[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 33 (Wednesday, February 19, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7494-7495]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4059]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. 96-133, Notice 01]


Development of Improved Driver Interview Procedures for Police 
Use at Checkpoints

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice and Request for Comments on Data Collection.

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SUMMARY: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 
plays a key role in the national effort to reduce alcohol related 
traffic injuries and deaths. One way the enforcement community has 
tried to combat this problem is by conducting sobriety checkpoints; 
however, there is evidence that many of the impaired drivers passing 
through these checkpoints are not detected by police. One component of 
this study is the observation by researchers of customary police 
interviewing practices at sobriety checkpoints. Behaviors and cues of 
interviewed drivers will be linked to their breath alcohol levels to 
develop more effective screening procedures. Breath samples will be 
obtained only from drivers who volunteer to participate in this study. 
Current data on the best ways to improve driver interviews by police at 
checkpoints do not exist. NHTSA invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment the proposed data collection as required by 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATE: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 21, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to NHTSA, Docket Section, Room 
5111, Docket #96-133, Notice 01, 400 7th Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marvin M. Levy, Ph.D., Contracting 
Officer's Technical Representative, Office of Research and Traffic 
Records (NTS-31), Washington, DC 20590, Phone Number (202) 366-5597.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Alcohol related traffic fatalities rose to 17,274 in 1995, 41 
percent of all traffic fatalities for the year. NHTSA is committed to 
the development of effective programs to reduce the number of deaths 
and injuries related to alcohol-impaired driving. Among the law 
enforcement activities aimed at reducing drunk driving, sobriety 
checkpoints can act both as a specific deterrent, by apprehending 
impaired drivers passing through the checkpoint, and a general 
deterrent, by encouraging motorists not to drive after drinking. The 
success of sobriety checkpoints as a deterrent depends to a large 
extent on the perception of drivers that they will be caught if they 
have been drinking. However, past research suggests that many impaired 
drivers are not being detected by police at checkpoints. If drivers 
conclude that they may not be detected, then the effectiveness of this 
enforcement approach may decline. There is some evidence that police 
interview procedures can be improved, for impaired drivers who are 
stopped and still seated in their vehicle, when police use a procedure 
employing eye gaze nystagmus. Other cues or combination of cues may 
also result in improved detection rates.
    The objective of this study is to develop and test an improved set 
of checkpoint interview procedures that police may use to detect more 
effectively drivers who are at illegal blood alcohol concentrations 
[BACs].

II. Method of Data Collection

    Data will be collected voluntarily at two separate sites in 
cooperating police jurisdictions during regularly scheduled checkpoint 
operations. To examine the effectiveness of cues and procedures that 
officers can use to detect drivers at illegal BACs, researchers will 
accompany officers while they are conducting routine driver interviews. 
Researchers will observe what the police do, by listening to the kinds 
of questions they ask and what motorists say in response to police 
inquiries, and how the drivers behave. Also, drivers will be observed 
for visual and other cues or signs indicative of alcohol consumption. 
For those drivers who have been permitted to proceed, a researcher, 
located downstream of the inteviewing officer, will ask the driver to 
consent to blow into a device that measures the driver's breath 
alcohol. Each motorist will be assured of confidentiality. No 
identifiers, such as names, addresses, or license plate numbers, will 
be obtained regardless of whether or not the motorist agrees to 
cooperate. Also, no information about the results from breath alcohol 
testing will be provided to the police. No survey questions will be 
asked of drivers. The researchers will be using portable non-
evidentiary quality ``screening devices'' to measure BAC. In the event 
that a driver who may be at an illegal BAC is identified, he or she 
will be informed of the BAC findings and provided with suggested 
remedies such as having a sober passenger drive, or taking a cab 
provided by the researchers.

III. Use of the Findings

    The findings from researcher observations of checkpoint operations 
will help determine whether further development of an improved battery 
of police interview procedures is warranted. If the results are 
positive, a field test will be conducted as part of this study to 
determine whether the new procedures are an improvement over those 
customarily used by police to detect drivers at illegal BACs. Should 
the findings from the field test be successful, a police training 
package, containing the improved procedures, will be developed and 
disseminated to police agencies.
    Improved interview procedures will help police officers at 
checkpoints make more accurate decisions regarding which drivers should 
or should not be detained for further sobriety testing.

[[Page 7495]]

This should increase the efficiency of checkpoint operations. Such 
improvements should also heighten the public's perception of being 
apprehended for drunk driving at sobriety checkpoints.

IV. Data

    OMB Number: None.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular Submission.
    Affected Public: Drivers who are stopped at two sobriety checkpoint 
operations in one community and who are asked to voluntarily provide an 
alcohol breath sample.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,500 drivers.
    Estimated Time per Respondent: One minute per respondent.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 25 hours.
    Estimated Cost per Respondent: $33.75.

V. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) The need for the proposed collection 
and the uses of the data to meet the objectives of the study; (b) the 
information that should be obtained from observations of the drivers 
and officers; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of 
the information collected;
    (d) the accuracy of the burden estimate, and (e) ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of the information an the respondents.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection. Copies of all comments will be placed in Docket 96-133, 
Notice 1, in the NHTSA Docket Section in Room 5109, 400 Seventh Street 
SW Washington D.C. 20590 and will become a matter of public record.

James H. Hedlund,
Associate Administrator for Traffic Safety Programs.
[FR Doc. 97-4059 Filed 2-18-97; 8:45 am]
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