[Federal Register: December 21, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 244)]
[Notices]               
[Page 70453]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21de98-124]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[NHTSA-98-4908]

 
Insurer Reporting Requirements; Reports Under 49 U.S.C. on 
Section 33112(c)

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces publication by NHTSA of the annual 
insurer report on motor vehicle theft for the 1992 and 1993 reporting 
years. Section 33112(c) 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), these reports 
provide 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.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons may obtain copies of these reports by 
contacting the Docket Section, NHTSA, Room 5109, 400 Seventh Street, 
SW, Washington, DC 20590. Docket hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., 
Monday through Friday. Requests should refer to Docket No. 96-19; 
Notice 04.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Rosalind Proctor, Office of 
Planning and Consumer Programs, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., 
Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Proctor's telephone number is (202) 366-0846. 
Her fax number is (202) 493-2739.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Motor Vehicle Theft Law Enforcement Act 
of 1984 (Theft Act) was implemented to enhance detection and 
prosecution of motor vehicle theft (Pub. L. 98-547). The Theft Act 
added a new Title VI to the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings 
Act, which required the Secretary of Transportation to issue a theft 
prevention standard for identifying major parts of certain high-theft 
lines of passenger cars. The Act also addressed several other actions 
to reduce motor vehicle theft, such as: increased criminal penalties 
for those who traffic in stolen vehicles and parts; curtailment of the 
exportation of stolen motor vehicles and off-highway mobile equipment; 
establishment of penalties for dismantling vehicles for the purpose of 
trafficking in stolen parts; and development of ways to encourage 
decreases in premiums charged to consumers for motor vehicle theft 
insurance.
    Title VI (which has since been recodified as 49 U.S.C. Chapter 
331), was designed to impede the theft of motor vehicles by creating a 
theft prevention standard which required manufacturers of designated 
high-theft car lines to inscribe or affix a vehicle identification 
number onto the major component and replacement parts of all vehicle 
lines selected as high theft. The theft standard became effective in 
Model Year 1987 for designated high-theft car lines.
    The ``Anti-Car Theft Act of 1992'' amended the law relating to the 
parts-marking of major component parts on designated high-theft 
vehicles. One amendment made by the Anti-Car Theft Act was to 49 U.S.C. 
33101(10), where the definition of ``passenger motor vehicle'' now 
includes a ``multipurpose passenger vehicle or light-duty truck when 
that vehicle or truck is rated at not more than 6,000 pounds gross 
vehicle weight.'' Since ``passenger motor vehicle'' was previously 
defined to include passenger cars only, the effect of the Anti-Car 
Theft Act is that certain multipurpose passenger vehicle (MPV) and 
light-duty truck (LDT) lines may be determined to be high-theft 
vehicles subject to the Federal motor vehicle theft prevention standard 
(49 CFR Part 541).
    Section 33112 of Title 49 requires subject insurers or designated 
agents to report annually to the agency on theft and recovery of 
vehicles; rating rules and plans used by insurers to reduce premiums 
due to a reduction in motor vehicle thefts; and actions taken by 
insurers to assist in deterring thefts. Rental and leasing companies 
also are required to provide annual theft reports to the agency.
    The annual insurer reports provided under section 33112 are 
intended to aid in implementing the Theft Act and fulfilling the 
Department's requirements to report to the public the results of the 
insurer reports. The first annual insurer report, referred to as the 
Section 612 Report on Motor Vehicle Theft, was prepared by the agency 
and issued in December 1987. A notice announcing the availability of 
the first report was published in the Federal Register on February 19, 
1988. 53 FR 5076. The report included theft and recovery data by 
vehicle type, make, line, and model which were tabulated by insurance 
companies and, rental and leasing companies. Comprehensive premium 
information for each of the reporting insurance companies was also 
included. These are the eighth and ninth reports and they disclose the 
same subject information and follow the same reporting format.

    Issued on: December 15, 1998.
L. Robert Shelton,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 98-33722 Filed 12-18-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P