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

David M. Hines
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
July 28, 2014

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 144 (Monday, July 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43814-43815]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-17634]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 (NHTSA), U.S. 
Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 Notices with a 60-day and a 30-day comment 
period were published on February 27, 2012 (77 FR 11626) and on 
December 23, 2013 (78 FR 77554), respectively. No comments were 
received on this matter.
    This document describes the collection of information for which 
NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval. The collection of information 
described is the ``Consolidated Child Restraint System Registration, 
Labeling and Defect Notification.'' (OMB Control Number: 2127-0576)

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 27, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Cristina Echemendia at U.S. 
Department of Transportation, NHTSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West 
Building Room W43-447, NVS-113, Washington, DC 20590. Mrs. Cristina 
Echemendia's telephone number is (202) 366-6345 and fax number is (202) 
366-7002.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

    Title: Consolidated Child Restraint System Registration, Labeling 
and Defect Notifications.
    OMB Control Number: 2127-0576.
    Type of Request: Label revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: A final rule published on February 27, 2012 (77 FR 11626) 
amended the Federal motor vehicle safety standard for child restraint 
systems (CRSs) to expand its applicability to child restraints sold for 
children weighing up to 80 pounds (lb). The final rule also added a 
sentence to the printed instructions and labeling of certain CRSs 
(those that have internal harnesses, and that are recommended for older 
children). Currently, child restraint manufacturers are required to 
provide printed instructions with step by-step information on how the 
restraint is to be used. Without proper use, the effectiveness of these 
systems is greatly diminished. Each CRS must also have a permanent 
label.\1\ A permanently attached label gives ``quicklook'' information 
on whether the restraint meets the safety requirements, recommended 
installation and use, and warnings against misuse. The requested 
revision is to add a sentence to the existing instructions brochure and 
labeling that will inform the consumer that the lower anchors of a 
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system may only be used 
for children weighing ``x'' lb or less, where the ``x'' value depends 
on the weight of the CRS. The purpose of this label is to reduce 
consumer confusion about using LATCH, and to assure that the lower 
anchors will be able to withstand the forces generated by the child and 
CRS in virtually all crashes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ FMVSS No. 213 also requires child restraint manufacturers to 
provide owner-registration cards and to keep records relating to 
owner registration information, so that owners can be notified about 
noncompliance or defect recall campaigns. These owner registration 
requirements are not affected by the final rule (77 FR 11626).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Under the final rule, CRSs equipped with internal harnesses to 
restrain the child and with components to attach to a child restraint 
anchorage system, will be required to be labeled with a child weight 
limit for using the lower anchors to attach the child restraint to the 
vehicle. The child weight limit depends on the weight of the CRS.
    On February 25, 2014 the agency published a final rule responding 
to petitions for reconsideration (79 FR 10396) of the February 2012 
final rule. The petitions stated, among other things, that the label 
that was required by the 2012 rule was unclear and could be 
misunderstood. In response, NHTSA made minor adjustments to the 
labeling requirement to make it clearer and more reader friendly.
    NHTSA anticipates a change to the hour burden or costs associated 
with the revised child restraint labels and written instructions. Child 
restraint manufacturers produce, on average, a total of approximately 
4,500,000 child restraints per year. The label would apply to 
approximately 50 percent of the total annual production (2,250,000 
units). The hour burden associated with the revised label consists of 
the child restraint manufacturer: (1) Determining the maximum allowable 
child weight when using the lower anchor attachments as a means of 
installation and (2) adding this information on an existing label and 
instruction manual. We estimate 2 seconds of additional burden per 
child restraint for the determination of the maximum allowable weight 
and the addition of the information on the existing label and 
instruction manual (2 seconds x 2,250,000 units = 4,500,000 seconds = 
1,250 hours).

[[Page 43815]]

    Affected Public: Businesses, Individuals and Households.
    Estimated Additional Annual Burden: 1,250 hours.

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 Department's 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.

David M. Hines,
Acting Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2014-17634 Filed 7-25-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P