National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document announces a decision by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that certain 2000-2001 Audi (8D) A4, S4, and RS4 passenger cars, manufactured from September 1, 1999, through August 31, 2001, for the European market, that were not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) are eligible for importation into the United States because they are substantially similar to vehicles originally manufactured for importation into and sale in the United States and that were certified by their manufacturer as complying with the safety standards (the U.S. certified version of the 2000-2001 Audi (8D) A4, and S4 passenger cars), and they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the standards.

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 December 5, 2005 [70 FR 272501]. This is a request for an extension of an existing collection.

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 collection and the expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period was published on July 11, 2005 (70 FR 39851-39852).

This document extends the comment period for proposed amendments to six (6) highway safety guidelines published on February 9, 2006 (71 FR 6830). The comment due date was March 13, 2006. In a letter dated February 22, 2006, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation asked NHTSA for an extension of this due date. This document grants that request and extends the comment due date for the proposed highway safety guidelines to March 27, 2006.

Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 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 three collections of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

To address the problem of rear underride crashes, Federal safety standards require heavy trailers and semitrailers to be equipped with underride guards. Compliance with these requirements is not practicable for vehicles featuring work-performing equipment mounted in the area where an underride guard would normally be located. These trailers and semitrailers are designated as ``special purpose vehicles'' and are excluded from the standard. On November 5, 2004, we published a final rule amending the definition of ``special purpose vehicles'' in order to clarify the exclusion by specifying the dimensions of the area where the work-performing equipment must reside or pass through in order for the exclusion to apply. On December 14, 2004, we were petitioned by the National Truck Equipment Association to reconsider the final rule because the amendment has had an unintended effect of narrowing the exclusion applicable to ``special purpose vehicles.'' In response to that petition for reconsideration, this document further amends the definition of a ``special purpose vehicle'' to exclude a specific group of vehicles that cannot comply with the underride guard requirements in a practicable manner.

This notice announces the Fourteenth Public Meeting of members of the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network. CIREN is a collaborative effort to conduct research on crashes and injuries at eight Level 1 Trauma Centers linked by a computer network. Researchers can review data and share expertise, which could lead to a better understanding of crash injury mechanisms and the design of safer vehicles.

This notice seeks comments about what revisions are needed for the Model Specifications for Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Devices (Model Specifications) published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the Federal Register on April 7, 1992 (57 FR 11772). Model specifications are guidelines for the performance and testing of breath alcohol ignition interlock devices (BAIIDs). These devices are designed to prevent a driver from starting a motor vehicle when the driver's breath alcohol content (BrAC) is at or above a set alcohol level. Because changes may be necessary after more than 13 years of experience with this technology, NHTSA is seeking comments regarding the need for revisions to the model specifications.

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 December 1, 2005 in Volume 70, Number 230 on pages 72145- 72146.

This notice solicits public comments on continuation of the requirements for the collection of information on safety standards. Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and Budget (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 on the advanced air bag phase-in requirements of the Federal motor vehicle safety standard on occupant protection for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

Section 402 of title 23 of the United States Code requires the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate uniform guidelines for State highway safety programs. NHTSA is seeking comments on proposed amendments to six (6) of the existing guidelines to reflect program methodology and approaches that have proven to be successful and are based in sound science and program administration. The guidelines the agency proposes to revise are as follows: Guideline No. 3 Motorcycle Safety, Guideline No. 8 Impaired Driving, Guideline No. 14 Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety, Guideline No. 15 Traffic Enforcement Services (formerly Police Traffic Services), Guideline No. 19 Speed Management (formerly Speed Control), and Guideline No. 20 Occupant Protection. NHTSA believes the proposed revisions will provide more accurate, current and detailed guidance to the States. The revised guidelines will be made publicly available on the NHTSA Web site.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announces a grant program to improve State traffic safety information systems under Section 2006 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy For Users (SAFETEA-LU). This Notice informs the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, through their Governors' Representatives for Highway Safety, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (on behalf of the Indian tribes), of the application procedures to receive grants to be made available in fiscal years 2006 through 2009.

This document announces receipt by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 2005 Toyota RAV4 multipurpose passenger vehicles that were not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards are eligible for importation into the United States because (1) they are substantially similar to vehicles that were originally manufactured for importation into and sale in the United States and that were certified by their manufacturer as complying with the safety standards, and (2) they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the standards.

This notice grants the Mercedes-Benz, U.S.A. LLC (``MBUSA'') application for a temporary exemption from the requirements of S5.5.10 of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment. In accordance with 49 CFR Part Sec. 555.6(b), the basis for the grant is to facilitate the development and field evaluation of new motor vehicle safety feature providing a level of safety at least equal to that of the standard. Pursuant to Sec. 555.6(b)(5), MBUSA is permitted to sell not more than 2,500 exempted vehicles in any twelve-month period of the exemption. Because the exemption period is 24 months, this grant affects up to a total of 5,000 vehicles.

On July 12, 2005, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) granted in full General Motors Corporation's (GM) petition to exempt the Chevrolet Cobalt vehicle line from the parts-marking requirements of the vehicle theft prevention standard (See 70 FR 40102). The exemption was granted because the agency determined that the antitheft device proposed to be placed on the line as standard equipment was likely to be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements of the Theft Prevention Standard. On August 24, 2005, GM petitioned the agency to amend the exemption currently granted for the Chevrolet Cobalt vehicle line. NHTSA is granting in full GM's petition to modify the exemption because it has determined that the modified antitheft device to be placed on the Chevrolet Cobalt line as standard equipment will also likely be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements.

One of the provisions of the recently enacted Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) requires new passenger vehicles to be labeled with safety rating information published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's New Car Assessment Program. This document proposes a regulation to implement that new labeling requirement beginning September 1, 2007.

This notice denies a petition filed by Diane and Dorsey Smith requesting that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) amend its regulation concerning odometer disclosure requirements to eliminate the exemption for vehicles having a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of more than 16,000 pounds.

In a final rule of August 17, 2005 (70 FR 48295), we updated our standard regulating motor vehicle controls, telltales and indicators. The standard specifies requirements for the location, identification, and illumination of these items. The rule extended the standard's telltale and indicator requirements to vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 4,536 kg (10,000 pounds) and greater, updated the standard's requirements for multi-function controls and multi-task displays to make the requirements appropriate for advanced systems, and reorganized the standard to make it easier to read. The final rule announced an effective date of February 13, 2006, and a compliance date of February 13, 2006 for requirements applicable to vehicles under 4,536 kg (10,000 pounds) GVWR. In response to a petition for extension of the effective date from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (Alliance), this final rule announces a delay in the effective date to September 1, 2006. The additional time allows us to consider issues raised by the Alliance and other petitioners in petitions to reconsider certain items and identifications described in the August 17, 2005 final rule.

This document grants in full the petition of Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC., (MBUSA) in accordance with Sec. 543.9(c)(2) of 49 CFR Part 543, Exemption from the Theft Prevention Standard, for the S-Line Chassis vehicle line. This petition is granted because the agency has determined that the antitheft device to be placed on the line as standard equipment is likely to be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements of the Theft Prevention Standard. MBUSA requested confidential treatment for some of the information and attachments it submitted in support of its petition. In a letter dated August 29, 2005, the agency granted the petitioner's request for confidential treatment of most aspects of its petition.