Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for Comment; Investigation-Based Crash Data Studies

Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for Comment; Investigation-Based Crash Data Studies

Publication: Federal Register
Signing Official: Chou Lin Chen
Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Date: 26 January 2022

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 17 (Wednesday, January 26, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4099-4103]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-01436]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2021-0086]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for
Comment; Investigation-Based Crash Data Studies

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments on an extension with
modification of a currently approved information collection.

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SUMMARY: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
invites public comments about our intention to request approval from
the Office of

[[Page 4100]]

Management and Budget (OMB) for extension with modification of a
currently approved information collection. 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 reinstatement of previously approved collections. This
document describes a collection of information for which NHTSA intends
to seek OMB approval on NHTSA's Investigation-Based Crash Data Studies:
Crash Investigation Sampling System (CISS), Special Crash Investigation
(SCI) and Special Study Data Collection.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 28, 2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by the Docket No. NHTSA-
2021-0086 through any of the following methods:
Electronic Submissions: Go to the Federal eRulemaking
Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions
for submitting comments.
Fax: (202) 493-2251.
Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management, U.S. Department
of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except on Federal holidays. To be sure someone is there to help
you, please call (202) 366-9322 before coming.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and
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. Please see the Privacy Act heading
below.
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 background documents or
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the street
address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the
dockets via internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or access
to background documents, contact Dinesh Sharma, Crash Investigation
Division (NSA-110), (202) 366-2333, National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, W53-493, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. Please identify the relevant
collection of information by referring to its OMB Control Number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), 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: (a) 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; (b) 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; (c) how to enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;
and (d) 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 comments on the following proposed collection of
information for which the agency is seeking approval from OMB.
Title: Investigation-Based Crash Data Studies.
OMB Control Number: 2127-0706.
Form Number(s): Form 1278 and 1280.
Type of Request: Request for extension with modification of a
currently approved information collection.
Type of Review Requested: Regular.
Requested Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years from date of
approval.
Summary of the Collection of Information:
NHTSA is authorized, under 49 U.S.C. 30182 and 23 U.S.C. 403 to
collect data on motor vehicle traffic crashes to aid in the
identification of issues and the development, implementation, and
evaluation of motor vehicle and highway safety countermeasures. For
decades, NHTSA has been investigating crashes and collecting crash data
through its Investigation-Based Crash Data Studies, namely the Crash
Investigation Sampling System (CISS), Special Crash Investigation
(SCI), and specific issue-based Special Study data collection studies.
Although each of these systems satisfy different purposes and collect
data in different manners, they all utilize the same core variables
(e.g., forms), procedures and protocols for data collection.
NHTSA is seeking approval to modify the existing information
collection to: (a) Increase the number of crashes investigated by the
crash technicians for 2021 and future years, (b) add Special Study
cases into this package, and (c) add Special Crash Investigation cases
into this package. NHTSA has also adjusted estimates to include the
burden incurred by tow yards, hospitals, and law enforcement agencies
in responding to the collections. The combined impact is a increase of
1,407 burden hours to NHTSA's overall total.
The CISS is a nationally representative sample of passenger vehicle
crashes which focus on detailed investigation of passenger vehicle
crashes. It provides nationally representative data on fatal and
nonfatal motor vehicle crashes for use in developing and evaluating
federal motor vehicle safety standards and other safety
countermeasures. The CISS began implementation in 2015 and by 2018 was
collecting crash data from thirty-two (32) fully operational sites. The
CISS collects data at both the crash level through scene analysis and
vehicle level through vehicle damage assessment together with injury
source evidence and standardized coding.
The SCI Program is used to provide NHTSA with the most in-depth and
detailed level of crash investigation data collected by the Agency.
Generally, SCI investigations are conducted for crashes of special
interest, such as those involving new or emerging safety technologies
(e.g., those involving vehicles equipped with crash avoidance
technologies or Automated Driving Systems (ADS)), school buses,
motorcoaches, alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles, adaptive control
equipped vehicles, fires, child restraints, and those relevant to
safety defect investigations. The crash investigations are conducted to
document crash circumstances, identify

[[Page 4101]]

injury sources, evaluate safety countermeasure effectiveness and
support Agency rulemaking actions. Investigations are also conducted to
provide early detection of alleged or potential vehicle safety defects.
Reports are generated from investigations and all are made available to
the public. The crashes chosen for SCI investigation may be chosen
throughout the year as they arise, or be part of a planned effort to
look into a particular type of crash (such as crashes involving air bag
deployment-related fatalities and injuries).
In addition to the above-referenced CISS and SCI data collections,
NHTSA also conducts investigation-based special studies using the CISS
and SCI infrastructure to answer questions on a specific topical aspect
of vehicle and highway safety. In the special study cases, data is
typically gathered remotely where documents and investigation details
are requested from investigating agencies and the data is compiled,
coded, and reported on collectively in a summary report detailing the
issue. These special studies will utilize the same infrastructure CISS
and SCI, as well as the same core variables (e.g., forms) and
procedures and protocols. The cases may be selected from an agency's
data set (i.e., CISS, SCI, or Fatality Analysis Reporting System
(FARS)) or through other means (i.e., internet searches, news articles,
and public notification). The cases may or may not be selected to
provide a nationally-representative sample of crashes. In the past,
using the National Automotive Sampling System-Crashworthiness Data
System (NASS-CDS) infrastructure, NHTSA conducted several
investigation-based special studies, including studies on child
occupant protection, air bag effectiveness, and pedestrian safety among
others. NASS-CDS, operated from 1979 through 2015, and was the
predecessor to CISS. Three currently-planned special studies will
collect information on crashes that involve medium-duty trucks (trucks
between 10,001 and 26,000 lbs.), pedestrians or pedalcyclists, and
first responders or construction or maintenance workers struck while
performing official duties on the road.
NHTSA will also use the information collected through the CISS
infrastructure to support NHTSA's Non-Traffic Surveillance (NTS). CISS
Technicians review over a hundred and fifty thousand crash reports each
year, and some of these reports are not applicable to the CISS program,
but they may be applicable to the NTS data collection. NTS is a virtual
data collection system designed to provide counts and details regarding
fatalities and injuries that occur in non-traffic crashes and in non-
crash incidents. Non-traffic motor vehicle crashes are a class of
crashes that occur off the public trafficways. These crashes,
subsequently referred to as ``non-traffic crashes,'' are mostly single-
vehicle crashes on private roads, two vehicle crashes in parking
facilities, or collisions with pedestrians in driveways. In addition,
there are non-traffic incidents such as a vehicle falling on a person
underneath or an unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning inside the
vehicle. Non-traffic crash data is obtained through NHTSA's CISS, SCI,
Crash Reporting Sampling System (CRSS), and FARS.
For the standard investigation-based crash data studies acquisition
process, once a crash has been selected for investigation, crash
technicians locate, visit, measure, and photograph the crash scene;
locate, visit, inspect, and photograph involved vehicle(s); conduct a
telephone or personal interview with the involved individuals or a
surrogate (another person who can provide occupant or crash
information, such as parents for a minor or parent or spouse for a
deceased individual); and obtain and record crash injury information
received from various medical data sources. These data are used to
describe and analyze circumstances, mechanisms, and consequences of a
cross section of towed, light passenger motor vehicle crashes in the
United States. The collection of interview data aids in this effort.
For the special studies, the data is typically gathered following
similar procedures, but is targeted to a specific issue (e.g., child
occupant protection, crash causation factors) as opposed to an entire
investigation. Special Studies investigations also typically only
involve obtaining information from law enforcement, who provide access
to and a copy of the crash report where the data is not electronic.
They do not involve interviewing people involved in crashes, obtaining
medical records or inspecting the vehicles. Each special study has
specific requirements (i.e., types of crashes and/or data collected);
however, the gathering of crash reports for these studies is similar to
the gathering of crash reports in the CISS and SCI programs.

Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the
Information

NHTSA investigates real-world crashes and collects detailed crash
data through CISS, SCI, and Special Studies data collection programs to
identify the primary factors related to the source of crashes and their
injury outcomes. These detailed factors are utilized to develop and
evaluate effective safety countermeasures including the establishment
and enforcement of motor vehicle regulations that reduce the severity
of injury and property damage caused by motor vehicle crashes. The data
collected also give motor vehicle researchers an opportunity to specify
areas in which improvements may be possible, design countermeasure
programs, and evaluate the effects of existing and proposed safety
measures.

Burden to Respondents

NHTSA has provided a description of the affected public, estimated
number of respondents, description of frequency, and estimates of the
total burden hours and costs for each of the three Investigation-Based
Crash Data Acquisition Systems (CISS, SCI, and Special Studies) below.
In aggregate, NHTSA estimates that the total annual burden is 7,012
hours and $0.

Program: CISS

[[Page 4102]]

respondent's time on average. CISS conducts interviews for
approximately 5,300 crashes per year, which NHTSA estimates takes about
45 minutes per crash (2.25 respondents x 20 minutes). Therefore, the
estimated total annual burden hours for the collection of information
from individuals involved in crashes for CISS is 3,975 hours ((5,300
crashes x 45 minutes) / 60 minutes/hour).
In addition to interviews, crash technicians and investigators must
obtain official records to initiate and complete the cases. These
records include police crash reports and medical records. The second
information collection under CISS is for the collection of crash
records from sampled police jurisdictions. NHTSA estimates that there
are 181 sample police jurisdictions annually. To estimate the burden to
sampled police jurisdictions, NHTSA multiplied the average number of
visits per year by the average burden per visit and the number of
police jurisdictions. On average, each of the 181 sampled police
jurisdictions are queried weekly (or 52 times per year) and each query
is estimated to take 3 minutes. Accordingly, NHTSA estimates the total
annual burden for sampled police jurisdictions to be 2.6 hours per
respondent (3 minutes x 52 visits) and 471 hours for all respondents
(2.6 hours x 181 police jurisdictions = 470.6 hours).
The third information collection under CISS is for the collection
of crash records from non-sampled police jurisdictions. Based on
existing CISS data, there are 340 non-sampled jurisdictions annually.
To estimate the burden to non-sample police jurisdictions, NHTSA
multiplied the average number of visits per year by the average burden
per visit and the number of non-sampled police jurisdictions. On
average, each of the 340 non-sampled police jurisdictions are visited
twice annually and each query is estimated to take 15 minutes.
Accordingly, NHTSA estimates the total burden for non-sampled police
jurisdictions to be 30 minutes per respondent (15 minutes x 2 visits)
and 170 hours for all respondents ((30 minutes x 340 non-sampled police
jurisdictions) / 60 minutes/hour) = 170 hours).
The fourth information collection under CISS is for the collection
of medical records from hospitals. Based on existing data, CISS
collects an average of 9,540 records each year from an average of 275
hospitals. NHTSA estimates that a hospital spends 10 minutes for each
record requested. Accordingly, NHTSA estimates the total annual burden
to be 1,590 hours ((9,540 records x 10 minutes) / 60 minutes/hour) and
estimates that each hospital will, on average, spend 5.78 hours
providing the requested information each year (1,590 hours / 275
hospitals).
The fifth information collection under CISS is for the collection
from tow yards necessary to gain access to and locate a vehicle that
was involved in a crash. Typically, a tow facility operator just needs
to give the crash technician permission to enter the yard to inspect
the vehicle and involves approximately 5 minutes of staff time. CISS
data shows an average of 6,360 visits to tow facilities per year, and
NHTSA estimates 1,120 tow facilities will be visited annually.
Accordingly, NHTSA estimates the total annual burden to be 530 hours
((6,360 visits x 5 minutes) / 60 minutes/hour) and estimates that each
tow facility will, on average, spend 28.39 minutes providing the
requested information each year ((530 hours x 60 minutes) / 1,120
facilities).
Accordingly, NHTSA estimates that the total burden associated with
the CISS data acquisition system is 6,736 hours (3,975 + 471 + 170 +
1,590 + 530).
Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost: $0.
There are no capital, start-up, or annual operation and maintenance
costs involved in this collection of information. The respondents would
not incur any reporting costs from the information collection beyond
the opportunity or labor costs associated with the burden hours. The
respondents also would not incur any recordkeeping burden or
recordkeeping costs from the information collection.

Program: Special Crash Investigation (SCI)

Affected Public: People involved in select motor vehicle crashes,
law enforcement jurisdictions that provide access to and a copy of the
crash report where the data is not electronic; hospitals that provide a
copy of the injured occupant's medical treatment of injuries; and tow
or salvage lot facilities that provide access to the storage facility
to inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 500.
Frequency: On occasion (typically once per year).
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 109 hours (67 + 17 + 17 + 8).
The SCI crash data acquisition system includes 4 information
collections. The first information collection covers the collection of
information from individuals involved in crashes via interview. The
estimated number of interview respondents is obtained by multiplying
the approximate number of crashes investigated each year by the average
number of interviews per crash. Based on existing data, each SCI crash
involves an average of approximately 2 individuals. NHTSA estimates
that SCI conducts investigations on approximately 100 crashes per year.
Therefore, NHTSA estimates that there will be 200 respondents per year
(100 crashes x 2 respondents per crash).
The respondents are contacted only once; however, in rare
circumstances follow-up questions may be needed to clarify data. The
interview requires approximately 20 minutes of a respondent's time on
average. SCI conducts interviews for approximately 100 crashes per
year, which NHTSA estimates takes about 40 minutes per crash (2
respondents x 20 minutes). Therefore, the estimated total annual burden
hours for the collection of information from individuals involved in
crashes for SCI is approximately 67 hours ((100 crashes x 40 minutes) /
60 minutes/hour = 66.67).
In addition to interviews, crash technicians and investigators must
obtain official records to initiate and complete the cases. These
records include police crash reports and medical records. The second
information collection under SCI is for the collection of crash records
from police jurisdictions. The SCI investigators contact an estimated
100 police jurisdictions once per year and require approximately 10
minutes of staff time per police jurisdiction. To estimate the burden
to these police jurisdictions, NHTSA multiplied the average number of
visits per year by the average burden per visit and the number of
police jurisdictions. Accordingly, NHTSA estimates the total annual
burden for police jurisdictions to be 10 minutes per respondent (10
minutes x 1 query per year) and 17 hours for all respondents ((10
minutes x 100 police jurisdictions) / 60 minutes/hour = 16.67 hours).
The third information collection under SCI is for the collection of
medical records from hospitals. Based on existing data, SCI collects an
average of 100 records each year from 100 hospitals (1 request per
hospital per year). NHTSA estimates that a hospital spends 10 minutes
for each record requested. Accordingly, NHTSA estimates the total
annual burden to be 17 hours ((100 records x 10 minutes) / 60 minutes/
hour = 16.67 hours) and estimates that each hospital will, on average,
spend 10 minutes providing the requested information each year (10
minutes x 1 record request per year).
The fourth information collection under SCI is for the collection
from tow

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yards necessary to gain access to and locate a vehicle that was
involved in a crash. Typically, a tow facility operator just needs to
give the crash technician permission to enter the yard to inspect the
vehicle and involves approximately 5 minutes of staff time. SCI
conducts approximately 100 visits to tow facilities per year, and NHTSA
estimates that 100 tow facilities will be visited annually (1 request
per facility per year). Accordingly, NHTSA estimates the total annual
burden to be 8 hours ((100 visits x 5 minutes) / 60 minutes/hour = 8.33
hours) and estimates that each tow facility will, on average, spend 5
minutes providing the requested information each year.
Accordingly, NHTSA estimates that the total burden associated with
the SCI data acquisition system is 109 hours (67 + 17 + 17 + 8).
Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost: $0.
There are no capital, start-up, or annual operation and maintenance
costs involved in this collection of information. The respondents would
not incur any reporting costs from the information collection beyond
the opportunity or labor costs associated with the burden hours. The
respondents also would not incur any recordkeeping burden or
recordkeeping costs from the information collection.

Special Studies

Affected Public: Law enforcement jurisdictions that provide access
to and a copy of the crash report where the data is not electronic.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,000.
Frequency: On occasion (typically once per year).
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 167 hours.
There is only one information collection for Special Studies in
this ICR. This ICR only covers special studies involving remote-level
investigations.\1\ Accordingly, these remote-level investigations do
not involve interviews of individuals involved in crashes, collection
of medical records from hospitals, or visits to tow facilities.
Instead, these special studies only involve the collection of
information from police jurisdictions.
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\1\ If NHTSA intends to conduct a special study that is not
remote, it will seek separate clearance.
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NHTSA estimates that the special studies will involve, on average,
1,000 police jurisdictions each year and require approximately 10
minutes of staff time per police jurisdiction. The total annual hour
burden on jurisdictions for special studies information is estimated to
be 167 hours (1 visit x 10 minutes x 1,000 jurisdictions / 60 minutes/
hour = 166.67).
Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost: $0.
There are no capital, start-up, or annual operation and maintenance
costs involved in this collection of information. The respondents would
not incur any reporting costs from the information collection beyond
the labor costs associated with the burden hours. The respondents also
would not incur any recordkeeping burden or recordkeeping costs from
the information collection.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours All Programs: 7,012 hours.
The total estimated annual burden hours to all respondents for this
ICR is 7,012 hours. The table below provides a summary of the estimated
annual burden hours.

Table 2--Summary of Burden Hour Estimates
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Number of
Information collection title Number of responses (per Burden per Burden per Total burden
respondents respondent) response respondent
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CISS: Interviews with 11,925 11,925 (1) 20 minutes...... 20 minutes..... 3,975 hours.
Individuals Involved in
Crashes.
CISS: Collection of Police 181 9,412 (52) 3 minutes....... 156 minutes 470.6 hours.
Records from Sampled (2.6 hours). 471 hours.
Jurisdictions.
CISS: Collection of Police 340 680 (2) 15 minutes...... 30 minutes..... 170 hours.
Records from Non-Sampled
Jurisdictions.
CISS: Collection of Medical 275 9,540 (34.69) 10 minutes...... 5.78 hours..... 1,590 hours.
Records.
CISS: Access to Tow Yards.... 1,120 6,360 (5.68) 5 minutes....... 28.39 minutes.. 530 hours.
SCI: Interviews with 200 200 (1) 20 minutes...... 20 minutes..... 67 hours.
Individuals Involved in
Crashes.
SCI: Collection of Police 100 100 (1) 10 minutes...... 10 minutes..... 17 hours.
Records.
SCI: Collection of Medical 100 100 (1) 10 minutes...... 10 minutes..... 17 hours.
Records.
SCI: Access to Tow Yards..... 100 100 (1) 5 minutes....... 5 minutes...... 8 hours.
Special Studies: Collection 1,000 1,000 (1) 10 minutes...... 10 minutes..... 167 hours.
of Police Records.
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Total.................... ........... ................ ................ ............... 7,012
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Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost All Programs: $0
Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspects of
this information collection, including (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the Department's estimate
of the burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) 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.
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 January 20, 2022.
Chou Lin Chen,
Associate Administrator, National Center for Statistics and Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2022-01436 Filed 1-25-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P