National Highway Traffic Safety Administration March 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document responds to petitions for reconsideration of a June 24, 2003 final rule that incorporated improved test dummies and updated procedures into Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213 and extended the standard to child restraints recommended for use by children weighing up to 30 kilograms (65 pounds). That final rule responded to Section 14 of the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation Act of 2000. NHTSA received petitions for reconsideration of different aspects of the final rule from Ford and from Denton ATD. This document denies Ford's petition and grants Denton's.

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 15, 2004 at Vol. 69, No. 240 p. 75104-05.

This document announces receipt by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 1989 Volkswagen Golf Rallye passenger cars 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 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.

In November 2002, NHTSA published a final rule establishing, among other things, new tire safety information labeling requirements for vehicles. In June 2004, we published a final rule (June 2004 final rule) responding to petitions for reconsideration on a variety of issues, and made certain amendments to the new vehicle labeling requirements. The new tire safety information labeling requirements for vehicles become effective September 1, 2005. This document responds to petitions for reconsideration of the June 2004 final rule requesting further changes to the vehicle labeling requirements. After carefully considering the petitions, the agency is modifying certain aspects of these requirements by allowing the option of including selected additional information.

This document announces receipt by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 1981 BMW R100 motorcycles 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 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 denies an August 29, 2002, petition for reconsideration submitted by DaimlerChrysler. The petitioner asked the agency to delay the effective date of the Hybrid III 5th Percentile Female Test Dummy, specified in the 49 CFR Part 572, Subpart O final rule, ``Response to Petitions for Reconsideration'' (67 FR 46400).

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 14, 2004 [FR docket 04-27305, Vol. 9, No. 239, pgs. 74546-74566].

This document proposes to amend regulations on insurer reporting requirements. The appendices list those passenger motor vehicle insurers that are required to file reports on their motor vehicle theft loss experiences. An insurer included in any of these appendices would be required to file three copies of its report for the 2002 calendar year before October 25, 2005. If the passenger motor vehicle insurers remain listed, they must submit reports by each subsequent October 25. We are proposing to add adn remove several insurers from relevant appendices.

On March 26, 1992, this agency granted in part the General Motors Corporation's (GM) petition for exemption from the parts marking requirements of the vehicle theft prevention standard for the Buick LeSabre vehicle line. On June 2, 1999, this agency granted in full GM's petition for modification of the previously approved antitheft device for the Buick LeSabre vehicle line. This notice grants in full GM's second petition to modify the exemption of the previously approved antitheft device for the Buick LeSabre vehicle line beginning with model year (MY) 2006. This notice also acknowledges GM's notification that the nameplate for the Buick LeSabre vehicle line will be changed to Buick Lucerne beginning with the 2006 model year. NHTSA is granting GM's petition to modify the exemption because it has determined, based on substantial evidence, that the modified antitheft device described in GM's petition to be placed on the vehicle line as standard equipment, is likely to be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements.

This document announces decisions by NHTSA that certain motor vehicles not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards are eligible for importation into the United States because they are substantially similar to vehicles originally manufactured for importation into and/or sale in the United States and certified by their manufacturers as complying with the safety standards, and they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the standards.

This document denies a petition for rulemaking submitted by Mr. Richard T. Ince of C & J Technology Inc., to amend provisions of the Federal motor vehicle safety standard (FMVSS) for rearview mirrors pertaining to the test procedure for school bus driving mirrors.

On December 8, 2004, NHTSA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register that proposed to amend 49 CFR part 572 to add specifications and qualification requirements for a 5th percentile adult female test dummy for use in vehicle side impact tests. In that NPRM, NHTSA established a March 8, 2005, deadline for submission of written comments. NHTSA has received a request from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers to extend the comment period ``to facilitate a comprehensive technical evaluation of that test device and allow manufacturers the opportunity to perform necessary fleet testing with the proposed test device.'' In response to that request, NHTSA is extending the comment period to April 12, 2005.

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 August, 11, 2004, Volume 69, Number 154, Page Numbers 48906 and 48907. This document describes two collections of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

This document requests comments on data about passenger motor vehicle thefts that occurred in calendar year (CY) 2003 including theft rates for existing passenger motor vehicle lines manufactured in model year (MY) 2003. The preliminary theft data indicate that the vehicle theft rate for CY/MY 2003 vehicles (1.84 thefts per thousand vehicles) decreased by 26.1 percent from the theft rate for CY/MY 2002 vehicles (2.49 thefts per thousand vehicles). Publication of these data fulfills NHTSA's statutory obligation to periodically obtain accurate and timely theft data, and publish the information for review and comment.