Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for the Renewal of a Previously Approved Information Collection, 45863-45865 [2014-18656]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 151 / Wednesday, August 6, 2014 / Notices
Public Comments Invited: You are
asked to comment on any aspect of this
information collection, including: (1)
Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the U.S.
DOT’s performance, including whether
the information will have practical
utility; (2) the accuracy of the U.S.
DOT’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed information collection; (3)
ways to enhance the quality, usefulness,
and clarity of the collected information;
and (4) ways that the burden could be
minimized, including the use of
electronic technology, without reducing
the quality of the collected information.
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;
and 49 CFR 1.48.
Issued on: August 1, 2014.
Michael Howell,
Information Collection Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014–18655 Filed 8–5–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
[Docket No. FHWA–2014–0030]
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Request for Comments for
the Renewal of a Previously Approved
Information Collection
Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501–3521), this notice
announces that FHWA will submit the
collection of information described
below to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for review and comment.
The Federal Register Notice with a 60day comment period soliciting
comments on the following collection of
information was published on June 5,
2014. The PRA submission describes the
nature of the information collection and
its expected cost and burden.
DATES: Please submit comments by
September 5, 2014.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
identified by DOT Docket ID 2014–0030
by any of the following methods:
Web site: For access to the docket to
read background documents or
comments received go to the Federal
eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:14 Aug 05, 2014
Jkt 232001
www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments.
Fax: 1–202–493–2251.
Mail: Docket Management Facility,
U.S. Department of Transportation,
West Building Ground Floor, Room
W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC 20590–0001.
Hand Delivery or Courier: U.S.
Department of Transportation, West
Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Craig Thor, Ph.D., Office of Safety
Research and Development (HRDS), at
(202) 493–3338, Turner-Fairbank
Highway Research Center, Federal
Highway Administration, 6300
Georgetown Pike, McLean VA 22101,
between 7:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal
Holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Motorcycle Crash Causation
Study.
OMB Control #: 2125–0619.
Background: In 2011, there were
4,612 motorcycle crash-related fatalities
in the United States—more than twice
the number of motorcycle rider fatalities
that occurred in 1997. This increase
contrasts with a 33% reduction in the
number of fatalities in passenger cars
and light trucks.1 In response to this
growing concern, the U.S. Congress
passed legislation to fund a Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA)
research effort into the causes of
motorcycle crashes in the United States.
Congress has recognized this problem
and directed the Department of
Transportation to conduct research that
will provide a better understanding of
the causes of motorcycle crashes.
Specifically, in Section 5511 of the Safe,
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for
Users (SAFETEA–LU) Public Law 109–
59, Congress directed the Secretary of
Transportation to provide grants to the
Oklahoma Transportation Center (OTC)
for the purpose of conducting a
comprehensive, in-depth motorcycle
crash causation study that employs the
common international methodology for
in-depth motorcycle crash investigation
developed by the Organization for
Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD).2 The Secretary of
Transportation delegated authority to
FHWA for the Motorcycle Crash
1 NHTSA FARS encyclopedia: https://wwwfars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Main/index.aspx.
2 The OECD methodology may be obtained by
sending a request to jtrc.contact@oecd.org.
PO 00000
Frm 00110
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
45863
Causation Grants under Section 5511
(71 FR 30831). This study began in June,
2012 and has been successful in
completing the necessary data
collection.
Proposed Data Acquisition
Methodology
Use of Parallel and Complementary
Procedures
The OECD describes two
complementary procedures to be
performed for acquiring the data needed
to understand the causes of motorcycle
crashes. The first of these is the
traditional in-depth crash investigation
that focuses on the sequence of events
leading up to the crash, and on the
motorcycle, rider, and environmental
characteristics that may have been
relevant to the crash. The second
procedure, known as the case-control
procedure, complements the first. It
requires the acquisition of matched
control data to allow for a determination
of the extent to which rider
characteristics and pre-crash factors
observed in the crash vehicles are
present in similarly-at-risk control
vehicles.
Such a dual approach offers specific
advantages to the understanding of
crashes and the development of
countermeasures. The in-depth study of
the crash by itself allows for analysis of
the events antecedent to the crash, some
of which, if removed or altered, could
result in a change in subsequent events
that would have led to a non-crash, or
reduced crash severity outcome. The
main purpose of acquiring matched data
is to allow for inferences to be made
regarding risk factors for crash causes. A
brief explanation is provided here so
that those less familiar with case-control
procedures will understand the
advantage of acquiring controls.
Consider a hypothetical situation where
it is observed that the proportion of
older riders involved in crashes who
were unfamiliar with the roadway is the
same as the proportion of matched
(similarly-at-risk) older control
motorcycle riders not involved in
crashes. Conversely, the proportion of
Younger riders involved in crashes who
were unfamiliar with the roadway is the
greater than the proportion of matched
younger control motorcycle riders not
involved in crashes. These hypothetical
findings would suggest that a lack of
familiarity with the roadway poses a
greater crash risk for younger riders than
it does for older riders. Other risk
factors for crashes (i.e. gender, riding
experience, fatigue level) for
motorcyclists may also be examined in
this manner. If scaled interval
E:\FR\FM\06AUN1.SGM
06AUN1
45864
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 151 / Wednesday, August 6, 2014 / Notices
measurements of risk factor levels are
obtained (for example, the number of
years of riding experience for both
crash-involved and control riders), then
it becomes possible to calculate
functions showing how risk changes
with changes in the variable of interest.
Such risk functions are highly useful in
the development of countermeasures.3
Issues Related to Sampling
Characteristics of the Crash Sample
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
To properly acquire in-depth crash
data, it was necessary to find a location
in the country that experiences the full
range of motorcycle crash types that
occur under a wide range of conditions
and with a wide range of motorcycle
rider characteristics. For this study,
Orange County, California was selected
as the data collection site. This location
resembles a cross-section of motorcycle
riding environments. There are both
rural and urban regions; flat land and
rolling hills; and daily commuters and
leisure riders, therefore, the data
collected from this region should reflect
many of the causative factors that
produce motorcycle crashes in these
different riding environments. This
location also allows for a sufficiently
high frequency of motorcycle crashes to
allow acquisition of the crash data in a
reasonable amount of time. To date, this
single location has proven to be
sufficient to collect the required number
of cases and controls.
It is not necessary that the crash types
observed (or other composite indices or
parameters of interest) be drawn from a
nationally representative sample,
because it is not the intent of FHWA to
make projections of the national
incidence of the causes of crashes
involving motorcycles from this study.
Rather, the focus will be on identifying
the antecedents and risk factors
associated with motorcycle crashes. If it
is deemed necessary, FHWA and
NHTSA may utilize their alternative
databases that incorporate certain of the
key variables that will be acquired in
this study, and those databases could be
used in conjunction with this study’s
data to make national estimates of
population parameters of interest.4
3 Certainly other outcomes besides the one
presented are possible, and other comparisons are
of interest.
4 There is a lengthy precedent for studying
crashes using case-control methods including the
Grand Rapids study, (Borkenstein, R.F., Crowther,
F.R., Shumate, R.P., Ziel, W.B. & Zylman, R. (1974).
The Role of the Drinking Driver in Traffic Accidents
(The Grand Rapids Study). Blutalkohol, 11,
Supplement 1), and of course the Hurt study, (Hurt,
H.H., Jr., Ouellet, J.V., and Thom, D.R. (1981).
Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:18 Aug 05, 2014
Jkt 232001
In addition, the crash investigations
will be conducted on-scene, and, when
possible, while the involved operators
and vehicles are still in place. This
provides access to physical data that is
less disturbed by rescue and clean up
activities. It also facilitates the
collection of interview data while
memories are unaffected. This quickresponse approach is most effective
when a census of applicable crashes is
selected for inclusion.
Characteristics of the Control Sample
While the occurrence of a crash
involving a motorcycle in the study site
is sufficient for it to be selected into the
study, selecting the similarly-at-risk
controls requires a different approach.
The OECD recommends several options
for acquiring matched controls
including interviewing motorcyclists
who may be filling up at nearby gas
stations, taking videos of motorcyclists
who pass the crash scenes, and
interviewing motorcyclists at the
location of the crash location at the
same time of day, same day of week,
and same direction of travel. The first of
these methods suffers from the
shortcoming that a rider or motorist
filling his fuel tank is not presented
with the same risks, in the same setting,
as is the crash-involved rider and
motorist. Passenger-vehicle motorists
and motorcyclists need to be sampled at
the location of the crash on the same
day of the week, at the same hour, and
from the same travel direction.
Using the second method mentioned
above, acquiring the risk sample by
taking video at the crash scene provides
a similarly-at-risk pool and it also
allows for many controls to be acquired
at low cost. Its chief disadvantage is that
it does not allow capture of some of the
key risk factors for crashes (e.g., fatigue),
while others (e.g., age) may be very
difficult to capture. Therefore, this
method is not sufficient to support the
scope of the current effort.
The final method, the voluntary safety
research interview, involves setting up a
safety zone at or near the crash location,
one week later at the same time of day,
and asking those motorcyclists who pass
through to volunteer in a study. With
this method, Certificates of
Confidentiality are presented to each
interviewed driver and rider and
immunity is provided. The main
advantage of this method is that the key
variables that are thought to affect
relative crash risk can be acquired from
riders who are truly similarly-at-risk.
Identification of Countermeasures Volume I:
Technical Report).
PO 00000
Frm 00111
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
This is the method used in the current
effort.
Information Proposed for Collection
The data collection protocol includes
the following number of variables for
each aspect of the investigation:
Data collection form
Number of
questions
Administrative log ...................
Crash Form .............................
Motorcycle Rider Form ...........
Motorcycle Passenger ............
Motorcycle Mechanical ...........
Motorcycle Dynamics .............
Environment Form ..................
Helmet Form ...........................
Other Vehicle Form ................
Injury Form .............................
43
22
105
65
91
43
51
77
26
160
Note that multiple copies of various
data forms will be completed as the data
on each crash-involved vehicle and
person and each control vehicle and
person are acquired. This increases the
number of variables above the sum of
what is presented above. There are also
diagrams and photographs that are
essential elements of each investigation
that are entered into the database. Up to
1,600 data elements may be collected for
each case, including the control rider
data.
Estimated Burden Hours for
Information Collection
Frequency: Annually.
Respondents: This study will be based
on all crashes occurring within the
sampling area. This burden estimate is
based on the distribution of crash types
seen in the study to date. The plan calls
for data to be captured from up to 1,200
crashes with motorcycle involvement,
and for all surviving crash-involved
riders and drivers to be interviewed.
Two control riders will be interviewed
for each crash-involved motorcyclist.
Passengers accompanying crashinvolved riders and passenger-vehicle
drivers will also be interviewed. The
following table shows the sampling plan
and estimated number of interviews
assuming 1,200 crashes are
investigated.5
Maximum total crashes to be
investigated is 1,200.
5 The final crash sample size will depend on the
rate at which crashes can be acquired in the
selected site(s) and other matters related to logistics
and the final budget.
E:\FR\FM\06AUN1.SGM
06AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 151 / Wednesday, August 6, 2014 / Notices
Crash Interviews:
Single vehicle motorcycle crashes .......................................................................................................................................
Multi-vehicle (2-vehicle) motorcycle crashes (840*2) ........................................................................................................
Passenger interviews motorcycle (.07* 252 + .07*1680) ....................................................................................................
Passenger interviews cars (.19*235) ............................................................................................................................................
45865
252
1,680
136
319
Total Crash Interviews ...................................................................................................................................................
Control interviews:
Controls for single vehicle motorcycle crashes (2*252) .....................................................................................................
Controls for multi-vehicle motorcycle crashes (1*840 + 1*840) ........................................................................................
Passenger Interviews .............................................................................................................................................................
2,387
Total Control Interviews ................................................................................................................................................
2,184
Grand Total Crash plus Control Interviews ..........................................................................................................
4,571
Estimated Average Burden per
Interviewee: Crash interviews are
estimated to require about 30 minutes
per individual interviewed. To the
extent possible, crash interviews will be
collected at the scene, although it is
likely that some follow-ups will be
needed to get completed interviews
from crash involved individuals.
Control individuals’ interviews will be
completed in a single session and are
expected to require about 15 minutes
per individual.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: Burden hours estimates are
based on the total of 2,387 crash
interviews to be conducted at an average
length of 30 minutes each and 2,184
control interviews to be conducted at an
average length of 15 minutes each for a
total one-time burden on the public of
1,770 hours.
Public Comments Invited: You are
asked to comment on any aspect of this
information collection, including: (1)
Whether the proposed collection is
necessary for the FHWA’s performance;
(2) the accuracy of the estimated
burdens; (3) ways for the FHWA to
enhance the quality, usefulness, and
clarity of the collected information; and
(4) ways that the burden could be
minimized, including the use of
electronic technology, without reducing
the quality of the collected information.
The agency will summarize and/or
include your comments in the request
for OMB’s clearance of this information
collection.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended;
and 49 CFR 1.48.
Issued On: August 1, 2014.
Michael Howell,
Information Collection Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014–18656 Filed 8–5–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–22–P
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:18 Aug 05, 2014
Jkt 232001
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration
[FMCSA–2014–0034]
Hours of Service of Drivers: Payne and
Dolan, Inc.; Zenith Tech, Inc.; and
Northeast Asphalt, Inc.; Application for
Exemption
Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of application for
exemption; request for comments.
AGENCY:
FMCSA announces that it has
received an application from Payne and
Dolan, Inc.; Zenith Tech, Inc.; and
Northeast Asphalt, Inc. for an
exemption from the 30-minute rest
break provision of the Agency’s hoursof-service (HOS) regulations for
commercial motor vehicle (CMV)
drivers. The requested exemption would
apply to CMV drivers of these three
companies involved in the transport,
placement and movement of materials
and equipment needed in the day-to-day
operation of road, bridge and parking lot
construction and maintenance. These
companies believe that compliance with
the 30-minute rest break rule is
extremely difficult due to several
variables associated with the nature of
their operations and work scheduling
(e.g., work zone time, delivery and
repair schedules). FMCSA requests
public comment on these companies
application for exemption.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before September 5, 2014.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
identified by Federal Docket
Management System Number FMCSA–
2014–0034 by any of the following
methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal:
www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments.
• Fax: 1–202–493–2251.
• Mail: Docket Management Facility,
U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building,
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
504
1,680
0
Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
Washington, DC 20590–0001.
• Hand Delivery or Courier: West
Building, Ground Floor, Room W12–
140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. E.T., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Instructions: All submissions must
include the Agency name and docket
number. For detailed instructions on
submitting comments and additional
information on the exemption process,
see the Public Participation heading
below. Note that all comments received
will be posted without change to
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided. Please
see the Privacy Act heading below.
Docket: For access to the docket to
read background documents or
comments received, go to
www.regulations.gov, and follow the
online instructions for accessing the
dockets, or go to the street address listed
above.
Privacy Act: Anyone can search the
electronic form of 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 a
Privacy Act notice regarding our public
dockets in the January 17, 2008, issue of
the Federal Register (73 FR 3316).
Public Participation: The Federal
eRulemaking Portal is available 24
hours each day, 365 days each year. You
can get electronic submission and
retrieval help and guidelines under the
‘‘help’’ section of the Federal
eRulemaking Portal Web site. If you
want us to notify you that we received
your comments, please include a selfaddressed, stamped envelope or
postcard, or print the acknowledgement
page that appears after submitting
comments online. Comments received
after the comment closing date will be
included in the docket, and we will
consider late comments to the extent
practicable.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Richard Clemente, FMCSA Driver and
E:\FR\FM\06AUN1.SGM
06AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 151 (Wednesday, August 6, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45863-45865]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18656]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
[Docket No. FHWA-2014-0030]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments
for the Renewal of a Previously Approved Information Collection
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that FHWA will submit the
collection of information described below to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The Federal Register Notice
with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following
collection of information was published on June 5, 2014. The PRA
submission describes the nature of the information collection and its
expected cost and burden.
DATES: Please submit comments by September 5, 2014.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID 2014-
0030 by any of the following methods:
Web site: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments.
Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery or Courier: U.S. Department of Transportation, West
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig Thor, Ph.D., Office of Safety
Research and Development (HRDS), at (202) 493-3338, Turner-Fairbank
Highway Research Center, Federal Highway Administration, 6300
Georgetown Pike, McLean VA 22101, between 7:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Motorcycle Crash Causation Study.
OMB Control #: 2125-0619.
Background: In 2011, there were 4,612 motorcycle crash-related
fatalities in the United States--more than twice the number of
motorcycle rider fatalities that occurred in 1997. This increase
contrasts with a 33% reduction in the number of fatalities in passenger
cars and light trucks.\1\ In response to this growing concern, the U.S.
Congress passed legislation to fund a Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) research effort into the causes of motorcycle crashes in the
United States. Congress has recognized this problem and directed the
Department of Transportation to conduct research that will provide a
better understanding of the causes of motorcycle crashes. Specifically,
in Section 5511 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) Public Law
109-59, Congress directed the Secretary of Transportation to provide
grants to the Oklahoma Transportation Center (OTC) for the purpose of
conducting a comprehensive, in-depth motorcycle crash causation study
that employs the common international methodology for in-depth
motorcycle crash investigation developed by the Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).\2\ The Secretary of
Transportation delegated authority to FHWA for the Motorcycle Crash
Causation Grants under Section 5511 (71 FR 30831). This study began in
June, 2012 and has been successful in completing the necessary data
collection.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ NHTSA FARS encyclopedia: https://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Main/index.aspx.
\2\ The OECD methodology may be obtained by sending a request to
jtrc.contact@oecd.org.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proposed Data Acquisition Methodology
Use of Parallel and Complementary Procedures
The OECD describes two complementary procedures to be performed for
acquiring the data needed to understand the causes of motorcycle
crashes. The first of these is the traditional in-depth crash
investigation that focuses on the sequence of events leading up to the
crash, and on the motorcycle, rider, and environmental characteristics
that may have been relevant to the crash. The second procedure, known
as the case-control procedure, complements the first. It requires the
acquisition of matched control data to allow for a determination of the
extent to which rider characteristics and pre-crash factors observed in
the crash vehicles are present in similarly-at-risk control vehicles.
Such a dual approach offers specific advantages to the
understanding of crashes and the development of countermeasures. The
in-depth study of the crash by itself allows for analysis of the events
antecedent to the crash, some of which, if removed or altered, could
result in a change in subsequent events that would have led to a non-
crash, or reduced crash severity outcome. The main purpose of acquiring
matched data is to allow for inferences to be made regarding risk
factors for crash causes. A brief explanation is provided here so that
those less familiar with case-control procedures will understand the
advantage of acquiring controls. Consider a hypothetical situation
where it is observed that the proportion of older riders involved in
crashes who were unfamiliar with the roadway is the same as the
proportion of matched (similarly-at-risk) older control motorcycle
riders not involved in crashes. Conversely, the proportion of Younger
riders involved in crashes who were unfamiliar with the roadway is the
greater than the proportion of matched younger control motorcycle
riders not involved in crashes. These hypothetical findings would
suggest that a lack of familiarity with the roadway poses a greater
crash risk for younger riders than it does for older riders. Other risk
factors for crashes (i.e. gender, riding experience, fatigue level) for
motorcyclists may also be examined in this manner. If scaled interval
[[Page 45864]]
measurements of risk factor levels are obtained (for example, the
number of years of riding experience for both crash-involved and
control riders), then it becomes possible to calculate functions
showing how risk changes with changes in the variable of interest. Such
risk functions are highly useful in the development of
countermeasures.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Certainly other outcomes besides the one presented are
possible, and other comparisons are of interest.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Issues Related to Sampling
Characteristics of the Crash Sample
To properly acquire in-depth crash data, it was necessary to find a
location in the country that experiences the full range of motorcycle
crash types that occur under a wide range of conditions and with a wide
range of motorcycle rider characteristics. For this study, Orange
County, California was selected as the data collection site. This
location resembles a cross-section of motorcycle riding environments.
There are both rural and urban regions; flat land and rolling hills;
and daily commuters and leisure riders, therefore, the data collected
from this region should reflect many of the causative factors that
produce motorcycle crashes in these different riding environments. This
location also allows for a sufficiently high frequency of motorcycle
crashes to allow acquisition of the crash data in a reasonable amount
of time. To date, this single location has proven to be sufficient to
collect the required number of cases and controls.
It is not necessary that the crash types observed (or other
composite indices or parameters of interest) be drawn from a nationally
representative sample, because it is not the intent of FHWA to make
projections of the national incidence of the causes of crashes
involving motorcycles from this study. Rather, the focus will be on
identifying the antecedents and risk factors associated with motorcycle
crashes. If it is deemed necessary, FHWA and NHTSA may utilize their
alternative databases that incorporate certain of the key variables
that will be acquired in this study, and those databases could be used
in conjunction with this study's data to make national estimates of
population parameters of interest.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ There is a lengthy precedent for studying crashes using
case-control methods including the Grand Rapids study, (Borkenstein,
R.F., Crowther, F.R., Shumate, R.P., Ziel, W.B. & Zylman, R. (1974).
The Role of the Drinking Driver in Traffic Accidents (The Grand
Rapids Study). Blutalkohol, 11, Supplement 1), and of course the
Hurt study, (Hurt, H.H., Jr., Ouellet, J.V., and Thom, D.R. (1981).
Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of
Countermeasures Volume I: Technical Report).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition, the crash investigations will be conducted on-scene,
and, when possible, while the involved operators and vehicles are still
in place. This provides access to physical data that is less disturbed
by rescue and clean up activities. It also facilitates the collection
of interview data while memories are unaffected. This quick-response
approach is most effective when a census of applicable crashes is
selected for inclusion.
Characteristics of the Control Sample
While the occurrence of a crash involving a motorcycle in the study
site is sufficient for it to be selected into the study, selecting the
similarly-at-risk controls requires a different approach. The OECD
recommends several options for acquiring matched controls including
interviewing motorcyclists who may be filling up at nearby gas
stations, taking videos of motorcyclists who pass the crash scenes, and
interviewing motorcyclists at the location of the crash location at the
same time of day, same day of week, and same direction of travel. The
first of these methods suffers from the shortcoming that a rider or
motorist filling his fuel tank is not presented with the same risks, in
the same setting, as is the crash-involved rider and motorist.
Passenger-vehicle motorists and motorcyclists need to be sampled at the
location of the crash on the same day of the week, at the same hour,
and from the same travel direction.
Using the second method mentioned above, acquiring the risk sample
by taking video at the crash scene provides a similarly-at-risk pool
and it also allows for many controls to be acquired at low cost. Its
chief disadvantage is that it does not allow capture of some of the key
risk factors for crashes (e.g., fatigue), while others (e.g., age) may
be very difficult to capture. Therefore, this method is not sufficient
to support the scope of the current effort.
The final method, the voluntary safety research interview, involves
setting up a safety zone at or near the crash location, one week later
at the same time of day, and asking those motorcyclists who pass
through to volunteer in a study. With this method, Certificates of
Confidentiality are presented to each interviewed driver and rider and
immunity is provided. The main advantage of this method is that the key
variables that are thought to affect relative crash risk can be
acquired from riders who are truly similarly-at-risk. This is the
method used in the current effort.
Information Proposed for Collection
The data collection protocol includes the following number of
variables for each aspect of the investigation:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of
Data collection form questions
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Administrative log........................................ 43
Crash Form................................................ 22
Motorcycle Rider Form..................................... 105
Motorcycle Passenger...................................... 65
Motorcycle Mechanical..................................... 91
Motorcycle Dynamics....................................... 43
Environment Form.......................................... 51
Helmet Form............................................... 77
Other Vehicle Form........................................ 26
Injury Form............................................... 160
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note that multiple copies of various data forms will be completed
as the data on each crash-involved vehicle and person and each control
vehicle and person are acquired. This increases the number of variables
above the sum of what is presented above. There are also diagrams and
photographs that are essential elements of each investigation that are
entered into the database. Up to 1,600 data elements may be collected
for each case, including the control rider data.
Estimated Burden Hours for Information Collection
Frequency: Annually.
Respondents: This study will be based on all crashes occurring
within the sampling area. This burden estimate is based on the
distribution of crash types seen in the study to date. The plan calls
for data to be captured from up to 1,200 crashes with motorcycle
involvement, and for all surviving crash-involved riders and drivers to
be interviewed. Two control riders will be interviewed for each crash-
involved motorcyclist. Passengers accompanying crash-involved riders
and passenger-vehicle drivers will also be interviewed. The following
table shows the sampling plan and estimated number of interviews
assuming 1,200 crashes are investigated.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ The final crash sample size will depend on the rate at which
crashes can be acquired in the selected site(s) and other matters
related to logistics and the final budget.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum total crashes to be investigated is 1,200.
[[Page 45865]]
Crash Interviews:
Single vehicle motorcycle crashes................ 252
Multi-vehicle (2-vehicle) motorcycle crashes 1,680
(840*2).........................................
Passenger interviews motorcycle (.07* 252 + 136
.07*1680).......................................
Passenger interviews cars (.19*235).................. 319
������������������������������������������������������
Total Crash Interviews....................... 2,387
Control interviews:
Controls for single vehicle motorcycle crashes 504
(2*252).........................................
Controls for multi-vehicle motorcycle crashes 1,680
(1*840 + 1*840).................................
Passenger Interviews............................. 0
������������������������������������������������������
Total Control Interviews..................... 2,184
������������������������������������������������������
Grand Total Crash plus Control Interviews 4,571
Estimated Average Burden per Interviewee: Crash interviews are
estimated to require about 30 minutes per individual interviewed. To
the extent possible, crash interviews will be collected at the scene,
although it is likely that some follow-ups will be needed to get
completed interviews from crash involved individuals. Control
individuals' interviews will be completed in a single session and are
expected to require about 15 minutes per individual.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: Burden hours estimates are
based on the total of 2,387 crash interviews to be conducted at an
average length of 30 minutes each and 2,184 control interviews to be
conducted at an average length of 15 minutes each for a total one-time
burden on the public of 1,770 hours.
Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of
this information collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed
collection is necessary for the FHWA's performance; (2) the accuracy of
the estimated burdens; (3) ways for the FHWA to enhance the quality,
usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways that
the burden could be minimized, including the use of electronic
technology, without reducing the quality of the collected information.
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; and 49 CFR 1.48.
Issued On: August 1, 2014.
Michael Howell,
Information Collection Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-18656 Filed 8-5-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P
