[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 5, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 28560-28561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14144]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
49 CFR Part 571
[Docket No. 91-68; Notice 06]
RIN 2127-AC54
Consumer Information Regulations; Vehicle Rollover Stability
Label
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; reopening of comment period.
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SUMMARY: This notice reopens the comment period for a notice of
proposed rulemaking published June 28, 1994, regarding a rollover
stability label for light vehicles. The comment period for this
proposed rulemaking action closed on October 21, 1994. Since that time,
the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has published a study of
consumer needs for automotive safety information. NHTSA would like
public comments on the NAS study and how that study should be reflected
in NHTSA's rulemaking decisions on requirements for rollover stability
labeling. Accordingly, the agency is reopening the comment period for
an additional 60 days.
DATES: Comments must be received by August 5, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to Docket No. 91-68; Notice 5 and be
submitted to: Docket Section, Room 5109, National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590.
(Docket hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.)
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For labeling issues: Stephen R.
Kratzke, Office of Safety Performance Standards, NPS-31, NHTSA, 400
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Mr. Kratzke can be reached
by telephone at (202) 366-5203 or by fax at (202) 366-4329.
For general rollover issues: Gayle Dalrymple, Office of Safety
Performance Standards, NPS-20, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Dalrymple can be reached by telephone at
(202) 366-5559 or by fax at (202) 366-4329.
For legal issues: Stephen P. Wood, Assistant Chief Counsel for
Rulemaking, NCC-20, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC
20590. Mr. Wood can be reached by telephone at (202) 366-2992 or by fax
at (202) 366-3820.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NHTSA currently requires that sport utility
vehicles with a wheelbase of 110 inches or less have a prominent label
advising drivers that these vehicles are less stable than passenger
cars and more likely to roll over during abrupt maneuvers. 49 CFR
575.105. On June 28, 1994 (59 FR 33254), NHTSA published a notice
proposing to supplement the existing requirement for a rollover label
with another label. This proposed additional rollover stability label
would be required on all passenger cars, trucks, and multipurpose
passenger vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 10,000 pounds
or less. The comment period for this proposal was scheduled to close on
August 29, 1994. However, NHTSA extended the comment period so that it
closed October 21, 1994; 59 FR 44121, August 26, 1994. NHTSA received
70 comments to its docket for the proposed additional labeling
requirements.
During this comment period, Congress enacted the Department of
Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1995 (P.L. 103-
331; September 30, 1994). In that Act, Congress gave NHTSA funds ``for
a study to be conducted by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of
motor vehicle safety consumer information needs and the most cost
effective methods of communicating this information.'' The Act directed
NAS to complete its study by March 31, 1996. The Act also included the
following language: ``In order to ensure that the results of the study
are considered in the rulemaking process, the conferees agree that
NHTSA shall not issue a final regulation concerning motor vehicle
safety labeling requirements until after the NAS study is completed.''
As a result of this language, NHTSA deferred
[[Page 28561]]
action on its proposed expanded vehicle rollover stability labeling
until the NAS study was done.
The NAS study was completed and released to the public on March 26,
1996. It is titled ``Shopping for Safety--Providing Consumer Automotive
Safety Information,'' TRB Special Report 248. Copies of this study are
available in NHTSA Docket No. 91-68; Notice 4. NHTSA's Docket Section
can be reached by telephone at (202)366-4949.
NHTSA is reviewing its proposal for rollover stability labeling in
light of this NAS report. To aid the agency in this effort, NHTSA would
like public comments on the NAS study and how that study should be
reflected in NHTSA's rulemaking decisions on requirements for rollover
stability labeling. The agency would also like up-to-date comments on
the issues raised in its 1994 proposal. In light of the NAS study,
NHTSA is also considering improvements to the existing sport utility
vehicle label to enhance the effectiveness of that label. NHTSA
welcomes any views and suggestions commenters may have on this issue.
NHTSA is also interested in comments on whether the agency should
extend its existing label to cover vehicle groups in addition to sport
utility vehicles. It would also be helpful to learn if important
additional information has become available since the original comment
period closed. To obtain comments on these subjects, NHTSA is reopening
the comment period for this rulemaking action for an additional 60
days.
In this reopened comment period, it is not necessary for commenters
to resubmit views and information that have been expressed in previous
comments. NHTSA will consider all of the comments it has already
received.
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30117; delegations of authority at 49 CFR
1.50 and 49 CFR 501.8.
Issued on May 31, 1996.
Barry Felrice,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 96-14144 Filed 5-31-96; 4:38 pm]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P
