Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 92 / Friday, May 10, 1996 / Notices 21529

achieve the more difficult gains in the

coming years.

In order to collect the critical

information needed by NHTSA to

develop and implement effective

countermeasures that meet the Agency’s

mandate to improve highway traffic

safety, NHTSA conducted its first Motor

Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey in

1994. The survey included questions

related to safety belts, child safety seats,

airbags, bicyclist safety, pedestrian

safety, motorcyclist safety, and

Emergency Medical Services. It also

contained small segments on alcohol

use and on speeding.

The proposed survey is the second

Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey.

The survey will collect data on topics

included in the first (1994) survey and

will monitor changes over time in the

use of occupant protection measures

and in attitudes related to vehicle

occupant safety. It is important that

NHTSA monitor these changes so that

the Agency can determine the effects of

its efforts to promote the use of safety

devices and to identify areas where its

efforts should be targeted and where

new strategies may be needed. NHTSA

is also exploring some additional topics

related to issues identified since the

previous survey, particularly regarding

airbags and children, that have

important public safety implications.

II. Method of Data Collection

The survey will be conducted by

telephone among a national probability

sample of 8,000 adults (age 16 and

older). Participation by respondents is

voluntary. NHTSA’s information needs

require safety belt and child safety seat

sections too large to merge into a single

survey instrument without producing an

inordinate burden on respondents.

Rather than reduce these sections, the

survey instrument will be divided into

two series of modules. Each module will

be administered to one-half the total

number of subjects to be interviewed.

Module Series #1 of the questionnaire

will focus on safety belts and include

smaller sections on airbags, motorcyclist

safety, general driving (including

speed), and crash experience. Module

Series #2 will focus on child safety

seats, accompanied by smaller sections

on bicyclist safety and Emergency

Medical Services. Both series will

contain sections on drinking and

driving because of the extensive impact

of alcohol on the highway safety

problem. Some basic safety belt

questions contained in Module Series #1

will be duplicated on Module Series #2.

(Some topics may be changed from one

series to the other in the final

questionnaires.)

The interviewers will use computerassisted telephone interviewing to

reduce interview length and minimize

recording errors. A Spanish-language

translation and bilingual interviewers

will be used to minimize language

barriers to participation. The survey will

be anonymous and confidential.

III. Use of Findings

The findings of this study will assist

NHTSA in addressing the problem of

motor vehicle occupant safety and in

formulating programs and

recommendations to Congress. NHTSA

will use the findings to: (a) Identify

areas to target current programs and

activities to achieve the greatest benefit;

(b) develop new programs and

initiatives aimed at increasing the use of

occupant safety devices by the general

public; and (c) provide informational

support to States and localities in their

traffic safety efforts. The findings will

also be used directly by State and local

highway safety and law enforcement

agencies in the development and

implementation of effective

countermeasures to prevent injuries and

fatalities to vehicle occupants.

IV. Data

OMB Number: None

Form Number: None

Type of Review: Regular Submission

Affected Public: The population of the

United States age 16 and older living

in households with telephones.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

8000

Estimated Time Per Respondent: 20

minutes

Estimated Total Burden: 2667 hours

Estimated Total Cost: $46.97 per survey

respondent

V. Requests for Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether

the proposed collection of information

is necessary for the proper performance

of the functions of the agency, including

whether the information shall have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden

(including the hours and cost) of the

proposed collection of information; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on respondents, including through the

use of automated collection techniques

or other forms of information

technology.

Comments submitted in response to

this notice will be summarized and/or

included in the request for approval by

the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) of this information collection.

Copies of all comments will be placed

in Docket 96–042, Notice 1, in the

NHTSA Docket Section in Room 5109,

Nassif Building, 400 7th Street, S.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20590, and will

become a matter of public record.

James H. Hedlund,

Associate Administrator for Traffic Safety

Programs.

[FR Doc. 96–11748 Filed 5–9–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

[Docket No. 96–14; Notice 2]

Decision That Nonconforming 1992

Through 1996 Mercedes-Benz

Gelaendewagen Type 463 Long Wheel

Base V–8 Multi-Purpose Passenger

Vehicles Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of decision by NHTSA

that nonconforming 1992 through 1996

Mercedes-Benz Gelaendewagen Type

463 Long Wheel Base V–8 multipurpose passenger vehicles (MPVs) are

eligible for importation.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the

decision by NHTSA that 1992 through

1996 Mercedes-Benz Gelaendewagen

Type 463 Long Wheel Base V–8 MPVs

not originally manufactured to comply

with all applicable Federal motor

vehicle safety standards are eligible for

importation into the United States

because they have safety features that

comply with, or are capable of being

altered to comply with, all such

standards.

DATES: The decision is effective May 10,

1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

George Entwistle, Office of Vehicle

Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202–366–

5306).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A)

(formerly section 108(c)(3)(A)(i)(I) of the

National Traffic and Motor Vehicle

Safety Act (the Act)), a motor vehicle

that was not originally manufactured to

conform to all applicable Federal motor

vehicle safety standards shall be refused

admission into the United States unless

NHTSA has decided that the motor

vehicle is substantially similar to a

motor vehicle originally manufactured

for importation into and sale in the

United States, certified under 49 U.S.C.

30115 (formerly section 114 of the Act),

and of the same model year as the

model of the motor vehicle to be

compared, and is capable of being

readily altered to conform to all
21530 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 92 / Friday, May 10, 1996 / Notices

applicable Federal motor vehicle safety

standards. Where there is no

substantially similar U.S.—certified

motor vehicle, 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(B)

(formerly section 108(c)(3)(A)(i)(II) of

the Act, 15 U.S.C. 1397(c)(3)(A)(i)(II))

permits a nonconforming motor vehicle

to be admitted into the United States if

its safety features comply with, or are

capable of being altered to comply with,

all applicable Federal motor vehicle

safety standards based on destructive

test data or such other evidence as

NHTSA decides to be adequate.

Petitions for eligibility decisions may

be submitted by either manufacturers or

importers who have registered with

NHTSA pursuant to 49 CFR Part 592. As

specified in 49 CFR 593.7, NHTSA

publishes notice in the Federal Register

of each petition that it receives, and

affords interested persons an

opportunity to comment on the petition.

At the close of the comment period,

NHTSA decides, on the basis of the

petition and any comments that it has

received, whether the vehicle is eligible

for importation. The agency then

publishes this determination in the

Federal Register.

Europa International, Inc. of Santa Fe,

New Mexico (Registered Importer No.

R–91–002) petitioned NHTSA to decide

whether 1992 through 1996 MercedesBenz Gelaendewagen Type 463 Long

Wheel Base V–8 MPVs are eligible for

importation into the United States.

NHTSA published notice of the petition

on February 21, 1996 (61 FR 6684) to

afford an opportunity for public

comment. The reader is referred to that

notice for a thorough description of the

petition. No comments were received in

response to the notice. Based on its

review of the information submitted by

the petitioner, NHTSA has decided to

grant the petition.

Vehicle Eligibility Number for Subject

Vehicles

The importer of a vehicle admissible

under any final determination must

indicate on the form HS–7

accompanying entry the appropriate

vehicle eligibility number indicating

that the vehicle is eligible for entry.

VCP–13 is the vehicle eligibility number

assigned to vehicles admissible under

this determination.

Final Decision

Accordingly, on the basis of the

foregoing, NHTSA hereby decides that

1992 through 1996 Mercedes-Benz

Gelaendewagen Type 463 Long Wheel

Base V–8 MPVs are eligible for

importation into the United States

because they have safety features that

comply with, or are capable of being

altered to comply with, all applicable

Federal motor vehicle safety standards.

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(B) and

(b)(1); 49 CFR 593.8; delegations of authority

at 49 CFR 1.50 and 501.8.

Issued on: May 7, 1996.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 96–11784 Filed 5–9–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–M

[Docket No. 96–045; Notice 1]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for

Decision That Nonconforming 1992

Jeep Cherokee Multi-Purpose

Passenger Vehicles Are Eligible for

Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for

decision that nonconforming 1992 Jeep

Cherokee multipurpose passenger

vehicles (MPVs) manufactured for the

Venezuelan market are eligible for

importation.

SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt

by the National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration (NHTSA) of a petition

for a decision that a 1992 Jeep Cherokee

that was manufactured for the

Venezuelan market and not originally

manufactured to comply with all

applicable Federal motor vehicle safety

standards is eligible for importation into

the United States because (1) it is

substantially similar to a vehicle that

was originally manufactured for sale in

the United States and that was certified

by its manufacturer as complying with

the safety standards, and (2) it is capable

of being readily altered to conform to

the standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments

on the petition is June 10, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to

the docket number and notice number,

and be submitted to: Docket Section,

Room 5109, National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, 400 Seventh St.,

SW, Washington, DC 20590. [Docket

hours are from 9:30 am to 4 pm]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

George Entwistle, Office of Vehicle

Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202–366–

5306).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Under 49 U.S.C. § 30141(a)(1)(A)

(formerly section 108(c)(3)(A)(i)(I) of the

National Traffic and Motor Vehicle

Safety Act (the Act)), a motor vehicle

that was not originally manufactured to

conform to all applicable Federal motor

vehicle safety standards shall be refused

admission into the United States unless

NHTSA has decided that the motor

vehicle is substantially similar to a

motor vehicle originally manufactured

for importation into and sale in the

United States, certified under 49 U.S.C.

§ 30115 (formerly section 114 of the

Act), and of the same model year as the

model of the motor vehicle to be

compared, and is capable of being

readily altered to conform to all

applicable Federal motor vehicle safety

standards.

Petitions for eligibility decisions may

be submitted by either manufacturers or

importers who have registered with

NHTSA pursuant to 49 CFR Part 592. As

specified in 49 CFR 593.7, NHTSA

publishes notice in the Federal Register

of each petition that it receives, and

affords interested persons an

opportunity to comment on the petition.

At the close of the comment period,

NHTSA decides, on the basis of the

petition and any comments that it has

received, whether the vehicle is eligible

for importation. The agency then

publishes this decision in the Federal

Register.

Champagne Imports, Inc. of Lansdale,

Pennsylvania (‘‘Champagne’’)

(Registered Importer 90–009) has

petitioned NHTSA to decide whether

1992 Jeep Cherokee MPVs manufactured

for the Venezuelan market are eligible

for importation into the United States.

The vehicle which Champagne believes

is substantially similar is the 1992 Jeep

Cherokee that was manufactured for sale

in the United States and certified by its

manufacturer as conforming to all

applicable Federal motor vehicle safety

standards.

The petitioner claims that it carefully

compared the non-U.S. certified 1992

Jeep Cherokee to its U.S. certified

counterpart, and found the two vehicles

to be substantially similar with respect

to compliance with most Federal motor

vehicle safety standards.

Champagne submitted information

with its petition intended to

demonstrate that the non-U.S. certified

1992 Jeep Cherokee, as originally

manufactured, conforms to many

Federal motor vehicle safety standards

in the same manner as its U.S. certified

counterpart, or is capable of being

readily altered to conform to those

standards.

Specifically, the petitioner claims that

the non-U.S. certified 1992 Jeep

Cherokee is identical to its U.S. certified

counterpart with respect to compliance

with Standards Nos. 102 Transmission

Shift Lever Sequence * * * ., 103

Defrosting and Defogging Systems, 104

Windshield Wiping and Washing