National Highway Traffic Safety Administration April 9, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice sets forth the reasons for the denial of a petition (DP06-004) submitted by Mr. Eric Moening. In his petition, dated August 23, 2006, the petitioner requests the agency to remedy a failure of his model year (MY) 1999 Ford Contour to ``comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 Occupant Crash Protection.'' He describes the failure on his vehicle as instrument panel warping, and he believes that the warping may adversely affect performance of the air bag system or create loose instrument panel components (such as the defrost bezel) that could ``become projectiles during air bag deployments.'' After a review of the petition and other information, including the results of NHTSA's own testing, NHTSA has concluded that further expenditure of the agency's resources on the issue raised by the petition is not warranted. The agency accordingly denies the petition.

This document grants in full the Fuji Heavy Industries U.S.A., Inc.'s (FUSA) petition for exemption of the Subaru Impreza vehicle line in accordance with 49 CFR part 543, Exemption from the Theft Prevention Standard. 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 (49 CFR part 541). FUSA requested confidential treatment for the information and attachments it submitted in support of its petition. In a letter dated November 27, 2006, the agency granted the petitioner's request for confidential treatment of the indicated areas of its petition.

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 proposes to consolidate four existing collections of information into two collections, and seeks comments accordingly. The first information collection proposes consolidatation of OMB control numbers 2127-0511, ``49 CFR 571.213, Child Restraint Systems,'' and 2127-0576, ``Child Safety Seat Registration,'' into a new one. Thus, all child restraint labeling and registration requirements would be included in one information collection entitled ``Consolidated Child Restraint System Registration, Labeling and Defect Notifications'' (OMB Control Number: 2127-0576). The second information collection proposes to merge the existing OMB control number 2127-0038, ``49 CFR 571.205, Glazing Materials,'' into 2127-0512, ``Consolidated Labeling Requirements for Motor Vehicles (except the VIN).''

This notice announces publication by NHTSA of the annual insurer report on motor vehicle theft for the 2001 reporting year. Section 33112(h) of Title 49 of the U.S. Code, requires this information to be compiled periodically and published by the agency in a form that will be helpful to the public, the law enforcement community, and Congress. As required by section 33112(c), this report provides information on theft and recovery of vehicles; rating rules and plans used by motor vehicle insurers to reduce premiums due to a reduction in motor vehicle thefts; and actions taken by insurers to assist in deterring thefts.