Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for Comment; Government 5-Star Safety Ratings Label Consumer Research

Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for Comment; Government 5-Star Safety Ratings Label Consumer Research

Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for Comment; Government 5-Star Safety Ratings Label Consumer Research

James Kenneth Schulte
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
28 April 2020

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 82 (Tuesday, April 28, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23598-23600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-08949]

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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket No. NHTSA-2020-0006]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for
Comment; Government 5-Star Safety Ratings Label Consumer Research

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S.
Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice and request for public comment on proposed collection of
information.

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

SUMMARY: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
invites public comments about our intention to request approval from
the Office of Management and Budget on a new collection of information.
Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the
public, it must receive approval from 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 one collection of
information for consumer information purposes for which NHTSA intends
to seek OMB approval.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted on or before June 29, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by the docket number
[NHTSA-2020-0006] in the heading of this document, by any of the
following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments on
the electronic docket site by clicking on ``Help'' or ``FAQ.''
Mail or Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern
Time, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Fax: 202-493-2251.
Regardless of how you submit comments, you should mention the
docket number of this document.
You may call the Docket Management Facility at 202-366-9826.
Instructions: For detailed instructions on submitting comments and
additional information on the information collection process, see the
Public Participation heading of the Supplementary Information section
of this document. Note that all comments received will be posted
without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal
information provided.
Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78) or you may visit https://www.transportation.gov/privacy.
Docket: For access to the docket to read comments received, go to
http://www.regulations.gov, or the street address listed above. Follow
the online instructions for accessing the dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Joyce, Marketing Specialist,
Office of Communications and Consumer Information (NCO-0200), National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, W52-
238, Washington, DC 20590. Mike Joyce's phone number is 202-366-5600
and his email address is Mike.Joyce@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 first 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 regulation (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;
(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 for public

[[Page 23599]]

comments on the following proposed collection of information for which
the agency is seeking approval from OMB:
Title: Government 5-Star Safety Ratings Label Consumer Research
Type of Request: Request for approval of a new information
collection
Type of Review Requested: Regular
Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from approval
date.
Abstract: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1970 (23 U.S.C.
101) to save lives prevent injury, and reduce motor vehicle crashes on
the Nation's highways. One of NHTSA's directives is to provide to the
public the following information about passenger motor vehicles: Damage
susceptibility; crashworthiness, crash avoidance, and any other areas
NHTSA determines will improve safety of passenger motor vehicles; and
the degree of difficulty of diagnosis and repair of damage to, or
failure of, mechanical and electrical systems. (49 U.S.C. 32302). Under
its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) and 5-Star Safety Ratings
Program, NHTSA conducts frontal crash, side crash and rollover
resistance tests to new vehicles and, based on the results, assigns
safety ratings to the tested vehicles. The ratings enable consumers to
consider and assess the relative safety of vehicles before deciding
which new vehicle they want to purchase.
In 2005, Congress enacted SAFETEA-LU (Pub. L. 109-49), which
required the safety ratings assigned by NHTSA under NCAP or a statement
that the vehicle was not assigned safety ratings under NCAP to be
included on the window label for new vehicles, known as the Monroney
label.\1\ On December 4, 2015, Congress enacted the Fixing America's
Surface Transportation (FAST) Act which requires the Secretary of
Transportation (NHTSA by delegation) to issue a rule to ensure crash
avoidance information is provided next to crashworthiness information
on vehicle windows stickers.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ The Automobile Information Disclosure Act of 1958, 15 U.S.C.
1231-1233, requires that new vehicles carry a sticker on a window
containing specified information about the vehicle.
\2\ Section 24322 of Part II--Safety Through Informed Consumers
Act of 2015. Public Law 114-94.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

In continuing support of its mission and to assist the agency in
meeting its FAST Act requirement, NHTSA proposes to conduct qualitative
research using focus groups in four geographic markets located across
the country to evaluate design and consumer information improvements to
the Government 5-Star Safety Ratings section of the Monroney label.\3\
This information collection will involve a one-time phone voluntary
survey involving members of the public to identify research
participants and a one-time, in-person, focus group. Participants in
the research program will be asked to evaluate design and consumer
information improvements to the Government 5-Star Safety Ratings
section of the vehicle window sticker. NHTSA will use the findings from
this research to support planned changes to the label and future
consumer communications on vehicle safety ratings and advanced crash
avoidance technology system performance assessments.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\3\ The Automobile Information Disclosure Act of 1958, 15 U.S.C.
1231-1233, requires that new vehicles carry a sticker on a window
containing specified information about the vehicle.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary of the Collection of Information: In this collection of
information, NHTSA is seeking approval to conduct qualitative focus
groups with 72 consumer participants. The focus groups aim to achieve
the following objectives:
(1) Evaluate the overall appeal of each label concept and identify
specific likes and dislikes associated with specific components of the
label;
(2) Measure the ease of comprehension for each label concept and
understand which visual and text features are most effective at
conveying vehicle safety information;
(3) Assess the distinctiveness of how the information is displayed
and understand how best to make the vehicle safety information stand
out on the Monroney label; and,
(4) Identify additional areas of improvement related to the three
main label sections relating to safety protection, safety technology
and overall vehicle safety performance.
Description of the Need for the Information and the Proposed Use of
the Information: This collection of information will allow NHTSA to
obtain critical information needed to fulfill the 2015 Fixing America's
Surface Transportation (FAST) Act requirement that NHTSA issue a rule
to ensure crash avoidance information is provided next to
crashworthiness information on vehicle windows stickers.\4\
Specifically, the data from this collection will be used to not only
enhance consumer understanding of NHTSA's vehicle safety ratings and
advanced crash avoidance technology system performance assessments, but
also guide the development of communications that will help consumers
as they consider this information in their vehicle purchase decisions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\4\ Section 24322 of Part II--Safety Through Informed Consumers
Act of 2015 requires the Secretary of Transportation (NHTSA by
delegation) to issue a rule to ensure that crash avoidance
information is indicated next to crashworthiness information on
stickers placed on motor vehicles by their manufacturers. Public Law
114-94, December 4, 2015.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Affected Public: Members of the public.
Number of Respondents: 560.
For this information collection, NHTSA plans to conduct a total of
8 focus groups (2 groups in each of 4 markets), each lasting
approximately 90 minutes. NHTSA intends for each focus group to consist
of approximately 9 participants for a total of 72 participants in the
focus group sessions. Based on experience, NHTSA will need to recruit
up to 14 people per focus group in order to ensure that at least 9 will
appear at the focus group facility at the appointed time. If more than
9 participants show up at the facility for a given session, the
research team will select 9 participants based on their profile
information provided in the recruitment grid to seat. The remaining
participants will be paid their honorarium and sent home. Therefore, in
order to ensure that there are approximately 9 participants per focus
group session, a total of 112 potential participants (14 per focus
group) will be recruited via telephone screening calls, which are
estimated to take 5 minutes per call. In order to recruit 112 potential
participants, NHTSA estimates that it will be necessary to initially
reach out to and screen 560 people. This is based on experience that
demonstrates that of the people that are contacted, 20% will qualify
for the study, be available, and be interested in participating in the
focus group.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 154.7 hours.
NHTSA estimates the total burden per person actually participating
in this focus group research is estimated to be 95 minutes (5 minutes
for the screening/recruiting telephone call plus 90 minutes in the
focus group discussion session). Additionally, the total burden per
person recruited (but not participating in the discussions) is 5
minutes. Therefore, the total annual estimated burden imposed by this
collection is approximately 154.7 hours.

[[Page 23600]]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Participation
Category of respondent respondents time (minutes) Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recruit/Screening call (assumes 20% qualify; are available and 560 5 46.7
interested in participating in the focus group)................
Participation in 90-minute group................................ 72 90 108
-----------------------------------------------
Total Burden................................................ .............. .............. 154.7
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Estimated Costs to Respondents: $2,484.00.
The only cost burdens respondents will incur are costs related to
travel to and from the research location. The costs are minimal and are
expected to be offset by the honorarium that will be provided to all
research participants. NHTSA estimates that each of the focus group
participants will travel less than 30-miles one-way to the focus group
location. Using the IRS standard mileage rate of $0.575 per mile,\5\
each respondent is expected to incur no more than $34.50 in
transportation costs. Therefore, NHTSA estimates that the total costs
to all respondents will be $2,484.00.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\5\ From Internal Revenue Services' 2020 Standard Mileage Rate
for business miles driven. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-20-05.pdf, last accessed March 26, 2020.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Public Comments Invited: The results of this research will be used
to inform communications for the New Car Assessment Program, also known
as the Government 5-Star Safety Ratings program. Comments are invited
on (1) 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; (2) the accuracy
of the Department's estimate of the burden of the proposed information
collection; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (4) 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. The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in
the request for OMB's clearance of this information collection.

(Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter
35, as amended; 49 CFR 1.49; and DOT Order 1351.29)

Issued on: April 22, 2020.
James Kenneth Schulte,
Acting Associate Administrator, Office of Communications and Consumer
Information.
[FR Doc. 2020-08949 Filed 4-27-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P