This is a request for an extension of
an ICR where the collection of information is mandatory. 49 CFR
390.15 requires interstate motor carriers to maintain for
recordkeeping, an "accident register" consisting of all accidents
(interstate and intrastate) involving their commercial motor
vehicles The frequency of the collection of information is when an
accident occurs. These records are used by the FMCSA to assess the
effectiveness of motor carriers' safety management controls. When
conducting a compliance review of a motor carrier at its place of
business, FMCSA investigators may examine the motor carrier’s
accident register. This information can be valuable in assessing
the safety performance of the motor carrier. For instance, it may
reveal accidents that, for various reasons, were not reported to
the FMCSA by the State, and thus are not part of FMCSA’s record of
the motor carrier’s accident history. Though accident reporting has
improved over the years, for various reasons some accidents remain
unreported to FMCSA’s national accident database. In addition, a
motor carrier’s Accident Register may include accidents that do not
satisfy the definition of “accident” under section 390.5, but have
nonetheless been included in the Accident Register. Pursuant to
section 390.15(b)(1), a motor carrier must obtain, at a minimum,
the following information about each CMV accident: (i) date of
accident, (ii) city or town in which or most near where the
accident occurred and the State where the accident occurred, (iii)
driver name, (iv) number of injuries, (v) number of fatalities, and
(vi) whether hazardous materials, other than fuel spilled from the
fuel tanks of the motor vehicle, were released. In addition,
section 390.15(b)(2) requires that “copies of all accident reports
required by State or other governmental entities or insurers” be
included in the Accident Register. The FMCSA does not prescribe a
specific form for Accident Register information. An “entry” on the
Accident Register is defined for purposes of this estimate as the
entry of all the information about a single accident that is
required by Section 390.15.
The Agency increases its
estimate to 36,157 burden hours. The text of section 390.15(b) is
unchanged; the increase in burden hours does not reflect changes in
the requirements for accident recordkeeping. The adjustment in
annual burden hours and costs are due to revised estimates of: (1)
the population of motor carriers subject to the regulation from
520,000 to 886,122, and of (2) the number of reportable accidents
from 89,000 to 120,522. The Agency has amended the population of
motor carriers to include the accident recordkeeping burden of
intrastate motor carriers. In past ICRs on this matter, the Agency
had taken the position that the accident recordkeeping of such
carriers occurred as a result of State law. However, the OMB has
directed FMCSA to include such intrastate activities in its IC
estimates, so we do so in this supporting statement for the first
time. The Agency estimates that a total of 886,122 motor carriers
are subject to accident register requirements (508,367 interstate
and 377,755 intrastate). The Agency further estimates that the
number of accidents that must be reported by intrastate and
interstate motor carriers is 120,522.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.