Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Wednesday, March 4, 2009 Part II Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 49 CFR Part 571 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard; Rearview Mirrors; Proposed Rule VerDate Nov<24>2008 17:11 Mar 03, 2009 Jkt 217001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4717 Sfmt 4717 E:\FR\FM\04MRP2.SGM 04MRP2 9478 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 4, 2009 / Proposed Rules DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION see the Public Participation heading of C. Sensor-Based Rear Object Detection the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section Systems National Highway Traffic Safety of this document. Note that all D. Multi-technology (Sensor + Camera) Administration comments received will be posted Systems E. Summary without change to http:// F. Questions 49 CFR Part 571 www.regulations.gov, including any VII. Rear Visibility of Current Vehicles [Docket No. NHTSA–2009–0041] personal information provided. Please VIII. Relationship Between Rear Visibility see the Privacy Act heading below. and Backing/Backover Crashes RIN 2127–AK43 Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search IX. Options for Mitigating Backover Incidents the electronic form of all comments A. Approaches for Improving Vehicles’ Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard; received into any of our dockets by the Rear Visibility Rearview Mirrors name of the individual submitting the B. Cost Benefit Scenarios comment (or signing the comment, if C. Questions AGENCY: National Highway Traffic X. Options for Measuring a Vehicle’s Rear Safety Administration (NHTSA), submitted on behalf of an association, Visibility Department of Transportation (DOT). business, labor union, etc.). You may A. Rear Visibility Measurement Procedures review DOT’s complete Privacy Act ACTION: Advance notice of proposed B. Rear Visibility Measurement Method rulemaking (ANPRM). Statement in the Federal Register Variability published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR C. Comparison of Human-Based Versus SUMMARY: This document initiates 19477–78) or you may visit http:// Laser-Based Rear Visibility Measurement rulemaking to amend Federal Motor DocketInfo.dot.gov. Protocols Docket: For access to the docket to D. Input From Industry Regarding Rear Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. Visibility Measurement 111, Rearview Mirrors,1 to improve a read background documents or E. Questions driver’s ability to see areas to the rear comments received, go to http:// XI. Options for Assessing the Performance of of a motor vehicle in order to mitigate www.regulations.gov or the street Rear Visibility Countermeasures fatalities and injuries associated with address listed above. Follow the online A. Countermeasure Performance Test backover incidents. The agency and instructions for accessing the dockets. Object Congress are concerned that vehicles FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: For technical B. Countermeasure Performance Test Area have ‘‘blind zones,’’ 2 areas behind the issues: Ms. Elizabeth Mazzae, Vehicle C. Countermeasure Performance Test Procedure vehicle in which drivers may have Research and Test Center, Telephone: D. Questions difficulty seeing and avoiding a person (937) 666–4511. Facsimile: (202) 366– XII. Options for Characterizing Rear Visibility or other obstacle. Through this notice, 3171. For legal issues: Ari Scott, Office Countermeasures NHTSA presents its initial research of Chief Counsel, Telephone (202) 366– A. Options for Display Characteristics efforts and solicits additional 2992. Facsimile: (202) 366–3820. You B. Options for Rearview Video System information that will enable the agency may send mail to these officials at: The Camera Characteristics to develop an effective proposal to National Highway Traffic Safety C. Questions mitigate backover incidents related to Administration, Attention: NVS–010, XIII. Conclusion 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., XIV. Public Participation vehicle rear blind zones. XV. Rulemaking Analyses and Notices DATES: Comments must be received on Washington, DC 20590. Appendix A—Methodology for Assessing or before May 4, 2009. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Backover Crash Risk by Pedestrian ADDRESSES: You may submit comments I. Executive Summary Location to the docket number identified in the II. Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Appendix B—Method for On-Road Study of Drivers’ Use of Rearview Video Systems heading of this document by any of the Safety Act of 2007 III. Existing Regulatory Requirements for Rear Appendix C—Details Regarding Development following methods: of a Possible Countermeasure • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to Visibility A. U.S. Application Threshold Based on Rear http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the B. Other Countries Blind Zone Area online instructions for submitting IV. Backover Safety Problem Appendix D—Results for Analysis of comments. A. Injuries and Fatalities in Backing Correlation Between Rear Blind Zone • Mail: Docket Management Facility: Incidents Area Measurement Field Size and U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 B. Vehicle Type Involvement in Backing Backing Crashes New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building Incidents I. Executive Summary Ground Floor, Room W12–140, C. Age Involvement in Backing Incidents Washington, DC 20590–0001. D. SCI Backover Case Summary This advance notice of proposed • Hand Delivery or Courier: 1200 E. Assessment of Backover Crash Risk by rulemaking (ANPRM) initiates Pedestrian Location rulemaking to amend Federal Motor New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building V. Technologies for Improving Rear Visibility Ground Floor, Room W12–140, between A. Rear-Mounted Convex Mirrors Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through B. Rearview Video Systems 111, Rearview Mirrors, to improve a Friday, except Federal holidays. C. Sensor-Based Rear Object Detection driver’s ability to see areas to the rear • Fax: 202–493–2251 Systems of a motor vehicle to reduce backover Instructions: For detailed instructions D. Multi-Technology (Sensor + Video incidents. The agency is issuing an on submitting comments and additional Camera) Systems ANPRM for two reasons. First, the information on the rulemaking process, E. Future Technologies agency is obligated, pursuant to the F. Summary and Questions Regarding Cameron Gulbransen Kids Technologies for Improving Rear 1 Transportation Safety Act of 2007 (the 49 CFR 571.111, Standard No. 111, Rearview Visibility Mirrors. VI. Drivers’ Use and Associated Effectiveness ‘‘K.T. Safety Act’’) Public Law 110–189, 2 We note that this is different than what many February 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 639, to people informally call a ‘‘blind spot,’’ a term used of Available Technologies to Mitigate to describe an area to the side of the car where Backovers undertake rulemaking to expand the people may not be able to see a vehicle when A. Rear-Mounted Convex Mirrors required field of view to enable the changing lanes. B. Rearview Video Systems driver of a motor vehicle to detect areas VerDate Nov<24>2008 17:11 Mar 03, 2009 Jkt 217001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\04MRP2.SGM 04MRP2 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 4, 2009 / Proposed Rules 9479 behind the vehicle to reduce death and to all non-backing traffic injury crashes ongoing, this notice describes how these injury resulting from backing incidents and to their proportion to the passenger systems work, how well they perform in and initiate the rulemaking in a vehicle fleet. Regardless of the type of identifying pedestrians, and how specified time period. Second, as there vehicle involved, backover incidents effectively drivers may use them. Where are a wide variety of means to address have garnered significant attention, due possible, we have also included the problem of backover incidents, the to the fact that many have involved preliminary cost and benefit National Highway Traffic Safety parents accidentally backing over their information. While we examine several Administration (NHTSA) is interested own children or similar situations. In application scenarios (all passenger cars in soliciting public comment on the this notice, NHTSA describes some of and all light trucks, only light trucks, current state of research and the efficacy the research and information-gathering and some combinations) and discount of available countermeasures. activities it has performed. This rates of 3 and 7 percent, the net cost per The problem of backovers claims the research centers on four major topic equivalent life saved for camera systems lives of approximately 292 people, areas. ranged from $13.8 to $72.2 million.7 For many of them children every year. A The first area involves the nature of sensors, it ranged from $11.3 to $62.5 backover is a specifically-defined type backover incidents and backing crashes million. According to our present of incident, in which a non-occupant of generally. NHTSA has reviewed the model, none of the systems are cost a vehicle (i.e., a pedestrian or cyclist) is details of documented backover effective compared to our struck by a vehicle moving in reverse. incidents, including the locations of comprehensive cost estimate for a Unlike most other types of crashes, backover victims, the paths the victims statistical life of $6.1 million.8 many backovers occur off public took to enter the path of the vehicle, and A fourth topic involves consideration roadways, in areas such as driveways the visibility characteristics of the of technical specifications and test and parking lots. Furthermore, a vehicles involved. This notice outlines procedures that could be used to disproportionate number of victims of the information