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

On May 21, 2010, President Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum requesting that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on behalf of the Department of Transportation develop, through notice and comment rulemaking, a coordinated National Program under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), as amended by the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) to improve fuel efficiency and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of light-duty vehicles for model years 2017-2025. President Obama requested that the agencies issue a Notice of Intent to issue a proposed rule that announces plans for setting stringent fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards for light-duty vehicles of model year 2017 and beyond. This joint Notice describes the agencies' initial assessment of potential levels of stringency for a National Program for model years 2017-2025, and describes additional work that the agencies will undertake over the next two months to refine this assessment further. This Notice fulfills that request and discusses the agencies' plans to issue a Supplemental Notice of Intent by November 30, 2010 that will describe plans for the National Program, including an updated analysis of potential GHG and fuel economy standards for model years 2017-2025. This joint Notice also announces the plans by the two agencies to propose such a coordinated National Program by the fall of 2011.

This document contains a correction to final regulations published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, September 21, 2010, (75 FR 57396) that revised the list of vehicles not originally manufactured to conform to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) that NHTSA has decided to be eligible for importation.

This notice proposes revisions to the Model Specifications for Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Devices (BAIIDs). The Model Specifications are guidelines for the performance and testing of BAIIDs. These devices are designed to prevent a driver from starting a motor vehicle when the driver's breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) is at or above a set alcohol level. Most States currently use BAIIDs as a sanction for drivers convicted of driving while intoxicated offenses. In 1992, this technology was new. Now that it has matured, NHTSA proposes to revise the 1992 Model Specifications, to test BAIIDs for conformance and to maintain a conforming products list (CPL) of BAIIDs that have been found to meet the Model Specifications. These proposed revisions are based, in part, on input from interested parties during an open comment period.

EPA and NHTSA are announcing the location addresses for the public hearings to be held for ``Revisions and Additions to Motor Vehicle Fuel Economy Label,'' published in the Federal Register on September 23, 2010. The goal of a revised label will be to provide consumers with simple, straightforward comparisons across all vehicles types, including electric vehicles (EV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), and conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles. NHTSA and EPA are proposing these changes in compliance with the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007, which imposes several new labeling requirements. Also, the agencies believe that the current labels can be improved to help consumers make more informed vehicle purchase decisions and to address the entrance of advanced technology vehicles into the U.S. market. The new labels are proposed to be displayed on new vehicles beginning with the 2012 model year.

This notice solicits public comment 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 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 for an exisiting regulation for the aftermarket modifications of vehicles to accommodate people with disabilities for which NHTSA intends to seek renewed OMB approval.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are conducting a joint rulemaking to redesign and add information to the current fuel economy label that is posted on the window sticker of all new cars and light- duty trucks sold in the U.S. The redesigned label will provide new information to American consumers about the fuel economy and consumption, fuel costs, and environmental impacts associated with purchasing new vehicles beginning with model year 2012 cars and trucks. This action will also develop new labels for certain advanced technology vehicles, which are poised to enter the U.S. market, in particular plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and electric vehicles. NHTSA and EPA are proposing these changes because the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 imposes several new labeling requirements, because the agencies believe that the current labels can be improved to help consumers make more informed vehicle purchase decisions, and because the time is right to develop new labels for advanced technology vehicles that are being commercialized. This proposal is also consistent with the recent joint rulemaking by EPA and NHTSA that established harmonized federal greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for new cars, sport utility vehicles, minivans, and pickup trucks for model years 2012-2016.

This document revises the list of vehicles not originally manufactured to conform to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) that NHTSA has decided to be eligible for importation. This list is published in an appendix to the agency's regulations that prescribe procedures for import eligibility decisions. The list has been revised to add all vehicles that NHTSA has decided to be eligible for importation since October 1, 2009, and to remove all previously listed vehicles that are now more than 25 years old and need no longer comply with all applicable FMVSS to be lawfully imported. NHTSA is required by statute to publish this list annually in the Federal Register.

Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Under the 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 reinstatements of previously approved collections. This document describes one collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

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 reinstatements of previously approved collections. This document describes one collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

This final rule amends regulations concerning Insurer Reporting Requirements. The regulations specify the requirements for annual insurer reports and lists in appendices 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 must file three copies of its report for the 2007 calendar year before October 25, 2010. If the passenger motor vehicle insurers remain listed, they must submit reports by each subsequent October 25.

This document announces receipt by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 1987-1988 Leyland Motors Olympian open top model double decker buses 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 have safety features that comply with, or are capable of being altered to comply with, all such standards.

This document grants in full the Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) petition for exemption of the Fiat 500 vehicle line in accordance with 49 CFR Part 543, Exemption From Vehicle 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 49 CFR Part 541, Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard.

In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) took a big step toward the goal of unifying the FARS and NASS GES data definitions and changes, simplifying crash data entry and analysis while also reducing costs and errors. The Data Standardization Work Group, consisting of representatives from NHTSA, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), was chartered in 2006. The mission of the work group was to improve the compatibility of FARS and NASS GES and to bring both systems into alignment with the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC), the guideline used now by nearly all States in the development and revision of their crash report forms and databases. After a thorough review of the data elements and attributes (variable values) in FARS and NASS GES and comparison to the recommended MMUCC data elements and attributes, the first of two phases of identified standardization changes were implemented in 2009, involving 45 common data elements. The second and much larger phase involving all the remaining variables was implemented in 2010. This webinar will highlight the 2009 changes. Also, NCSA will be presenting ``how to use'' the auxiliary files created from the FARS and NASS GES data bases.

This notice announces NHTSA's publication of a Technical Report its existing Safety Standard 121, Air Brake Systems. The report's title is: The Effectiveness of ABS [Antilock Braking Systems] in Heavy Truck Tractors and Trailers.

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 will be forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period was published on May 26, 2010 (75 FR 29487).

In accordance with NHTSA's 2007 Motorcoach Safety Plan and DOT's 2009 Departmental Motorcoach Safety Action Plan, NHTSA is issuing this NPRM to propose to amend the Federal motor vehicle safety standard (FMVSS) on occupant crash protection (FMVSS No. 208) to require lap/ shoulder seat belts for each passenger seating position in new motorcoaches. This NPRM also proposes to require a lap/shoulder belt for the motorcoach and large school bus driver's seating positions, which currently are required to have either a lap or a lap/shoulder belt. Although motorcoach transportation overall is a safe form of transportation in the United States, several motorcoach crashes in 2008 have illustrated that motorcoach rollover crashes, while a relatively rare event, can cause a significant number of fatal or serious injuries in a single event. NHTSA's safety research on motorcoach seat belts, completed in 2009, shows that the installation of lap/shoulder belts on motorcoaches is practicable and effective. We believe that the seat belt assemblies that would be installed on motorcoach passenger seats pursuant to this rulemaking could reduce the risk of fatal injuries in rollover crashes by 77 percent, primarily by preventing occupant ejection in a crash.

On February 14, 2006, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) granted in full Ford Motor Company's (Ford) petition for an exemption in accordance with Sec. 543.9(c)(2) of 49 CFR part 543, Exemption from the Theft Prevention Standard for the Ford Focus vehicle line beginning with model year (MY 2006). On June 18, 2010, Ford submitted a petition to modify its previously approved exemption for the Ford Focus vehicle line beginning with model year (MY) 2012. NHTSA is granting Ford's petition to modify the exemption in full because it has determined that the modified device is also likely to be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements of the Theft Prevention Standard.

This document proposes to increase the maximum civil penalty amounts for violations covering a related series of violations of the Vehicle Safety Act and violations of the odometer standard with intent to defraud. This action would be taken pursuant to the Federal Civil Monetary Penalty Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, which requires us to review and, as warranted, adjust penalties based on inflation at least every four years.

This document adopts fees for Fiscal Year 2011 and until further notice, as authorized by 49 U.S.C. 30141, relating to the registration of importers and the importation of motor vehicles not certified as conforming to the Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS). These fees are needed to maintain the registered importer (RI) program.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published in the Federal Register of March 10, 2010, a document on thefts of model year (MY) 2007 passenger motor vehicles that occurred in calendar year (CY) 2007. The document was published with several errors. In that publication, a vehicle line was omitted from the theft rate data which affected the overall theft rate calculation, the number of vehicle lines above the 1990/1991 median theft rate and the vehicle rankings. Additionally, vehicle line names and production numbers were listed incorrectly. The republishing of this document in its entirety corrects those errors.

This document corrects several cross-references in the agency's regulation exempting specified modifications for handicapped persons from the ``make inoperative'' prohibition of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. This action responds to a letter from the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association to correct the regulation.

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 the proposed collection of information.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a document in the Federal Register of June 21, 2010, announcing NHTSA's determination that there were no new model year (MY) 2011 light-duty truck lines subject to the requirements of the Federal motor vehicle theft prevention standard. The final rule also identified those vehicle lines that had been granted an exemption from the parts- marking requirements for the 2011 model year and those vehicle lines the agency removed because certain vehicle lines had been discontinued more than 5 years ago. This document corrects certain information published in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section and Appendix A-I listing of the final rule. All previous information associated with the published notice remains the same.

This document requests public comments on a petition for rulemaking submitted by Public Citizen and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, to amend the Federal motor vehicle safety standard on occupant crash protection to require automobile manufacturers to install seat belt reminder systems for rear designated seating positions in light passenger vehicles. The document discusses the agency's research and findings as well as our knowledge of the different types of rear seat belt reminder systems. In general, we are encouraged by new methods to increase seat belt use. NHTSA requests comments and information to assist the agency in determining whether to grant or deny the petition.