[Federal Register: July 22, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 140)] [Notices] [Page 39554-39555] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr22jy99-120] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [Docket No. NHTSA-99-5930] RIN 2127-AE95 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Occupant Crash Protection; Review: Passenger Car Back Seat Occupant Protection; Evaluation Report AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Department of Transportation. ACTION: Request for comments on technical report. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This notice announces the publication by NHTSA of a Technical Report concerning Safety Standard 208, Occupant Crash Protection, specifically the back seat lap/shoulder belt requirement. The report's title is the Effectiveness of Lap/Shoulder Belts in the Back Outboard Seating Positions. The primary objective of this report is to evaluate the effectiveness of lap/shoulder belts for back seat outboard occupants and whether they are more effective than lap belts for these occupants. Other objectives are to determine whether lap belts are effective, whether lap belts are harmful to back seat belt users in specific crash modes, and whether lap/shoulder belts correct the problems found with lap belts. DATES: Comments must be received no later than November 19, 1999. ADDRESSES: Report: Interested people may obtain copies of the reports free of charge by sending a self-addressed mailing label to Publications Ordering and Distribution Services (NAD-51), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590. Comments: All comments should refer to the docket number of this notice and be submitted to: U. S. Department of Transportation Dockets, Room PL-401, Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington DC 20590. [Docket hours, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.] FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles J. Kahane, Chief, Evaluation Division, Plans and Policy, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Room 5208, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590 (202-366-2560). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Back seat outboard lap/shoulder belts were first required in passenger cars after December 11, 1989 and in convertible passenger cars, light trucks, vans, and sport utility vehicle after September 1, 1991. Before this, passenger vehicles were required to have at least lap belts at all forward-facing rear outboard seating positions, lap/shoulder belts were optional. Pursuant to the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 and Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735), NHTSA reviews existing regulations to determine if they are achieving policy goals. Most of the analyses in this report are based on Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data from 1988 through the first six months of 1997. The primary analysis compares the fatality risk for back seat outboard belted occupants (lap or lap/shoulder belted) to the corresponding risk for unbelted occupants, as well as the fatality risk for lap/shoulder belted occupants to the risk for lap belted occupants. Fatality risk is the ratio of fatalities in the back seat to fatalities in the front seat (a control group). This procedure of comparing a subject group to a control group is called ``double pair comparison.'' The principal conclusions are: back seat lap belts are 32 percent effective in reducing fatalities and lap/shoulder belts are 44 percent effective in reducing fatalities when compared to unrestrained back seat occupants in passenger cars. In passenger vans and sport utility vehicles, lap belts are 63 percent effective and lap/shoulder belts are 73 percent effective. The change from lap to lap/shoulder belts has significantly enhanced occupant protection, especially in frontal crashes. In all crashes, lap/shoulder belts are 15 percent more effective than lap belts alone. In frontal crashes, lap/shoulder belts are 25 percent more effective than lap belts alone. Back seat lap belts reduce the risk of head injuries while increasing the risk of abdominal injuries in potentially fatal frontal crashes. Lap/shoulder belts reduce the risk of both head and abdominal injuries in potentially fatal frontal crashes relative to lap belts only: head injuries by 47 percent and abdominal injuries by 52 percent. [[Page 39555]] NHTSA welcomes public review of the technical report and invites the reviewers to submit comments about the data and the statistical methods used in the report. The agency is interested in learning of any additional data or information that could be used to expand or improve the analyses. If a commenter wishes to submit certain information under a claim of confidentiality, three copies of the complete submission, including purportedly confidential business information, should be submitted to the Chief Counsel, NHTSA, at the street address given above, and 2 copies from which the purportedly confidential information has been deleted should be submitted to the Docket Section. A request for confidentiality should be accompanied by a cover letter setting forth the information specified in the agency's confidential business information regulation. (49 CFR Part 512). All comments received before the close of business on the comment closing date will be considered, and will be available for examination in the docket at the above address both before and after that date. To the extent possible, comments filed after the closing date will also be considered. The NHTSA will continue to file relevant information as it becomes available in the docket after the closing date, and it is recommended that interested people continue to examine the docket for new material. People desiring to be notified upon receipt of their comments in the rules docket should enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard in the envelope with their comments. Upon receiving the comments, the docket supervisor will return the postcard by mail. Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30111, 30168; delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50 and 501.8. William H. Walsh, Associate Administrator for Plans and Policy. [FR Doc. 99-18671 Filed 7-21-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-59-P