[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 242 (Thursday, December 17, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69706-69707]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33470]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping Requirements; Agency Information
Collection Activity Under OMB Review
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: 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 soliciting comments on an interim
final rule was published on September 1, 1998 [63 FR 46389-46394].
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 19, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The following persons at the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20590: For program issues, Joan Catherine Tetrault,
State and Community Services, NSC-01, (202) 366-2674; For legal issues,
John Donaldson, Office of the Chief Counsel, NCC-30, (202) 366-1834.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Title: Uniform Criteria for State Observational Surveys of Seat
Belt Use.
OMB Number: 2127-0597.
Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection
Abstract: Section 1403 of the recently enacted Transportation
Equity Act for the 21st Century (Pub. L. 105-178) added a new Section
157 to Title 23 of the United States Code (replacing a predecessor
Section 157). The new section authorizes a State seat belt incentive
grant program covering fiscal years 1999 through 2003. Under this
program, the Secretary of Transportation is directed to allocate funds
to the States (beginning in fiscal year 1999) based on
[[Page 69707]]
their seat belt use rates. The interim rule published on September 1,
1998 promulgates the Uniform Criteria for State Observational Surveys
of Seat Belt Use (hereafter, Uniform Criteria) to provide guidance to
the States on the seat belt use rate information to be submitted under
this new program for calendar year 1998 and beyond.
Section 157 requires the Secretary to allocate funds to States that
achieve a seat belt use rate in the preceding two years that is higher
than the national average use rate or, failing that, a seat belt use
rate that is higher than the highest seat belt use rate achieved by the
State during specified previous calendar years. In order to make the
calculations necessary to allocate funds under this provision, State
seat belt use rate information extending back to calendar year 1996 is
needed. For calendar years 1996 and 1997, seat belt use rate
information submitted by the States is required to be weighted by the
Secretary to ensure national consistency in methods of measurement.
Beginning in calendar year 1998, States must measure seat belt use
rates following criteria established by the Secretary, to ensure that
the measurements are ``accurate and representative.'' In accordance
with that mandate, this interim final rule establishes uniform criteria
for States to follow in conducting surveys of seat belt use, starting
with surveys conducted in calendar year 1998.
Affected Public: State agencies, District of Columbia, and Puerto
Rico.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 17,942.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Michael Robinson, NHTSA
Information Collection Clearance Officer, at 202/366-9456.
ADDRESSES: Send comments, within 30 days, to the Office of Information
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725-17th
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention DOT Desk Officer. Comments
are invited on: whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the
Department, including whether the information will have practical
utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Issued in Washington, DC, on December 14, 1998.
Vanester M. Williams,
Clearance Officer, United States Department of Transportation.
[FR Doc. 98-33470 Filed 12-16-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P