2011-30389. Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Request for public comment on an extension of a currently approved collection.

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 January 24, 2012.

ADDRESSES:

Comments must refer to the docket notice numbers cited at the beginning of this notice and be submitted to Docket Management, Room W12-140, ground level, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Washington, DC 20590 by any of the following methods.

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590.
• Hand Delivery/Courier: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays. Telephone: [phone].
• Fax: [phone].

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. Please see the Privacy Act heading below.

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 http://DocketInfo.dot.gov.

Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to the street address listed above. The Internet access to the docket will be at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for accessing the dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Complete copies of each request for collection of information may be obtained at no charge from Carlita Ballard, NHTSA 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Room W43-439, NVS-131, Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Ballard's telephone number is [phone]. Please identify the relevant collection of information by referring to its OMB Control Number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before an agency submits a proposed 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 collections of information:

Title: Insurer Reporting Requirement for 49 CFR part 544.

OMB Control Number: 2127-0547.

Form Number: None.

Affected Public: Business or other for profit.

Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from approval date.

Abstract: This information collection supports the Department's strategic goal of Economic Growth and Trade. The Motor Vehicle Theft Law Enforcement Act of 1984, added Title VI to the Motor Vehicle and Information Cost Savings Act (recodified as Chapter 331 of Title 49, United States Code) which mandated this information collection. The 1984 Theft Act was amended by the Anti Car Theft Act (ACTA) of 1992 (Pub. L. 102-519). NHTSA is authorized under 49 U.S.C. 33112, to collect this information. This information collection supports the agency's economic growth and trade goal through rulemaking implementation developed to help reduce the cost of vehicle ownership by reducing the cost of comprehensive insurance coverage. 49 U.S.C. 33112 requires certain passenger motor vehicle insurance companies and rental/leasing companies to provide information to NHTSA on comprehensive insurance premiums, theft, recoveries and actions taken to address motor vehicle theft.

Estimated Annual Burden: Based on prior years' insurer compilation information, the agency estimates that the time to review and compile information for the reports has decreased and is expected to take approximately a total of 13,375 burden hours (12,950 man-hours for 25 insurance companies and 425 man-hours for 5 rental and leasing companies). Claim adjusters duties are those of normal business practice and do no assist in preparing or compiling information for the reports. There has also been a decrease in the number of companies required to report since the last reporting period. The number of annual reports range between 30 to 35 as a group (includes insurance companies and rental and leasing companies). More insurers are now submitting their reports electronically (approximately 70%). The agency has re-estimated the burden hours to be 13,375 total annual hours in lieu of 63,238 as the current OMB inventory. This is a decrease of 49,863 hours. Most recent year insurer compilation information estimates also reveal that it takes an average cost of $47.00 per hour for clerical and technical staff to prepare the annual reports. Therefore, the agency estimates the total cost associated with the burden hours are $628,625.

The burden hour for rental and leasing companies is significantly less than that for insurance companies because rental and leasing companies comply with fewer reporting requirements than the insurance companies. The reporting burden is based on insurers' salaries, clerical and technical expenses, and labor costs.

Number of Respondents: 30.

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: November 18, 2011.

Lori Summers,

Director, Office of Crashworthiness Standards.