[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 25 (Monday, February 8, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6132-6133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-3008]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[U.S. DOT Docket No. NHTSA-99-5020]
Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping Requirements
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.
ACTION: Request for public comment on proposed collection of
information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Before a Federal Agency can collect certain information from
the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and
the Budget (OMB). Under new procedures established by the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal Agencies
must solicit public comment on proposed information collections,
including extensions and reinstatements 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 April 9, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to U.S. Department of
Transportation Dockets, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Plaza 401, Washington,
DC 20590. Docket No. NHTSA-99-5020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Tremont, Ph.D., Contracting
Officer's Technical Representative, Office of Research and Traffic
Records (NTS-31), Washington, DC 20290, telephone 202-366-5587.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB
for approval, it must publish a document in the Federal Register
providing for a 60-day comment period and to allow for consultation
with affected agencies and members of the public concerning each
proposed collection of information. The OMB has promulgated regulations
describing what must be included in such a document. Under OMB's
regulations (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
methods and assumptions;
(iii) How to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
(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 response to these requirements, NHTSA asks for public comment on
the following proposed collection of information:
National Survey of Drinking and Driving Attitudes and Behavior:
1999
Type of Request--New information collection requirement.
OMB Clearance Number--None.
Form Number--This collection of information uses no standard forms.
Requested Expiration Date of Approval--February 28, 2000
Summary of the Collection of Information
In 1991, NHTSA conducted the first in a series of biennial surveys
of the driving-aged public (aged 16 or older) to identify patterns and
trends in public attitudes and behaviors towards drinking and driving.
The proposed study, to be administered in the 3rd quarter of 1999, and
the fifth in this series of biennial surveys, will collect data on
topics included in the first four studies (and several additional
topics), including: frequency of drinking and driving and of riding
with an impaired driver, ways to prevent drinking and driving,
enforcement of drinking driving laws including the use of sobriety
checkpoints, understanding of BAC levels and legal limits, and crash
and injury experience.
The survey will be administered by telephone to a national
probability sample of the driving age public (aged 16 years or older as
of their last birthday). Participation by respondents is voluntary. The
interview is anticipated to average 20-25 minutes; for non-drinkers and
non-drivers the interview will average below 20 minutes, while for
drinker-drivers it will average slightly over 20 minutes.
Interviewers will use computer assisted telephone interviewing to
reduce survey administration time and to minimize data collection
errors. A Spanish-language questionnaire and bi-lingual interviewers
will be used to reduce language barriers to participation. All
respondent's results will remain anonymous and completely confidential.
Participant names are not collected during the interview and the
telephone number used to reach the respondent is separated from the
data record prior to its entry into the analytical database.
Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the
Information
More than 327,000 persons were reported injured and more than
16,000 persons died in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes in 1997,
(Traffic Safety Facts: 1997, NHTSA-National Center for Statistics and
Analysis). NHTSA is committed to the development of
[[Page 6133]]
effective programs to reduce the incidence of these crashes. In order
to properly plan and evaluate programs directed at reducing alcohol-
impaired driving, the agency needs to periodically update its knowledge
and understanding of the public's attitudes and behaviors with respect
to drinking and driving.
The findings from this proposed collection will assist NHTSA in
addressing the problem of alcohol-impaired driving and in formulating
programs and recommendations to Congress. NHTSA will use the findings
to help focus current programs and activities to achieve the greatest
benefit, to develop new programs to decrease the likelihood of drinking
and driving behaviors, and to provide informational support to states,
localities, and law enforcement agencies that will aid them in their
efforts to reduce drinking and driving crashes and injuries.
Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number,
and Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of
Information)
Under this proposed collection, a telephone interview averaging
approximately 20 minutes in length would be administered to each of
6,000 randomly selected members of the general public age 16 and older.
The respondent sample would be selected from all 50 states plus the
District of Columbia. Interviews would be conducted with persons at
residential phone numbers selected using random digit dialing. No more
than one respondent per household would be selected, and each sample
member would complete just one interview. Businesses are ineligible for
the sample and would be not be interviewed.
Estimate of the Total Annual reporting and Record Keeping Burden
Resulting From the Collection of Information
NHTSA estimates that respondents in the sample would require an
average of 20 minutes to complete the telephone interview. Thus, the
number of estimated reporting burden on the general public would be a
total of 2000 hours for the proposed survey. The respondents would not
incur any reporting or record keeping cost from the information
collection.
Rose A. McMurray,
Associate Administrator for Traffic Safety Programs, National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-3008 Filed 2-5-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P
