E8-15913. Preliminary Theft Data; Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Publication of preliminary theft data; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

This document requests comments on data about passenger motor vehicle thefts that occurred in calendar year (CY) 2006 including theft rates for existing passenger motor vehicle lines manufactured in model year (MY) 2006. The preliminary theft data indicate that the vehicle theft rate for CY/MY 2006 vehicles (2.08 thefts per thousand vehicles) increased by 12.4 percent from the theft rate for CY/MY 2005 vehicles (1.85 thefts per thousand vehicles).

Publication of these data fulfills NHTSA's statutory obligation to periodically obtain accurate and timely theft data, and publish the information for review and comment.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before September 12, 2008.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments [identified by Docket No. NHTSA-2008-0112 by any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 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 20590-0001.
• Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
• 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://DocketsInfo.dot.gov.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Deborah Mazyck, Office of International Policy, Fuel Economy and Consumer Programs, NHTSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Mazyck's telephone number is [phone]. Her fax number is [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

NHTSA administers a program for reducing motor vehicle theft. The central feature of this program is the Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard, 49 CFR part 541. The standard specifies performance requirements for inscribing or affixing vehicle identification numbers (VINs) onto certain major original equipment and replacement parts of high-theft lines of passenger motor vehicles.

The agency is required by 49 U.S.C. 33104(b)(4) to periodically obtain, from the most reliable source, accurate and timely theft data, and publish the data for review and comment. To fulfill the § 33104(b)(4) mandate, this document reports the preliminary theft data for CY 2006, the most recent calendar year for which data are available.

In calculating the 2006 theft rates, NHTSA followed the same procedures it used in calculating the MY 2005 theft rates. (For 2005 theft data calculations, see 73 FR 13150, March 12, 2008). As in all previous reports, NHTSA's data were based on information provided to the agency by the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The NCIC is a governmental system that receives vehicle theft information from nearly 23,000 criminal justice agencies and other law enforcement authorities throughout the United States. The NCIC data also include reported thefts of self-insured and uninsured vehicles, not all of which are reported to other data sources. The 2006 theft rate for each vehicle line was calculated by dividing the number of reported thefts of MY 2006 vehicles of that line stolen during calendar year 2006, by the total number of vehicles in that line manufactured for MY 2006, as reported by manufacturers to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The preliminary 2006 theft data show an increase in the vehicle theft rate when compared to the theft rate experienced in CY/MY 2005. The preliminary theft rate for MY 2006 passenger vehicles stolen in calendar year 2006 increased to 2.08 thefts per thousand vehicles produced, an increase of 12.4 percent from the rate of 1.85 thefts per thousand vehicles experienced by MY 2005 vehicles in CY 2005. For MY 2006 vehicles, out of a total of 217 vehicle lines, 19 lines had a theft rate higher than 3.5826 per thousand vehicles, the established median theft rate for MYs 1990/1991 (See 59 FR 12400, March 16, 1994). Of the 19 vehicle lines with a theft rate higher than 3.5826, 18 are passenger car lines, one is a multipurpose passenger vehicle line, and none are light-duty truck lines.

Although this publication reflects preliminary data which may change, the agency is aware that the data does reflect a possible second year with an increase in the overall theft rate (MY/CY 2005 & 2006). In the final notice for CY/MY 2005 the agency indicated that since there was only a slight elevation, the agency was not concerned but would monitor this to see if it was a beginning of a trend. If the final data for CY/MY 2006 does show a second year of increase, especially of the magnitude indicated by this preliminary data, the agency will explore what could be causing these elevations in the theft rate. The agency welcomes any comments on this possible new trend.

In Table I, NHTSA has tentatively ranked each of the MY 2006 vehicle lines in descending order of theft rate. Public comment is sought on the accuracy of the data, including the data for the production volumes of individual vehicle lines.

Comments must not exceed 15 pages in length (49 CFR part 553.21). Attachments may be appended to these submissions without regard to the 15 page limit. This limitation is intended to encourage commenters to detail their primary arguments in a concise fashion.

If a commenter wishes to submit certain information under a claim of confidentiality, three copies of the complete submission, including purportedly confidential business information, should be submitted to the Chief Counsel, NHTSA, at the street address given above, and two copies from which the purportedly confidential information has been deleted should be submitted to Dockets. A request for confidentiality should be accompanied by a cover letter setting forth the information specified in the agency's confidential business information regulation. 49 CFR part 512.

All comments received before the close of business on the comment closing date indicated above for this document will be considered, and will be available for examination in the docket at the above address both before and after that date. To the extent possible, comments filed after the closing date will also be considered. Comments on this document will be available for inspection in the docket. NHTSA will continue to file relevant information as it becomes available for inspection in the docket after the closing date, and it is recommended that interested persons continue to examine the docket for new material.

Those persons desiring to be notified upon receipt of their comments in the rules docket should enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard in the envelope with their comments. Upon receiving the comments, the docket supervisor will return the postcard by mail.

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 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19477-78), or you may visit http://DocketsInfo.dot.gov.

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 33101, 33102 and 33104; delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50.

Preliminary Report of Theft Rates for Model Year 2006 Passenger Motor Vehicles Stolen in Calendar Year 2006

	Manufacturer	Make/model (line)	Thefts 2006	Production (mfr's) 2006	2006 Theft rate (per 1,000 vehicles produced)
1	DAIMLERCHRYSLER	DODGE MAGNUM	407	46501	8.7525
2	DAIMLERCHRYSLER	DODGE CHARGER	963	130892	7.3572
3	DAIMLERCHRYSLER	DODGE STRATUS	569	79998	7.1127
4	GENERAL MOTORS	PONTIAC GRAND PRIX	802	116458	6.8866
5	LAMBORGHINI	MURCIELAGO	1	159	6.2893
6	GENERAL MOTORS	CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO	239	38136	6.2670
7	ROLLS ROYCE	PHANTOM	2	339	5.8997
8	DAIMLERCHRYSLER	CHRYSLER SEBRING	250	43115	5.7984
9	DAIMLERCHRYSLER	CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE	150	27685	5.4181
10	HONDA	ACURA RSX	69	15111	4.5662
11	DAIMLERCHRYSLER	CHRYSLER 300	991	217754	4.5510
12	GENERAL MOTORS	PONTIAC G6	716	170394	4.2020
13	MITSUBISHI	GALANT	118	28101	4.1991
14	GENERAL MOTORS	CHEVROLET MALIBU	740	177262	4.1746
15	SUZUKI	FORENZA	175	42550	4.1128
16	FORD MOTOR CO	FORD TAURUS	638	156882	4.0668
17	GENERAL MOTORS	CHEVROLET IMPALA	1044	262823	3.9723
18	GENERAL MOTORS	CHEVROLET COBALT	844	229576	3.6763
19	NISSAN	SENTRA	500	136351	3.6670
20	KIA	AMANTI	29	8133	3.5657
21	HYUNDAI	SONATA	605	170783	3.5425
22	MERCEDES-BENZ	215 (CL-CLASS)	79	22411	3.5251
23	MITSUBISHI	ENDEAVOR	51	14546	3.5061
24	SUZUKI	VERONA	7	2000	3.5000
25	HONDA	HONDA CIVIC	362	103981	3.4814
26	DAIMLERCHRYSLER	CHRYSLER PT CRUISER	457	131960	3.4632
27	DAIMLERCHRYSLER	JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE	303	88383	3.4283
28	BMW	M3	15	4394	3.4137
29	FORD MOTOR CO	LINCOLN LS	29	8499	3.4122
30	NISSAN	MAXIMA	210	63663	3.2986
31	NISSAN	350Z	100	30640	3.2637
32	FORD MOTOR CO	FORD FOCUS	436	135929	3.2076
33	FORD MOTOR CO	FORD CROWN VICTORIA	35	10955	3.1949
34	HYUNDAI	ACCENT	59	18685	3.1576
35	KIA	OPTIMA	143	45859	3.1183
36	MAZDA	6	190	67327	2.8220
37	FORD MOTOR CO	FORD MUSTANG	431	153977	2.7991
38	SUZUKI	RENO	22	7900	2.7848
39	MITSUBISHI	LANCER	121	43750	2.7657
40	GENERAL MOTORS	CHEVROLET AVEO	142	51353	2.7652
41	BMW	7	77	28012	2.7488
42	SUBARU	LEGACY/OUTBACK	59	21696	2.7194
43	DAIMLERCHRYSLER	CHRYSLER PACIFICA	224	82451	2.7168
44	MITSUBISHI	ECLIPSE	79	29582	2.6705
45	KIA	RIO	91	34103	2.6684
46	GENERAL MOTORS	CADILLAC DTS	173	65335	2.6479
47	BMW	M5	11	4309	2.5528
48	GENERAL MOTORS	CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER	373	148522	2.5114
49	FORD MOTOR CO	LINCOLN TOWN CAR	97	40317	2.4059
50	TOYOTA	SCION TC	189	80576	2.3456
51	GENERAL MOTORS	CHEVROLET HHR	267	113967	2.3428
52	KIA	SPECTRA	184	79152	2.3246
53	TOYOTA	LEXUS LS	40	17220	2.3229
54	SUZUKI	VITARA/GRAND VITARA	107	46223	2.3149
55	GENERAL MOTORS	CADILLAC CTS	125	55066	2.2700
56	GENERAL MOTORS	BUICK RAINIER	26	11503	2.2603
57	NISSAN	ALTIMA	648	294015	2.2040
58	ISUZU	I SERIES PICKUP	10	4546	2.1997
59	BMW	6	17	7893	2.1538
60	TOYOTA	LEXUS SC	15	7008	2.1404
61	LOTUS	ELISE	3	1424	2.1067
62	GENERAL MOTORS	PONTIAC MONTANA VAN	44	20984	2.0968
63	GENERAL MOTORS	PONTIAC GTO	29	13857	2.0928
64	KIA	SORENTO	116	55515	2.0895
65	TOYOTA	TOYOTA CAMRY/SOLARA	517	252690	2.0460
66	JAGUAR	S-TYPE	14	6855	2.0423
67	AUDI	A8	11	5404	2.0355
68	BMW	M6	2	990	2.0202
69	DAIMLERCHRYSLER	JEEP WRANGLER	155	77976	1.9878
70	GENERAL MOTORS	CHEVROLET UPLANDER VAN	122	62521	1.9513
71	TOYOTA	TOYOTA COROLLA	653	336871	1.9384
72	GENERAL MOTORS	SATURN ION	186	96227	1.9329
73	GENERAL MOTORS	BUICK RENDEZVOUS	96	50649	1.8954
74	VOLVO	S80	14	7567	1.8501
75	DAIMLERCHRYSLER	JEEP LIBERTY	266	146897	1.8108
76	NISSAN	INFINITI G35	107	59442	1.8001
77	TOYOTA	LEXUS GS	92	51221	1.7961
78	HYUNDAI	TIBURON	41	22959	1.7858
79	NISSAN	INFINITI FX45	3	1693	1.7720
80	GENERAL MOTORS	CADILLAC XLR	7	3963	1.7663
81	HONDA	HONDA S2000	10	5666	1.7649
82	AUDI	A6/A6 QUATTRO/S6/S6 AVANT	32	18143	1.7638
83	DAIMLERCHRYSLER	DODGE CARAVAN/GRAND CARAVAN	416	235960	1.7630
84	HYUNDAI	ELANTRA	174	99126	1.7553
85	FORD MOTOR CO	FORD FUSION	217	125335	1.7314
86	MAZDA	5	35	20328	1.7218
87	JAGUAR	X-TYPE	10	5994	1.6683
88	NISSAN	QUEST VAN	42	25378	1.6550
89	FORD MOTOR CO	FORD FREESTAR VAN	84	51143	1.6425
90	MERCEDES-BENZ	203 (C-CLASS)	89	54492	1.6333
91	FORD MOTOR CO	FORD FIVE HUNDRED	134	83031	1.6139
92	HUMMER	H3	116	72227	1.6060
93	MAZDA	RX-8	10	6415	1.5588
94	MERCEDES-BENZ	220 (S-CLASS)	22	14472	1.5202
95	GENERAL MOTORS	PONTIAC VIBE	77	51168	1.5048
96	FORD MOTOR CO	MERCURY MOUNTAINEER	46	30676	1.4995
97	NISSAN	FRONTIER PICKUP	112	75112	1.4911
98	TOYOTA	SCION XB	125	87219	1.4332
99	GENERAL MOTORS	BUICK LACROSSE/ALLURE	107	76029	1.4074
100	JAGUAR	XKR	1	713	1.4025
101	TOYOTA	TOYOTA TUNDRA PICKUP	36	25764	1.3973
102	GENERAL MOTORS	GMC ENVOY	68	48745	1.3950
103	VOLVO	S60	30	21734	1.3803
104	GENERAL MOTORS	CHEVROLET EQUINOX	170	124123	1.3696
105	JAGUAR	XK8	2	1463	1.3671
106	VOLKSWAGEN	PASSAT	85	63019	1.3488
107	NISSAN	MURANO	105	77852	1.3487
108	NISSAN	PATHFINDER	100	74219	1.3474
109	BMW	5	62	46563	1.3315
110	FORD MOTOR CO	FORD RANGER PICKUP	110	83737	1.3136
111	MAZDA	3	125	95420	1.3100
112	NISSAN	XTERRA	78	59988	1.3003
113	MAZDA	MPV VAN	13	10054	1.2930
114	FORD MOTOR CO	MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS	64	49578	1.2909
115	VOLKSWAGEN	GOLF/RABBIT/GTI	24	18806	1.2762
116	MITSUBISHI	OUTLANDER	13	10190	1.2758
117	FORD MOTOR CO	FORD ESCAPE	194	152125	1.2753
118	TOYOTA	TOYOTA MATRIX	70	56291	1.2435
119	GENERAL MOTORS	CHEVROLET COLORADO PICKUP	129	104675	1.2324
120	HONDA	HONDA ACCORD	391	328780	1.1892
121	TOYOTA	TOYOTA TACOMA PICKUP	221	195700	1.1293
122	HONDA	ACURA TSX	44	40480	1.0870
123	GENERAL MOTORS	GMC CANYON PICKUP	29	26744	1.0844
124	GENERAL MOTORS	SATURN VUE	103	95178	1.0822
125	AUDI	A3/A3 QUATTRO	12	11162	1.0751
126	MAZDA	TRIBUTE	35	33565	1.0428
127	TOYOTA	LEXUS ES	32	30735	1.0412
128	MERCEDES-BENZ	129 (SL-CLASS)	7	6731	1.0400
129	FORD MOTOR CO	FORD FREESTYLE	57	54980	1.0367
130	NISSAN	INFINITI M35/M45	42	40627	1.0338
131	TOYOTA	TOYOTA 4RUNNER	108	104758	1.0309
132	AUDI	A4/A4 QUATTRO/S4/S4 AVANT	49	48023	1.0203
133	FORD MOTOR CO	MERCURY MILAN	35	34506	1.0143
134	DAIMLERCHRYSLER	CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY	177	175760	1.0071
135	TOYOTA	SCION XA	50	49664	1.0068
136	MERCEDES-BENZ	208 (CLK-CLASS)	17	17150	0.9913
137	GENERAL MOTORS	PONTIAC TORRENT	48	48750	0.9846
138	NISSAN	INFINITI FX35	17	17326	0.9812
139	SUBARU	IMPREZA	41	41987	0.9765
140	SUZUKI	AERIO	17	17417	0.9761
141	HYUNDAI	SANTA FE	32	32802	0.9756
142	HONDA	ACURA 3.2 TL	74	77849	0.9506
143	GENERAL MOTORS	CHEVROLET CORVETTE	30	31595	0.9495
144	GENERAL MOTORS	BUICK LUCERNE	81	85961	0.9423
145	HYUNDAI	TUCSON	52	55399	0.9386
146	TOYOTA	TOYOTA AVALON	90	97247	0.9255
147	ASTON MARTIN	DB9	1	1085	0.9217
148	GENERAL MOTORS	CADILLAC FUNERAL COACH/HEARSE	1	1096	0.9124
149	MERCEDES-BENZ	210 (E-CLASS)	55	61563	0.8934
150	VOLVO	V50	4	4480	0.8929
151	VOLKSWAGEN	JETTA	108	123317	0.8758
152	FORD MOTOR CO	MERCURY MONTEGO	17	19464	0.8734
153	JAGUAR	XJ8/XJ8L	3	3444	0.8711
154	TOYOTA	LEXUS IS	43	49960	0.8607
155	BMW	3	127	151673	0.8373
156	FORD MOTOR CO	LINCOLN ZEPHYR	26	31265	0.8316
157	TOYOTA	TOYOTA RAV4	94	114912	0.8180
158	VOLVO	S40	20	24505	0.8162
159	ISUZU	ASCENDER	3	3857	0.7778
160	HYUNDAI	AZERA	19	24492	0.7758
161	PORSCHE	BOXSTER	4	5314	0.7527
162	PORSCHE	CAYMAN	4	5360	0.7463
163	SUBARU	B9 TRIBECA	22	30027	0.7327
164	VOLKSWAGEN	BENTLEY CONTINENTAL	3	4097	0.7322
165	VOLVO	XC90	24	32962	0.7281
166	KIA	SPORTAGE	30	42832	0.7004
167	FORD MOTOR CO	MERCURY MARINER	21	30137	0.6968
168	GENERAL MOTORS	PONTIAC SOLSTICE	13	18748	0.6934
169	VOLKSWAGEN	NEW BEETLE	27	41361	0.6528
170	HONDA	HONDA ELEMENT	29	45132	0.6426
171	GENERAL MOTORS	CADILLAC STS	20	31368	0.6376
172	BMW	Z4/M	7	10981	0.6375
173	TOYOTA	TOYOTA SIENNA VAN	120	192771	0.6225
174	TOYOTA	LEXUS RX	48	77147	0.6222
175	DAIMLERCHRYSLER	DODGE VIPER	1	1630	0.6135
176	PORSCHE	911	8	13407	0.5967
177	SAAB	9-2X	1	1731	0.5777
178	KIA	SEDONA VAN	30	52064	0.5762
179	MITSUBISHI	MONTERO	1	1778	0.5624
180	TOYOTA	TOYOTA HIGHLANDER	96	176213	0.5448
181	BMW	X3	15	27743	0.5407
182	MAZDA	MX-5 MIATA	11	20688	0.5317
183	SUBARU	FORESTER	28	54405	0.5147
184	FORD MOTOR CO	MERCURY MONTEREY VAN	2	4017	0.4979
185	HONDA	HONDA PILOT	73	147629	0.4945
186	SAAB	9-3	11	22542	0.4880
187	HONDA	ACURA 3.5 RL	6	12556	0.4779
188	VOLVO	V70	3	6355	0.4721
189	HONDA	HONDA CR-V	70	149659	0.4677
190	VOLVO	XC70	6	12895	0.4653
191	GENERAL MOTORS	SATURN RELAY	2	4935	0.4053
192	HONDA	HONDA ODYSSEY VAN	75	192364	0.3899
193	HONDA	ACURA MDX	20	51380	0.3893
194	BMW	MINI COOPER	17	51271	0.3316
195	SUBARU	BAJA	2	7498	0.2667
196	MAZDA	B SERIES PICKUP	1	4229	0.2365
197	GENERAL MOTORS	BUICK TERRAZA VAN	3	12767	0.2350
198	DAIMLERCHRYSLER	CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE	1	6186	0.1617
199	TOYOTA	TOYOTA PRIUS	14	87310	0.1603
200	MERCEDES-BENZ	170 (SLK-CLASS)	2	13475	0.1484
201	SUBARU	OUTBACK	5	57806	0.0865
202	ASTON MARTIN	VANQUISH	0	467	0.0000
224	ASTON MARTIN	VANTAGE	0	161	0.0000
203	AUDI	TT	0	1299	0.0000
223	BUGATTI	VEYRON	0	17	0.0000
204	FERRARI	MARANELLO/F1	0	1392	0.0000
220	FORD MOTOR CO	FORD GT	0	1729	0.0000
205	GENERAL MOTORS	CADILLAC LIMOUSINE	0	922	0.0000
206	HONDA	HONDA INSIGHT	0	803	0.0000
207	JAGUAR	VANDEN PLAS/SUPER V8	0	403	0.0000
208	JAGUAR	XJR	0	307	0.0000
221	JAGUAR	VANDEN PLAS/SUPER V8	0	1358	0.0000
219	LAMBORGHINI	GALLARDO	0	392	0.0000
209	MASERATI	GRANSPORT	0	51	0.0000
210	MASERATI	QUATTROPORTE	0	1609	0.0000
211	MASERATI	SPYDER/F1	0	777	0.0000
212	NISSAN	INFINITI Q45	0	140	0.0000
214	SAAB	9-5	0	11620	0.0000
215	SAAB	9-7X	0	5484	0.0000
222	SALEEN	S7	0	16	0.0000
216	SPYKER	C8	0	13	0.0000
218	TOYOTA	TOYOTA YARIS	0	2571	0.0000
213	VOLKSWAGEN	BENTLEY ARNAGE	0	228	0.0000
217	VOLKSWAGEN	PHAETON	0	259	0.0000

Stephen R. Kratzke,

Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.