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

Jeff Michael
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
April 29, 2015

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 82 (Wednesday, April 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23850-23851]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09989]


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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44

[[Page 23851]]

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 collection and the expected 
burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period was 
published on January 21, 2015 (Federal Register/Vol. 80, No. 13/pp. 
3008-3010).

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 29, 2015.

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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Amanda M. Kelley, 202-366-7394.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Evaluation of Correct Child Restraint System Installations.
    Type of Request: New information collection requirement.
    Abstract: Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death to 
children in the United States. In 2012, a total of 952 children younger 
than 13 years died in motor vehicle traffic crashes, and two-thirds of 
these fatalities occurred among children riding in passenger vehicles. 
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), recommends 
that all children ages 12 years and under be properly buckled in an 
age- and size-appropriate car seat, booster seat, or seat belt in the 
rear seat. Currently, there are four types of child restraint systems 
designed for children: Infant, convertible, combination, and belt-
positioning booster seats. Each system is designed to protect a child 
within a given height and weight category in the event of a crash.
    While child restraint use has increased over the years, many 
children are still fatally injured as a result of motor vehicles 
crashes. One possible explanation for this occurrence could be the 
large number of child passengers who are either riding unrestrained in 
vehicles, improperly placed in a CRS, or prematurely graduated to an 
adult vehicle seat belt system. The most prevalent installation errors 
observed include: Incorrect harness routing slot used, improper harness 
clip position, loose CRS installation, loose harness straps, and 
improper lap belt placement (NHTSA, 2012). Researchers have also 
identified errors related to caregivers selecting the correct CRS for 
the children's ages, heights, and weights.
    Evaluating the causes of the various selection and installation 
errors can be challenging. That is, one or more factors may contribute 
to any one type of installation error. There are numerous CRS makes and 
models marketed to the consumer, each with its own installation 
procedures/manual. In addition, vehicle manufacturers design vehicle 
restraint systems and vehicle seats that are incompatible with various 
CRSs. New vehicles are continually introduced to the fleet, and CRSs 
continue to evolve each year. Finally, there is a never-ending flow of 
new parents/caregivers who need to be educated on child passenger 
safety. Despite their inexperience, new parents may overestimate their 
own accuracy in selecting and securely installing a CRS to the vehicle 
and securing the child in the CRS.
    In an effort to reduce the number of errors, NHTSA is undertaking a 
study to gain some insight into the causes of errors related to 
selecting and installing CRSs. To accomplish this, NHTSA will evaluate 
installation performance and caregiver confidence for 150 experienced 
and novice CRS users and determine which factors contribute to both 
installation and securement errors and to determine what factors 
related to the CRS, vehicle, and user confidence contribute to errors. 
Evaluation measures will involve the independent identification, 
collection and evaluation of both qualitative and quantitative data 
that specifically document the types of errors made by both user 
groups, as well as vehicle and CRS features that might contribute to 
those errors. Identifying these causal factors that contribute to 
errors related to selecting and installing CRSs, as well as those 
factors that contribute to accurately selecting and properly installing 
CRSs for both novice and experienced users, will be the first step in 
increasing the safety of child passengers in moving vehicles. In 
addition, overall findings can be made available to CRS manufacturers 
and vehicle manufacturers related to improvements to specific CRS and 
vehicle design features that may foster a better fit in the vehicles 
and securement for children.
    Affected Public: Participants will represent both ``novice'' and 
``experienced'' CRS users recruited from the Greater Washington, DC 
area. ``Experienced'' users regularly care for a child under the age of 
4 years, transport the child in a vehicle at least twice a week, have 
secured the child in a CRS a minimum of five times in the past 6 
months, and have installed any type of CRS at least once in the past 12 
months. ``Novice'' CRS users do not regularly transport children and 
have not installed a CRS in the past 6 months will be recruited for 
participation.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 300 hours (150 participants, 
averaging 2 hours).
    Comments are invited 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 information collection;
    (iii) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (iv) 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.

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

    Dated: April 23, 2015.
Jeff Michael,
Associate Administrator, Research and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 2015-09989 Filed 4-28-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-59-P