Document ID: NHTSA-2014-0127-0001
Agency: nhtsa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Characterizing Ambulance Driver Training in EMS Systems
Posted Date: 2015-01-21T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 13 (Wednesday, January 21, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3010-3011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00807]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket No. NHTSA-2014-0127]

Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping Requirements

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

ACTION: Request for public comment on proposed collection 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 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.
    This document describes the collection of information for which 
NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 23, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 
NHTSA-2014-0127 using any of the following methods:

[[Page 3011]]

    Electronic submissions: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility, M-30, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590.
    Hand Delivery: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays. Fax: 1-(202) 493-2251.
    Instructions: Each submission must include the Agency name and the 
Docket number for this Notice. Note that all comments received will be 
posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov including any 
personal information provided.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. J. Stephen Higgins, Contracting 
Officer's Technical Representative, Office of Behavioral Safety 
Research (NTI-132), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., W46-474, Washington, DC 20590. Dr. Higgins' 
phone number is (202) 366-3976 and his email address is 
james.higgins@dot.gov.

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:

Characterizing Ambulance Driver Training in EMS Systems

    Type of Request--New information collection requirement.
    OMB Clearance Number--None.
    Form Number--NHTSA 1186.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval--3 years from date of 
approval.
    Summary of the Collection of Information--In order to characterize 
ambulance driver training across the United States, the National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposes to collect 
information from EMS agencies providing ambulance services and State 
offices responsible for overseeing training, licensing, and regulation 
of EMS agencies and their drivers. NHTSA is interested in learning 
about what types of driver training are required, when the training is 
required (new drivers, continuing education, etc.), how driving 
incidents (crashes, moving violations, etc.) impact driving privileges, 
initial qualification standards (age, number of years with license, 
driving record, etc.), and other related topics. Participation in the 
study will be voluntary and will only include State level agency 
representatives and representatives from EMS agencies that offer 
ambulance services. Data collection will be in the form of semi-
structured interviews in-person or over the phone of contacts at State 
offices and an Internet-based survey of EMS agencies providing 
ambulance services. EMS agencies will be contacted via email, mail, or 
phone with a link to the Internet survey. State offices will be 
contacted via email or phone to participate in the semi-structured 
interviews.
    Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the 
Information-- NHTSA has the responsibility for making driving safer by 
ensuring that drivers commit the fewest errors possible and by 
attempting to render the residual errors that are committed benign. Not 
all drivers, however, face the same level of risk on the road or the 
same task demands. Emergency vehicle operators must deal with critical 
time demands, large vehicles, and numerous potential and unavoidable 
distractions inherent in the response to emergencies.
    Operator training is one method that human factors professionals 
have used in virtually all domains to reduce human error and thereby 
increase the safety of operations. Although emergency vehicle training 
for ambulance drivers has been repeatedly identified as an important 
step in the safety system, the current situation with respect to 
ambulance driver training in the United States is not well 
characterized. This project will document the types of driver training 
offered, when this training is required, how driving incidents impact 
driving privileges, initial qualification standards, and other related 
topics discovered throughout the course of the study. The results of 
this project will assist NHTSA in determining the current state of 
ambulance driver training which will help the Agency determine if 
additional research and development on the topic are warranted.
    Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number, 
and Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of Information)--
The participant groups being sought include representatives from up to 
21,283 EMS agencies across the United States and representatives from 
State offices for the 50 States and Washington DC Participants from EMS 
agencies will be recruited via email to respond to an Internet-based 
survey. The survey will be completed a single time by one 
representative from the solicited agencies. Approximately 153 semi-
structured interviews (up to 3 per State and Washington DC since 
multiple offices may be responsible for various aspects of ambulance 
driver training and regulation) will be conducted via telephone with 
personnel from State offices. The total sample size has the potential 
to be 21,436 participants.
    Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Record Keeping Burden 
Resulting from the Collection of Information--The 153 conversations 
with State personnel will average approximately 60 minutes in length 
including introduction, demographics, ambulance driver training/
licensing requirements, training course description and content review, 
and conclusion. The estimated completion time for the Internet-based 
survey of EMS agency representatives is 30 minutes per agency. The 
total estimated annual burden if all solicited participants respond is 
10,794.50 hours. Participants will incur no costs and no record keeping 
burden from the information collection.

    Authority:  44 U.S.C. Section 3506(c)(2)(A).

    Dated: January 14, 2015.
Jeff Michael,
Associate Administrator, Research and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 2015-00807 Filed 1-20-15; 8:45 am]
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