[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 72 (Tuesday, April 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18333-18334]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9696]
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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
Proposed Collection; Comment Request--All-Terrain Vehicle
Exposure Survey
AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
Chapter 35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission requests comments
on a proposed survey to determine consumer exposure to the hazards
associated with the use of All-Terrain Vehicles. All-Terrain Vehicles
(``ATVs'') are three- and four-wheeled motorized vehicles, generally
characterized by large, low-pressure tires, a seat designed to be
straddled by the operator, and handlebars for steering, which are
intended for off-road use by an individual rider on various types of
non-paved terrain. (Three-wheeled ATVs were last made in the late
1980s.) If conducted, the survey would seek information such as the
characteristics of ATV users, the types of ATVs in use, the amount of
time ATVs are used and the various types of ATV usage. The Commission
will consider all comments received in response to this notice before
requesting approval of this collection of information from the Office
of Management and Budget.
DATES: Written comments must be received by the Office of the Secretary
not later than June 16, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be captioned ``All-Terrain Vehicle
Exposure Survey'' and mailed to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer
Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207, or delivered to that
office, room 502, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland. Written
comments may also be sent to the Office of the Secretary by facsimile
at (301) 504-0127 or by e-mail at cpsc-os@cpsc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the proposed
collection of information, or to obtain a copy of the questionnaire to
be used for this collection of information, call or write Gregory B.
Rodgers, Ph.D., Directorate for Economic Analysis, Consumer Product
Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207; (301) 504-0962, Ext. 1330.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Background
In the mid-1980s, the Commission learned of a rapidly growing
number of deaths and injuries--particularly to children under 16 years
old--involving ATVs. ATV sales had increased dramatically during that
time, including more than a tripling of sales between 1980 and 1985.
Most of the ATVs produced during that period were three-wheeled
vehicles.
After studying ATVs, the Commission issued an Advance Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking (``ANPR'') in May 1985 (50 FR 23139). In December
1987, the Department of Justice, at the Commission's request, filed a
lawsuit in federal district court under section 12 of the Consumer
Product Safety Act against five major distributors of ATVs. (United
States v. American Honda Motor Co., et al., Civ. No. 87-3525 (D.D.C.,
filed Dec. 30, 1987).) The lawsuit, filed simultaneously with a
Preliminary Consent Decree, sought a declaration by the court that ATVs
constituted an ``imminent hazard'' and requested certain remedial
relief. The matter was settled with the court's approval of a Final
Consent Decree on April 28, 1988, and the Commission subsequently
withdrew the ANPR (56 FR 47166).
The Consent Decree has been successful in a number of areas,
including stopping the sale of three-wheel ATVs and requiring dealer
compliance with rider age requirements at the point of sale. However,
the overall success of this and other Commission actions is ultimately
determined by their impact on consumer safety. While injuries and
deaths associated with ATVs declined in the late 1980s, the annual
figures have plateaued since then.
The Commission's most recent data show that, after gradually
declining from an estimated 347 deaths in 1986, the number of deaths
associated with ATVs has stabilized at an average of roughly 240
annually from 1990 to 1994. The risk of death per 10,000 four-wheeled
ATVs in use has remained relatively constant at roughly .8 since 1991,
after gradually dropping to that level from a previous high of 1.5 in
1985.
The estimated number of injuries has shown a similar trend. After
gradually declining from an estimated 108,000 injuries in 1986, the
number of injuries has stabilized at an average of about 62,000 from
1990 to 1995. Approximately 40% of all deaths and injuries occur to
children under 16.
The Consent Decree expires in April 1998. Therefore, the Commission
must decide what, if any, action should be taken to address the deaths
and injuries associated with ATVs after that date.
An ATV exposure survey would provide information on the
characteristics and use patterns of the general population of ATV
riders, and the ATVs they use. This information would be compared to
earlier ATV exposure surveys conducted in 1986 and 1989 to evaluate
changes over the last decade. Additionally, in combination with a
planned injury survey, the exposure survey would provide information to
quantify ATV risk patterns.
B. Estimated Burden
The exposure survey would be conducted by a contractor by either a
mail panel methodology or a probability sample using random-digit-
dialing (``RDD'') methods. A mail panel would permit the Commission to
obtain a sample size of approximately 1,000 completed interviews with
ATV users. If
[[Page 18334]]
RDD methods were used, the sample size objective would be 500 completed
interviews instead of 1,000 because of the small percentage of
households that have ATVs (only two to three percent of households).
This smaller sample for the RDD method would be done to keep the cost
of the survey to a reasonable level and still provide reliable
statistical results.
Thus, the Commission staff estimates that the number of interviews
would range from about 500 (RDD) to 1,000 (mail panel). The length of
each interview would be approximately 20 minutes. Therefore, the total
burden hours for respondents would be about 165 hours (500 x .33 hrs.)
for the RDD survey or about 330 hours (1000 x .33 hrs.) for the mail
panel.
The Commission staff estimates the costs of the time to respond to
this collection of information at $12 an hour. This is the average
hourly wage for all private industry workers reported by the U.S.
Bureau of the Census in the 1996 edition of the Statistical Abstract of
the United States. At this valuation, the estimated cost of this survey
to the public would be about $1,980 (165 hours X $12/hour) to $3,960
(330 hours x $12/hour).
The Commission staff estimates that this collection of information
would require approximately 18 weeks of professional staff time. That
estimate includes five weeks to negotiate contracts, and to prepare
questionnaires, interviewer guidelines, and other instruments and
instructions used to collect the information. After the information
collection, an additional 13 weeks would be required to edit and
analyze the data and write the reports. Based on the average
professional level, the 18 weeks of staff time would be valued at
approximately $30,000.
C. Requests for Comments
The Commission solicits written comments from all interested
persons about the proposed survey. The Commission specifically solicits
information about the hourly burden and monetary costs imposed by this
collection of information. The Commission also seeks information
relevant to the following topics:
Whether the exposure survey described above is
necessary for the proper performance of the Commission's functions;
Whether the information would have practical utility
for the Commission;
Whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected could be enhanced; and
Whether the burden imposed by the collection of
information could be minimized by use of automated, electronic or
other technological collection techniques, or other forms of
information technology.
Dated: April 10, 1997.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 97-9696 Filed 4-14-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P
