National Highway Traffic Safety Administration February 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 extension, reinstatement and consolidation of previously approved collections. This document describes a new collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval concerning recommendations from vehicle manufacturers regarding child restraint systems (CRS) that fit in their individual vehicles. Furthermore, NHTSA plans to combine the new information collection with an existing collection for obtaining vehicle information for consumer information purposes (OMB Control number 2127-0629).

This final rule establishes regulations setting forth specifications and qualification requirements for a Hybrid III 10-year- old size child test dummy (HIII-10C). In a companion document published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, NHTSA is adopting use of the dummy to test child restraints recommended for children weighing more than 65 pounds (lb) for compliance with the Federal motor vehicle safety standard for child restraint systems. The HIII-10C dummy enables NHTSA to assess the performance of child restraint systems in restraining children in the 8- to 12-year-old age range.

Yokohama Tire Corporation, (YTC),\1\ replacement tires for passenger cars, manufactured between December 2, 2007, and September 19, 2009, failed to comply with paragraph S5.5.1(b) of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 139, New Pneumatic Radial Tires for Light Vehicles. YTC has filed an appropriate report pursuant to 49 CFR Part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports (dated January 19, 2010).

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is concerned about the effects of distraction due to drivers' use of electronic devices on motor vehicle safety. Consequently, NHTSA is issuing nonbinding, voluntary NHTSA Driver Distraction Guidelines (NHTSA Guidelines) to promote safety by discouraging the introduction of excessively distracting devices in vehicles. This notice details the contents of the first phase of the NHTSA Driver Distraction Guidelines. These NHTSA Guidelines cover original equipment in-vehicle device secondary tasks (communications, entertainment, information gathering, and navigation tasks not required to drive are considered secondary tasks) performed by the driver through visual-manual means (meaning the driver looking at a device, manipulating a device-related control with the driver's hand, and watching for visual feedback). The proposed NHTSA Guidelines list certain secondary, non-driving related tasks that, based on NHTSA's research, are believed by the agency to interfere inherently with a driver's ability to safely control the vehicle. The Guidelines recommend that those in-vehicle devices be designed so that they cannot be used by the driver to perform such tasks while the driver is driving. For all other secondary, non-driving-related visual-manual tasks, the NHTSA Guidelines specify a test method for measuring the impact of task performance on driving safety while driving and time-based acceptance criteria for assessing whether a task interferes too much with driver attention to be suitable to perform while driving. If a task does not meet the acceptance criteria, the NHTSA Guidelines recommend that in- vehicle devices be designed so that the task cannot be performed by the driver while driving. In addition to identifying inherently distracting tasks and providing a means for measuring and evaluating the level of distraction associated with other non-driving-related tasks, the NHTSA Guidelines contain several design recommendations for in-vehicle devices in order to minimize their potential for distraction. NHTSA seeks comments on these NHTSA Guidelines and any suggestions for how to improve them so as to better enhance motor vehicle safety.

Utilimaster Corporation (Utilimaster) \1\ has determined that certain model year 2009-2011 Utilimaster walk-in van-type trucks manufactured between September 1, 2009, and December 22, 2011, do not fully comply with paragraph S4.2.1 of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 206, Door Locks and Door Retention Components. Utilimaster has filed an appropriate report dated December 30, 2011, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports.

The NHTSA announces a meeting of NEMSAC to be held in the Metropolitan Washington, DC area. This notice announces the date, time, and location of the meeting, which will be open to the public. This meeting will include a special roundtable event, hosted by the NEMSAC, regarding the EMS Education Agenda for the Future. The purpose of NEMSAC is to provide a nationally recognized council of emergency medical services (EMS) representatives and consumers to provide advice and recommendations regarding EMS to DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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 an existing collection of information for motor vehicle tire and rim labeling requirements for which NHTSA intends to seek renewed OMB approval. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period was published on December 1, 2011 (76 FR 74846).

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 one collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to extend information collection. The collection involves preparation of certifications, and documents detailing how specific grant criteria will be met. The information to be collected will be used to and/or is necessary because it is required under 23 CFR part 1313, to apply for Section 410 grant funds. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13.