Reports, Forms and Record Keeping Requirements; Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

Terry T. Shelton
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
September 8, 2014

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 173 (Monday, September 8, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53250-53251]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-21236]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration


Reports, Forms and Record Keeping Requirements; Agency 
Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR 
describes the nature of the information collections and their expected 
burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period was 
published on May 12, 2014 [NHTSA-2014-0049 Volume 79, Number 91, pages 
27047 and 27048].

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 8, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary R. Toth, Office of Data 
Acquisition (NVS-410), Room W53-505, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 
Washington, DC 20590. The telephone number for Mr. Toth is (202) 366-
5378.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

    Title: Data Modernization of the National Automotive Sampling 
System (NASS).
    OMB Number: None.
    Type of Request: Collection of motor vehicle crash data.
    Abstract: The collection of crash data that support the 
establishment and enforcement of motor vehicle regulations that reduce 
the severity of injury and property damage caused by motor vehicle 
crashes is authorized under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle 
Safety Act of 1966 (Pub. L. 89-563, Title 1, Sec. 106, 108, and 112). 
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been 
investigating motor vehicle traffic crashes and collecting crash data 
through its National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) Crashworthiness 
Data System (NASS-CDS) and Special Crash Investigation (SCI) programs. 
The NASS was designed in the 1970's to collect data from the originally 
planned 75 data collection sites. Due to demographic changes, the crash 
population has changed in the country. At the same time, the data needs 
of the transportation community have increased and significantly 
changed over the last three decades. For example, the primary focus of 
the original NASS design was to enhance crashworthiness by providing 
detailed information about crush damage, restraint system performance 
and injury mechanisms. In recent years, however, the transportation 
community has been increasingly more interested in adding data elements 
related to what happens before a crash and related crash avoidance 
safety countermeasures. The scope of traffic safety studies has also 
been expanding. More data is needed from crashes which are not 
currently included in NASS-CDS, such as those involving large trucks, 
motorcycles, and pedestrians.
    Recognizing the importance as well as the limitations of the 
current NASS system, NHTSA is undertaking a modernization effort to 
upgrade our data systems by improving the information technology 
infrastructure, updating the data we collect and reexamining the sample 
sites. The goal of this overall modernization effort is to develop a 
new crash data system that meets current and future data needs. Several 
data acquisitions systems will be designed to collect record-based 
information and investigation-based information. The redesigned 
investigation-based acquisition process will focus on detailed 
investigation of passenger vehicle crashes and will be referred to as 
the Crash Investigation Sampling System (CISS).
    For the investigation-based acquisition process, once a crash has 
been selected for investigation, crash

[[Page 53251]]

technicians locate, visit, measure, and photograph the crash scene; 
locate, inspect, and photograph vehicles; conduct a telephone or 
personal interview with the involved individuals or surrogate; and 
obtain and record injury information received from various medical data 
sources. These data are used to describe and analyze circumstances, 
mechanisms, and consequences of high severity motor vehicle crashes in 
the United States. The collection of interview data aids in this 
effort.
    Affected Public: Passenger Motor Vehicle Operators.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 5,605 hours.
    Number of respondents: 9,450.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, within 30 days, to the Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725-17th 
Street NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention NHTSA Desk Officer.
    Comments are invited on: Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Department, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; the accuracy of the Departments estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    A comment to OMB is most effective if OMB receives it within 30 
days of publication.

Issued in Washington, DC.
Terry T. Shelton,
Associate Administrator for National Center for Statistics and 
Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2014-21236 Filed 9-5-14; 8:45 am]
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