Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 184 / Tuesday, September 23, 1997 / Proposed Rules 49663

operation of commercial vehicles on our

Nation’s highways, will continue to insist

that all carriers operating with self-insurance

authority maintain ‘‘Satisfactory’’ safety

ratings. Nevertheless, I will authorize an

extension of the self-insurance authorization

to March 7, 1996 for the sole purpose of

conducting another compliance review of the

carrier’s operations.

Direct should understand that failure to

obtain a ‘‘Satisfactory’’ safety rating during

the extension period will not provide support

for a further extension. Accordingly, the

carrier should begin the process of securing

commercial insurance coverage in the event

its self-insurance authorization terminates.

It is ordered: 1. A waiver of the automatic

30-day period for expiration of petitioner’s

self-insurance authority and an extension of

the self-insurance authorization until March

7, 1996, is hereby granted.

2. The terms and conditions of the selfinsurance authorization activated August 1,

1995, will remain in effect throughout the

extension period.

3. As of 12:01 A.M. on March 8, 1996, in

the absence of the issuance of a

‘‘Satisfactory’’ safety rating, Petitioner’s selfinsurance authorization will terminate

without further order of the FHWA.

4. A copy of this decision is to be filed in

Docket No. MC–176440 and all sub numbers

thereunder.

5. This decision is effective when served.

By the Federal Highway Administration.

John F. Grimm,

Director, Office of Motor Carrier Information

Analysis.

[FR Doc. 97–24714 Filed 9–22–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–22–P–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

49 CFR Part 571

Denial of Petition for Rulemaking;

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety

Standards

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA);

Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Denial of petition for

rulemaking.

SUMMARY: This notice denies the

petition by John Chevedden for the

issuance of a mandatory Federal

regulation that would require all new

cars to be manufactured with

windshield edge coating in the space

between the center rear view mirror and

the lowered sun visors. The petitioner

stated that this will prevent blinding

glare from the sun in the early morning

and late afternoon. According to the

petitioner the targeted windshield

coating is currently standard on the

Hyundai Accent. Based upon the

information provided by the petitioner

and other information available to

NHTSA, the agency has concluded that

there is insufficient evidence to support

a mandatory Federal requirement that

all new cars be manufactured with a

windshield shade band that is identical

to the shade band currently installed on

the Hyundai Accent.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kenneth O. Hardie, Safety Performance

Standards, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street,

SW, Washington, DC 20590. Mr.

Hardie’s telephone number is (202) 366–

6987.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: By letter

dated May 21, 1997, John Chevedden of

Redondo Beach, California, petitioned

NHTSA to issue a new rule that would

require that all new cars be

manufactured with windshield edge

coating in the space between the center

rear view mirror and the lowered sun

visors. Mr. Chevedden’s petition stated

that the targeted windshield coating is

currently standard on the Hyundai

Accent. Mr Chevedden stated that this

will prevent blinding sun glare and

enhance safety by reducing collisions in

the early morning and late afternoon

sun.

The specific area of the windshield

that Mr. Chevedden’s petition addresses

is called the ‘‘glazing shade band,’’ i.e.,

the area immediately adjacent to and

below the top edge of the vehicle

glazing, through which light

transmission is less than that required

for glazing that are requisite for driving

visibility, as defined in ANSI Z26.1.

ANSI Z26.1 is the American National

Standard for Safety Glazing Materials

for Glazing Motor Vehicles Operating on

Land Highways; Safety Code. Examples

of shade bands are:

a. Laminated Safety Glass—A color

band in the laminated product formed

by the application of a dye or pigment

to the interlayer material prior to

lamination.

b. Tempered Safety Glass—A pattern

comprised of lines and spaces, or dots

and voids, printed into the glass surface

from a durable opaque or translucent

material.

Mr. Chevedden asked that all new

cars be required to be manufactured

with a windshield edge coating

(windshield shade band) identical to

that which is installed on the Hyundai

Accent. Federal law requires that the

area of window requisite for driving

visibility have light transmittance of not

less than 70%. Motor vehicle

manufacturers place a mark on the

windshield designating the AS1 line.

The windshield below that line is

‘‘requisite for driving visibility’’ and

must comply with the 70% light

transmittance requirement. Federal law

does not specify any minimum light

transmittance for the windshield above

the AS1 line. Thus, manufacturers are

free to install any shade band design

they choose above that line.

In addition to the Federal limit that

windshield shade bands can only

extend down to the AS1 mark, there are

some States that have motor vehicle

regulations that prohibit the windshield

shade band from extending downward

from the top edge of the vehicle by more

than six inches. Further, there is a

voluntary standard for windshield

shade bands promulgated by the Society

of Automotive Engineers (SAE). This

SAE standard is SAE J100, Vehicle

Glazing Shade Bands. Although the use

of the SAE Standards by anyone in the

automotive industry is entirely

voluntary, SAE standards are widely

used by the automotive industry. All

SAE Standards are submitted to the

American National Standards Institute

for recognition as American National

Standards.

Mr. Chevedden petitioned to change

the status quo and make the Hyundai

Accent shade band design mandatory

for all new cars, light trucks and sport

utility vehicles. While NHTSA has

carried out many suggestions from

concerned citizens regarding motor

vehicle safety, to change or impose a

new Federal motor vehicle safety

standard, NHTSA must present

information to the public demonstrating

that there is a safety problem with the

current situation and that the proposed

solution will address the problem and

improve safety in a cost effective way.

The petitioner provided no information

to support his contention that there is a

safety problem with the current

situation or that his proposed solution

will improve safety in a cost effective

manner. NHTSA has no information

indicating that the Hyundai Accent

windshield shade band design is more

effective than any other vehicle that is

equipped with a windshield shade

band, nor does the agency possess

information regarding the efficacy of

any shade band in reducing motor

vehicle-related deaths and injuries.

Absent such information, NHTSA has

no basis for initiating a rulemaking

proceeding.

After carefully considering the

petition, NHTSA concludes that there is

not a reasonable possibility that the

order requested by the petitioner would

be issued at the conclusion of a

rulemaking proceeding. Accordingly,

the petition is denied.
49664 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 184 / Tuesday, September 23, 1997 / Proposed Rules

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30103, 30111, 30162;

delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.50 and

501.8.

Issued on: September 17, 1997.

L. Robert Shelton,

Associate Administrator for Safety

Performance Standards.

[FR Doc. 97–25209 Filed 9–22–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P