[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 200 (Thursday, October 16, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53872-53873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-27475]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. 97-016, Notice 1]


Reports, Forms, and Record keeping Requirements

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION: Request for public comment on proposed collections of 
information.

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SUMMARY: Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from 
the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and 
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 collections of information, 
including extensions and reinstatements of previously approved 
collections.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 15, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments must refer to the docket and notice numbers cited 
at the beginning of this notice and be submitted to Docket Section, 
Room 5109, NHTSA, 400 Seventh St., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590. Please 
identify the proposed collection of information for which a comment is 
provided, by referencing its OMB Clearance Number. It is requested, but 
not required, that one (1) original plus two (2) copies of the comments 
be provided. The Docket Section is open on weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4 
p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Complete copies of each request for 
collection of information may be obtained at no charge from Mr. Edward 
Kosek, NHTSA Information Collection Clearance Officer, NHTSA, 400 
Seventh Street, S.W., Room 6123, Washington, D.C. 20590. Mr. Kosek's 
telephone number is (202) 366-2589. Please identify the relevant 
collection of information by referring to its OMB Clearance Number.

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 a 60-day comment period and otherwise consult with members of 
the public and affected agencies 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 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (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 compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks public comment on 
the following proposed collection of information:

Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)

    Type of Request--Reinstatement of clearance.
    OMB Clearance Number--2127-0006
    Form Numbers--HS-214, HS-214A, HS-214B and HS-214C.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval--December 31, 2000
    Summary of the Collection of Information--FARS is the major system 
that acquires a national census of information on fatal motor vehicle 
traffic crashes. This information is collected directly from existing 
State files and documents. Under both the

[[Page 53873]]

Highway Safety Act of 1966 and the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle 
Safety Act of 1966, NHTSA has the responsibility to collect crash data 
that support the establishment and enforcement of motor vehicle 
regulations and highway safety programs. These regulations and programs 
are developed to reduce the severity of injury and property damage 
associated with motor vehicle crashes.
    Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the 
Information--FARS is the largest and most comprehensive data base of 
fatal crash data in the world. The total user population includes 
Federal and State agencies and the private sector. This information 
comprises a national data base that is NHTSA's and many States' 
principal means of tracking trends in fatalities and quantifying 
problems or potential problems in highway safety. FARS data is also 
used extensively by State legislators for determining highway safety 
problem areas requiring laws and programs (mandatory use of seat belts, 
55- vs. 65-mile per hour speed limits); by the highway research 
community including the private sector (industry and associations) for 
trend analysis, problem identification, and program evaluation (e.g., 
air bag studies and drunk driving campaigns); and by the Congress for 
making decisions concerning safety programs. The FARS data are 
available upon request to anyone interested in highway safety. FARS 
data has been made available through the Internet and via fax-on-demand 
service. On the average, more than 10,000 requests for information from 
FARS are received every year.
    Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number, 
and Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of Information)--
``Respondents'' are employees of state agencies (FARS Analysts). Their 
salaries and other direct costs are 100% reimbursed through cooperative 
agreements duly executed through the NHTSA Office of Contracts and 
Procurement. Cooperative Agreements exist with all fifty states, the 
District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The number of FARS Analysts 
varies by state from one to six. The entire corps of more than 70 FARS 
Analysts acquire and code the required information as fatal crashes 
occur. Approximately 2.15 hours per case are required to complete the 
FARS forms. The number of cases varies by state from a high of 3669 in 
California to a low of 54 in D.C. ( in 1995).
    Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Record keeping Burden 
Resulting from the Collection of Information--The 52 jurisdictions 
report on approximately 36,000 fatal cases per year. The estimated 
annual hour burden is 77,400 hours. This estimate is based on 20 years 
of FARS operation and includes the nominal time needed to access data 
from existing state files. These various sources reside in several 
places in each state. FARS does not involve the generation of new data. 
If the state analyst cannot get the information from existing records, 
it is reported to NHTSA as ``unknown.'' The FARS Analysts retain the 
current year's completed FARS forms plus three prior years' forms.

    Dated: October 10, 1997.
Raymond P. Owings,
Associate Administrator, Research and Development.
[FR Doc. 97-27475 Filed 10-15-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P