66582 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 215 / Monday, November 6, 2000 / Notices

June 24, 1997. A Task Force on

engineering issues was established by

the Working Group on Locomotive

Crashworthiness to review collision

history and design options and

additional research was commissioned.

The Working Group reviewed results of

the research and is drafting

performance-based standards for freight

and passenger locomotives to present to

the RSAC for consideration. Review of

collision data for use in the regulatory

evaluation was completed in September.

Contact: Sean Mehrvazi (202) 493–6237.

Task 97–2—Evaluating the extent to

which environmental, sanitary, and

other working conditions in locomotive

cabs affect the crew’s health and the safe

operation of locomotives, proposing

standards where appropriate. This Task

was accepted June 24, 1997. A draft

sanitation NPRM has been circulated for

approval of working group, with ballots

requested by November 3. The Cab

Working Group met in October to begin

finalizing work on a noise exposure

standard and will be meeting in

November to complete a draft NPRM.

The Cab Working Group has also

considered issues related to cab

temperature, and is expected to consider

additional issues (such as vibration) in

the future. Contact: Brenda Hattery (202)

493–6326.

Task 97–3—Developing event

recorder data survivability standards.

This Task was accepted on June 24,

1997. An Event Recorder Working

Group and Task Force have been

established and are actively meeting. A

draft proposed rule is being reviewed.

Contact: Edward English (202) 493–

6321.

Task 97–4 and Task 97–5—Defining

Positive Train Control (PTC)

functionalities, describing available

technologies, evaluating costs and

benefits of potential systems, and

considering implementation

opportunities and challenges, including

demonstration and deployment.

Task 97–6—Revising various

regulations to address the safety

implications of processor-based signal

and train control technologies,

including communications-based

operating systems. These three tasks

were accepted on September 30, 1997,

and assigned to a single Working Group.

A Data and Implementation Task Force,

formed to address issues such as

assessment of costs and benefits and

technical readiness, completed a report

on the future of PTC systems. The report

was accepted as RSAC’s Report to the

Administrator at the September 8, 1999,

meeting. The Standards Task Force,

formed to develop PTC standards,

developed draft recommendations for

performance-based standards for

processor-based signal and train control

standards. The NPRM was approved by

consensus at the full RSAC meeting

held on September 14, 2000. The NPRM

will be published in the Federal

Register. Contact: Grady Cothen (202)

493–6302.

Task 97–7—Determining damages

qualifying an event as a reportable train

accident. This Task was accepted on

September 30, 1997. A working group

was formed to address this task and

conducted their initial meeting on

February 8, 1999. The working group

designed a survey form to collect

specific data about damages to railroad

equipment. The survey started on

August 1 and will end January 31, 2001.

The working group is scheduled to meet

in December 2000. Contact: Robert

Finkelstein (202) 493–6280.

Task 00–1—Determining the need to

amend regulations protecting persons

who work on, under, or between rolling

equipment and persons applying,

removing or inspecting rear end

marking devices. A working group has

been formed and held its first meeting

on October 16–18, 2000. Contact: Doug

Taylor (202) 493–6255.

Please refer to the notice published in

the Federal Register on March 11, 1996

(61 FR 9740) for more information about

the RSAC.

Issued in Washington, DC on November 1,

2000.

George Gavalla,

Associate Administrator for Safety.

[FR Doc. 00–28443 Filed 11–3–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

Child Passenger Protection Education

Grants

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, DOT

ACTION: Announcement of grants for

child passenger protection education.

SUMMARY: The National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA)

announces a grant program under

Section 2003(b) of the Transportation

Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA–

21) to implement child passenger

protection programs that are designed to

prevent deaths and injuries to children,

educate the public concerning the

proper installation of child restraints,

and train child passenger safety

personnel concerning child restraint

use. This notice solicits applications

from the States, the District of

Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S.

Territories and the Indian Tribes

through the Secretary of the Interior.

DATES: Applications must be received

by the office designated below on or

before December 15, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be

submitted to the appropriate National

Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Regional Administrator.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

program issues contact Ms. Joan

Catherine Tetrault, State and

Community Services, NSC–01, NHTSA,

400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington,

DC 20590; telephone (202) 366–2121.

For legal issues contact Mr. John

Donaldson, Office of the Chief Counsel,

NCC–30, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street,

SW., Washington, DC 20590, telephone

(202) 366–1834.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Motor vehicle crashes remain the

leading cause of unintentional injuryrelated deaths among children for every

age from 6 to 14 years, despite an eight

percent decline in the motor vehicle

occupant death rate for children under

age 15 from 1988 to 1999. During the

same time period, the motor vehicle

occupant nonfatal injury rate among

children under age 15 has increased by

seven percent. Motor vehicle injuries

and fatalities occur when children ride

unrestrained or are improperly

restrained. This grant program is

intended to help reduce injuries and

deaths by educating the public about the

importance of correctly installing and

using child safety seats, booster seats

and seat belts.

1. Children Riding Unrestrained

Approximately 20–25 percent of

children ages 1 through 15 years ride

unrestrained. Child safety seats reduce

the risk of fatal injury in a crash by 71

percent for infants (less than 1 year old)

and by 54 percent for toddlers (1–4

years old). In 1999, there were 550

occupant fatalities in passenger motor

vehicles among children under 5 years

of age. Of those 550 fatalities, an

estimated 291 (53 percent) were totally

unrestrained. The problem of riding

unrestrained is not limited to infants

and young children. From 1975 through

1999, the lives of an estimated 4,500

children were saved by the use of child

restraints (child safety seats or adult

safety belts). Among children under age

15 who were killed as occupants in

motor vehicle crashes in 1999, 61

percent were not using safety restraints

at the time of the collision.

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 215 / Monday, November 6, 2000 / Notices 66583

Examination of the demographics of

children killed in motor vehicle crashes

(for which the most recent available

year is 1995) shows that safety restraint

use differs markedly by race. For

example, while somewhat less than half

(43.3%) of white children up to age 9

riding in passenger motor vehicles were

using safety restraints at the time of

their deaths, that was true of only about

one-quarter (28.2%) of black children.

Native American children under age 15

have a motor vehicle occupant death

rate twice that of white children. (Injury

and fatality data for other minority

groups is currently being collected.)

Restraint use is also lower in rural areas

and low-income communities. Lack of

access to affordable child safety seats

and booster seats contributes to a lower

usage rate among low-income families.

However, research shows that 95

percent of low-income families who

own a child safety seat use it. Improving

access to affordable child restraint

systems and educating parents and care

givers about proper installation and use

are key components to improving use

rates in these communities.

1. Misuse of Child Safety Seats and

Improper Seating Positions

In 1998, 97 percent of infants

(children under age 1) were restrained

while riding in motor vehicles, as were

91 percent of children ages 1 to 5.

However, it is estimated that

approximately 80 percent of children

who are placed in child safety seats are

improperly restrained. Furthermore,

adult safety belts do not adequately

protect children ages 4 to 8 (about 40 to

80 pounds) from injury in a crash.

Although car booster seats are the best

way to protect them, only six percent of

booster-age children are properly

restrained in car booster seats.

In addition, there is a high risk of

severe injury or fatality to children

riding in the front seat of vehicles

equipped with a passenger side air bag,

due to the deployment force of the air

bag. However, even if the air bag is shut

off or there is no air bag, the back seat

is the safest place for children to ride.

Under no circumstances should a parent

place a rear-facing infant seat in front of

an air bag. It is estimated that children

ages 12 and under are 36 percent less

likely to die in a crash if seated in the

rear seat of a passenger vehicle.

Child passenger safety professionals,

educators, emergency personnel and

others need to be adequately trained on

all aspects of child restraint use in order

to help reduce the problems of misuse

and encourage the safest seating

positions for children riding in motor

vehicles. In addition, parents and

caregivers need easily accessible

locations where they can receive

information on choosing the correct

child safety seat for their child, and

identifying which child safety seats are

compatible with various types of

passenger motor vehicles. Parents and

caregivers also need to know how to

properly install a child safety seat and

how to properly secure their child into

that seat.

With these concerns in mind, the

Transportation Equity Act for the 21st

Century (TEA–21), which the President

signed into law on June 9, 1998,

established a grant program under

Section 2003(b) of Title 23, United

States Code, to promote child passenger

protection education and training.

Grants for Child Passenger Protection

Section 2003(b) provides Federal

funds to States for activities that are

designed to prevent deaths and injuries

to children; educate the public

concerning the design, selection,

placement, and installation of child

restraints; and train and retrain child

passenger safety professionals, police

officers, fire and emergency medical

personnel, and other educators

concerning all aspects of child restraint

use. A State may expend the funds itself

or elect to distribute some or all of the

funds to carry out the public education

and training activities as grants to

political subdivisions of the State or

appropriate private entities. States are

encouraged to direct funds obtained

through this grant program to

organizations that can deliver training

and education to ensure positive impact

in minority and low income

communities where lack of child

passenger protection is especially

severe. Section 2003(b) provides that the

Federal share of the cost of a program

carried out with the grant funds is not

to exceed 80 percent. A State that

receives a grant must submit a report

describing the program activities carried

out with the funds.

Application Procedures

A. Use of Funds

To be eligible for funding under

Section 2003(b), a State must submit an

application that addresses how the State

will implement child passenger

protection programs that meet each of

the three requirements listed below. For

the education and training components,

the grant application must identify

expected program accomplishments,

such as the estimated number of public

education messages to be distributed

(e.g. public service announcements or

printed materials) and the type of

audience to be targeted by these

messages (e.g. minority or low-income

communities); the estimated number of

and type of training classes conducted

and the individuals or groups to be

trained (e.g. representing minority, rural

or low-income communities); the

number of child safety seat clinics or

check-ups performed; and the number

of fitting stations established. A State is

encouraged to identify the proposed

locations of child safety seat clinics,

check-ups and fitting stations,

specifying the target population to be

served.

Specifically, the State must

implement a child passenger protection

program that:

1. Is designed to prevent deaths and

injuries to children. The State should

provide a statement describing how its

program supports efforts to prevent

deaths and injuries to children.

2. Educates the public on all aspects

of child passenger safety. The public

education program may include

strategies that emphasize a continuum

of child restraint from infancy to age 16,

increase use among targeted populations

(e.g., minority, rural, low-income, or

special needs populations), or develop

and implement child safety seat clinics

and/or permanent locations where

consumers can have child safety seats

and booster seats inspected. Additional

information under public education

may be included relevant to proper use

of child restraint systems, booster seats

and FMVSS 225—a standardized child

safety seat system known as Lower

Anchors and Tethers for Children

(LATCH).

At a minimum, the public education

program must:

(a) Provide a summary of the

information that the State intends to

include or develop in the public

education program. The information

must address at least the following

topics:

• All aspects of proper installation of

child restraints using standard seat belt

hardware, supplemental hardware, and

modification devices (if needed),

including special installation

techniques;

• Appropriate child restraint design,

selection, and placement [NHTSA

interprets this to include instruction

about proper seating positions for

children in air bag equipped vehicles];

and

• Harness threading and harness

adjustment on child restraints.

(b) Include a description of the public

education information methods that the

State intends to employ, how these

messages will be delivered to the target

population, and expected

66584 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 215 / Monday, November 6, 2000 / Notices

accomplishments. The methods could

include billboards, public service

announcements, and published

materials. It is also important to deliver

this information in the language of the

targeted group.

3. Trains and retrains child passenger

safety professionals, police officers, fire

and emergency medical personnel, and

other educators concerning all aspects

of child restraint use. At a minimum,

States should include in the application

a description of or reference to the

curricula that the State will use to train

and retrain child passenger safety

experts to reach the targeted population

and expected accomplishments.

All persons selected for training and

retraining as child passenger safety

professionals should achieve and

maintain at least some minimum

standards of expertise. In collaboration

with several partners, NHTSA has

developed several model curricula

including: ‘‘Mobilizing America to

Buckle Up Children’’ and ‘‘Operation

Kids’’ for law enforcement officers; and

the ‘‘Standardized Child Passenger

Safety Training Program’’ for child

passenger safety professional

candidates. States are not restricted to

using only these curricula, but States are

encouraged to incorporate the learning

objectives of these courses into the

training and retraining provided to child

passenger safety experts. Funding for

this grant program is intended to help

States develop and sustain adequate

cadres of persons with technical

expertise in child passenger protection

who will directly serve the public

through child safety seat clinics,

checkpoints, workshops, fitting stations

and other training and educational

opportunities.

A. Certification

The State must submit certifications

that: (i) It will use the funds awarded

under this grant program exclusively to

implement a child passenger protection

program in accordance with the

requirements of Section 2003(b) of P.L.

105–178 (TEA–21); (ii) It will

administer the funds in accordance with

49 CFR Part 18 and OMB Circular A–87;

and (iii) It will provide to the NHTSA

Regional Administrator no later than 15

months after the grant award a report of

activities carried out with grant funds

and accomplishments to date.

B. Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility is limited to the 50 States,

the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico,

the U.S. Territories (which include the

Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa

and the Commonwealth of the Northern

Mariana Islands) through their

Governor’s Office of Highway Safety,

and Indian Tribes through the Secretary

of the Interior.

Award Procedures

The amount available for this program

in fiscal year 2001 is $7,500,000. In FY

2000, NHTSA awarded $7.5 million to

47 states, the District of Columbia,

Puerto Rico, 4 U.S. Territories and the

Indian Nations. A new application is

required to seek an award of fiscal year

2001 funds. Awards to applicants

meeting the requirements of this notice

will be made based upon the formula

used for Section 402 apportionment,

subject to the availability of funds. The

amount awarded to each State

qualifying under this program shall be

determined by multiplying the amount

appropriated for this grant program for

the fiscal year by the ratio that the

amount of funds apportioned to each

such State under 23 U.S.C. 402 for the

fiscal year bears to the total amount of

funds apportioned to all such States

under Section 402 for such fiscal year.

Applicants will be required to submit to

NHTSA within 30 days of notification

that an award is made, a program cost

summary (HS Form 217) obligating the

Section 2003(b) funds to child passenger

protection education programs. The

Federal funding share may not exceed

80% of the program cost, and States

should clearly identify their share in the

program cost summary (HS Form 217).

Each State must submit one original

and two copies of the application

package to the appropriate NHTSA

Regional Administrator. Only complete

application packages submitted by a

Governor’s Highway Safety

Representative and received on or

before December 15, 2000 will be

considered for funding in fiscal year

2001.

Report Requirements

A State that receives a grant must

submit a report describing the activities

carried out with the grant funds and the

accomplishments to date. The report

must be submitted to the NHTSA

Regional Administrator no later than 15

months after the grant is awarded.

At a minimum, the report must

contain the following:

(a) Describe how the State’s child

passenger protection program is

supporting efforts to prevent deaths and

injuries to children.

(b) For the education component, the

report must identify program

accomplishments, such as:

• A summary of the public education

methods developed and how programs

were delivered to the targeted

population.

• The number of public education

messages distributed (e.g. public service

announcements or printed materials)

and the type of audience targeted by

those messages (e.g. minority or lowincome communities);

• The number of child safety seat

clinics or check-ups performed, and the

number of fitting stations established. A

State must also include the locations of

child safety seat clinics, check-ups and

fitting stations, specifying the target

population served.

(c) For the training component, the

report must include:

• The number of and type of training

classes conducted and the individuals

or groups trained (e.g. representing

minority, rural or low-income

communities);

• A description of or reference to the

curricula that were used to train and

retrain child passenger safety experts.

• The number of child passenger

safety technicians and instructors

certified during the grant period.

NHTSA Publications Available To

Support Public Education

A number of NHTSA publications are

available through the Traffic Safety

Materials Catalog that address child

passenger safety program topics. These

materials may be ordered from the

NHTSA web site at >HTTP://

WWW.NHTSA.DOT.GOV< or

contacting the Media and Marketing

Division, NTS–21 by fax at (202) 493–

2062.

Issued on: November 1, 2000.

Sue Bailey,

Administrator, National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration.

[FR Doc. 00–28344 Filed 11–3–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA 2000–8201; Notice 1]

Subaru of America, Inc., Receipt of

Application for Decision of

Inconsequential Noncompliance

Regarding Headlamp Lens Marking

Subaru of America, Inc., of Cherry

Hill, New Jersey, has determined that

certain headlamp lens assemblies

manufactured by North American

Lighting, Inc., are not in full compliance

with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety

Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, ‘‘Lamps,

reflective devices, and associated

equipment.’’ Pursuant to 49 U.S.C.

30118(d) and 30120(h), Subaru has

petitioned for a determination that this