 2 (Reminder Email #1)......           90  Contacted                         1            1            90            2           17
                                                potential
                                                participant (read
                                                email).
                                               Recruited                        30            1            30           15
                                                participant
                                                (completed Form
                                                1343).
Wave 3 (Reminder Email #2)......           60  Contacted                         1            1            60            1           16
                                                potential
                                                participant (read
                                                email).
                                               Recruited                        30            1            30           15
                                                participant
                                                (completed Form
                                                1343).
                                 -------------                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................  ...........  ..................  ...............  ...........  ............  ...........           50            16.67
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* Rounded up to the nearest hour.


                                                Table 2--Estimated Total Burden for Structured Interviews
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                                                                    Estimated time
                                   Number of                          burden per     Frequency     Number of      Burden       Burden     Average annual
              Wave                  contacts    Participant type   participant (in   of burden   participants    hours *     hours per     total burden
                                                                       minutes)                                                wave *
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Wave 1 (Initial Email                      60  Contacted                         2            1            60            2           20
 Invitation).                                   potential
                                                participant (read
                                                email).
                                               Recruited                        90            1            12           18
                                                participant
                                                (completed Form
                                                1344).
Wave 2 (Reminder Email #1)......           48  Contacted                         2            1            48            2           20
                                                potential
                                                participant (read
                                                email).
                                               Recruited                        90            1            12           18
                                                participant
                                                (completed Form
                                                1344).
Wave 3 (Reminder Email #2)......           36  Contacted                         2            1            36            2           20
                                                potential
                                                participant (read
                                                email).
                                               Recruited                        90            1            12           18
                                                participant
                                                (completed Form
                                                1344).
Wave 4 (Reminder Email #3)......           24  Contacted                         2            1            24            1           19
                                                potential
                                                participant (read
                                                email).
                                               Recruited                        90            1            12           18
                                                participant
                                                (completed Form
                                                1344).
                                 -------------                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................  ...........  ..................  ...............  ...........  ............  ...........           79            26.33
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* Rounded up to the nearest hour.


                                     Table 3--Overall Estimated Total Burden
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                                                                  Number of
      Information collection component           Frequency     respondents per    Burden hours    Average annual
                                                                  assessment     per collection   total (hours)
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End User Feedback Survey....................                1              120               50            16.67
Structured Interviews.......................                1               60               79            26.33
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    Total...................................  ...............              180              129               43
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost: Participation in this study is 
voluntary, and there are no costs to respondents beyond the time spent 
completing the end user feedback survey or structured interviews.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspects of 
this information collection, including (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the Department's estimate 
of the burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and (d) 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, e.g. permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. chapter 
35, as amended; 49 CFR 1.49; and DOT Order 1351.29.

Nanda Narayana Srinivasan,
Associate Administrator, Research and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 2022-13854 Filed 6-28-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P


