Field trial focus group for recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs)

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for Focus Groups”

(OMB Control Number: 3041-0136)

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION:

Field trial focus group for recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs)

PURPOSE:

The information collected during the focus group will be used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) staff to make more informed technical decisions with regard to ROV restraint system requirements related to seat belt speed limiter technology. The information will increase CPSC’s understanding of user patterns for ROVs and seat belts, the potential effectiveness of this particular countermeasure strategy, user acceptance issues, and system features and parameters that would maximize benefits.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:

The recruitment objective is to identify 33 ROV users who will be willing to provide insight regarding their opinions and acceptance of a seat belt speed limiter system. Participants will be carefully defined by targeting selected groups of ROV users who use seat belts either part-time or not at all. Ads will be posted on classified advertisement websites, on forums for online rider groups, in local newspapers, and at locations frequented by ROV users. The contractor performing the focus group will also use a recruitment incentive program where individuals are given a gift card for identifying potential participants who are eligible and enroll in the focus group. The contractor will send e-mails to past study participants who may be or may know of eligible participants. The contractor will also contact state Divisions of Motor Vehicles (DMVs) to request assistance in identifying registered ATV and ROV owners. The contractor will provide a form letter that the DMVs can send to these owners with information on how to participate in the focus group and how to contact the contractor.

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)

[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form [ ] Customer Satisfaction Survey

[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software) [ ] Small Discussion Group

[X] Focus Group [ ] Other: ______________________

CERTIFICATION:

I certify the following to be true:

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the federal government.

3. The collection is noncontroversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The results are not intended to be disseminated to the public.

5. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy decisions.

6. The collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the future.

Name: Mary James, Office of Information Technology, Consumer Product Safety Commission (301) 504-7213; [email protected]

To assist review, please provide answers to the following question:

Personally Identifiable Information:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [ ] Yes [X] No

2. If yes, is the information that will be collected included in records that are subject to the Privacy Act of 1974? [ ] Yes [ ] No [ ] N/A

3. If applicable, has a System of Records Notice been published? [ ] Yes [ ] No [X] N/A

Gifts or Payments:

Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to participants? [X] Yes [ ] No

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
Focus Group Participants	33	4 hrs	132 hours
Totals	33		132 hours

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is $258,951.10.

Total estimated cost to the government for conducting the data collection is as follows:

Number of Participants 33

Total estimated cost of conducting the survey $258,951.10

Cost per completed Participant $7,847

The estimate is based on the total cost of the awarded research contract, divided by the specified number of completed participants.

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please provide answers to the following questions:

The selection of your targeted respondents

1. Do you have a customer list or something similar that defines the universe of potential respondents, and do you have a sampling plan for selecting from this universe? [ ] Yes [X] No

If the answer is yes, please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan)? If the answer is no, please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them?

The recruitment objective is to identify 33 ROV users who will be willing to provide insight regarding their opinions and acceptance of the seat belt speed limiter system once they have experienced using the technology. Recognizing that this may be a difficult population to recruit, multiple strategies are planned to maximize the recruitment of participants for this study. Ads will be posted on classified advertisements websites, on online rider groups forums, in local newspapers, and at locations frequented by ROV users. The contractor performing the focus group will also send e-mails to past study participants who may be or may know of eligible participants. The ads will provide a brief description of the focus group study and provide the contractor’s contact information for interested parties.

The contractor will also use a recruitment incentive program where individuals are given a gift card for identifying potential participants who are eligible and enroll in the focus group. Locations might include, but not be limited to, ROV dealerships, state parks, county fairs, and recreation and farm shows. The ads will provide a brief description of the study and provide the contractor’s contact information for interested parties.

When possible, the contractor will work with State Division of Motor Vehicles (DMVs) to identify and recruit participants. Several states require owners of ATVs and/or ROVs to register their vehicles. When possible, the contractor will request DMV assistance in identifying those registered owners. DMVs will contact such drivers, offering them the opportunity to participate in the study─putting the communication with the contractor under the control of the driver. The contractor will provide the DMV with a letter that can be sent to potential participants. The letter will describe the study and give potential participants the opportunity to contact (via phone) the contractor if they are interested in the study. This method ensures that the contractor will not have any information on a potential participant until they contact the contractor, at which time, the contractor will confirm that the potential participant is a user or owner of an ROV.

Regardless of the recruitment method used, potential participants will be screened for eligibility by phone (see attached file). The screener will describe the study in additional detail and will ask participants about their ROV use habits, as well as some demographic questions.

Participants will be carefully screened, targeting current part-time or non-users of seat belts when they drive ROVs. Engaging these ROV users will help in identifying the acceptability of the speed limiter feature on a broader scale among those users who have been most resistant to more conventional methods of encouraging restraint use. Engaging part-time or non-users in the discussion will assist in the exploration of behavior, concerns, beliefs, experiences, and motivations affecting their behavior. It might also encourage discussion related to the potential effectiveness of this particular countermeasure strategy, user acceptance issues, and system features and parameters that would maximize reliable seat belt use and safety benefits for the group of users that is currently most at risk of injury.

Administration of the Instrument

1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[ ] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[ ] Telephone

[X] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain

2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [X] Yes [ ] No

INFORMATION COLLECTION REQUEST (ICR):

OMB 83-1 SUPPORTING STATEMENT AND PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

1. JUSTIFICATION

1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) staff believes that a requirement for seat belt speed limiters on recreational off-highway vehicle (ROVs) may have the potential to increase seat belt use, and consequently, reduce the number of injuries and deaths for this class of vehicle. However, there is an inherent trade-off between the effectiveness of the device in changing driver behavior, and the willingness of users to purchase vehicles instrumented with this type of technology. To establish the effectiveness of a seat belt speed limiter in reducing the number of injuries and deaths on ROVs, CPSC staff requires information on current seat belt use among ROV users and expected user acceptance of seat belt speed limiter technology. In addition, to determine seat belt speed limiter acceptability, CPSC staff requires information on ROV use patterns, speeds at which ROVs are used, driver motivation factors in using or not using seat belts, user response to vehicles equipped with seat belt speed limiters, and design features and parameters that might increase the likelihood of seat belt use by ROV drivers and passengers.

In an earlier study, CPSC conducted several conventional focus groups aimed at gathering user rider experiences and opinions regarding their current ROVs, as well as user opinions regarding the incorporation of speed limiter devices on ROVs that they might purchase in the future. In general, participants drove frequently and used their ROV recreationally and professionally for a variety of reasons on public and private properties. Although all participants indicated that their ROV was equipped with a restraint system, most admitted to being part-time users, and restraint use was often related to the circumstances under which they were using the ROV. Typically, their decisions to use a restraint system were based on speed of vehicle, type of terrain and familiarity with the terrain, and presence of other passengers (particularly children). However, when asked to identify the average speed with which they drove their vehicle under a variety of conditions, most participants were hard-pressed to provide an exact speed.

Participants also felt that, based on their use patterns and experience with ROVs, there was no need for them to use a restraint system. None of the participants had ever experienced a seat belt based speed limiter; however, based on the researchers’ verbal descriptions of the technology and a video recording, their opinions of the speed limiter (set at 9 mph) were also very negative. Participants felt that having a limiter set to 9 mph was unnecessarily slow, and that most riders could travel at higher speeds (at least 15 mph) before feeling the need to use a restraint system. Most participants indicated that normal chores require them to repeatedly enter and exit the vehicle. Participants felt that setting the limiter at 9 mph would interfere with their accomplishing goals (or job) and would require the driver to latch and unlatch the restraint system repeatedly during egress and ingress to achieve a more reasonable speed. Participants indicated that they might be more likely to use the feature if the limit was raised to 15 mph (or higher).

CPSC’s Contractor will conduct field trial focus groups with recruited individuals. The field trial focus groups will employ a hands-on interaction with the seatbelt-based speed limiter feature under a variety of conditions, permitting participants to drive an ROV so they can provide a more empirically valid evaluation of the technology and its functionality. The Contractor will schedule focus groups at local trails, which will allow small group of participants (no more than 3) to operate the ROV. The trial will allow participants to experience the ROV under four different conditions. Based on feedback from a previous study, it may be beneficial to look into participants’ opinions regarding a speed limiter with a limit set at a slightly higher speed than 9 mph (e.g., 15 mph or 20 mph). Participants with a negative opinion of the speed limiter being set at 9 mph, may be more willing to accept a limit that is set to activate at speeds that are slightly higher. The focus group discussions will be enhanced by the exposure of each participant to a working system, which will enable each participant to provide a concrete basis for his or her opinions on the effectiveness, usability, acceptability, design features, and parameters that would maximize belt use and utility while maintaining the safety benefits of this technology.

Participants will be carefully defined by targeting selected groups of ROV users, especially part-time or non-users of seat belts. Engaging these ROV users will help in identifying the acceptability of the speed limiter feature on a broader scale and among those users who have been most resistant to more conventional methods of encouraging restraint use. Engaging part-time or non-users of seat belts in the discussion will assist in the exploration of behavior, concerns, beliefs, experiences, and motivations affecting their behavior. It might also encourage discussion related to the potential effectiveness of this particular countermeasure strategy, user acceptance issues, system features, and parameters that would maximize reliable belt use and utility while maintaining the safety benefits for the group of users that is currently most at risk of injury.

Each trial focus group will last no more than 2 hours. Participants will be permitted to attend only one group. While some participants will be recruited locally (Maryland), others may be recruited from South Carolina, California, and Utah because these locations have many trails accessible to ROVs. We expect that recruiting in these areas will allow us to recruit large numbers of participants for the focus groups and allow the participants to get hands-on experience with the ROV without leaving the trail area. Visiting multiple locations within the United States will also provide a better regional cross-section of users.

2. Purpose and Use of the Information Collection

The information collected during the focus groups will be used by CPSC staff to make more informed technical decisions about ROV restraint system requirements related to seat belt speed limiter technology. The information will increase CPSC’s understanding of use patterns for ROVs and seat belts, the potential effectiveness of this particular countermeasure strategy, user acceptance issues, and system features and parameters that would maximize benefits and minimize safety impacts.

The responses collected from the focus groups will be summarized and analyzed by the Contractor in a final report. No responses will be attributed to any one identifiable individual. In addition, no identifiable demographic information about the individual participants will be made public in the final report.

3. Consideration Given to Information Technology

All information collected will be recorded. The information will then be transcribed and summarized into a final report, which will be electronically submitted to the CPSC Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

Vehicle speed information measured during each of the participant’s test trials will be assigned to a specific Participant ID, so that no personally identify information can be linked to any one participant. This information will provide CPSC with some indication of the participants’ speed during their participation.

4. Duplication of Information

The intent of the field trial focus groups is to obtain information that is not readily available elsewhere. The information collected during the field trial focus groups will not be hypothetical consumer opinions, but will reflect the participant’s opinions based on actual exposure to a working system under various limiter conditions and user scenarios. This experience will enable each participant to provide a concrete basis for his or her opinions on the effectiveness, usability, acceptability, and system features and parameters that would maximize belt use and utility while maintaining the safety benefits of this particular countermeasure.

5. Impact on small businesses

The information will not be collected from small businesses or other small entities. Individual ROV owners or users will participate in the focus groups.

6. Consequences of Not Conducting Collection

The focus groups will play an important role in providing guidance for the CPSC staff when evaluating seat belt speed limiters in ROVs. CPSC staff believes that this technology may have the potential to increase seat belt use, and consequently reduce the number of injuries and deaths in this class of vehicle. Seat belt use is a complex problem, involving the interaction of many factors including public attitudes, user behavior, vehicle performance, terrain, design features, user acceptance, and enforcement strategies. This study will examine the likelihood of increased seat belt use among ROV users by implementing a recent innovation (seat belt speed limiter). This study is a well-designed exploration of user’s opinions regarding a viable system that provides the user with feedback when the driver’s seat belt is not secured. The seat belt speed limiter that has been adopted by one ROV manufacturer (Can-Am) may be a promising option for increasing safety with a broader ROV application.

7. Special Circumstances

There are no special circumstances. The information collected will be voluntary and will not be used for statistical purposes.

8. Agency’s Federal Register Notice and Related Information

A notice was not published in the Federal Register.

9. Payment or Gift

The Contractor will provide a cash incentive to participants. A cash honorarium ($75) will be provided to participants of the focus groups to compensate them for their time and effort. Payment of the honorarium shall take place after the completion of the 2-hour session. The sessions are not expected to exceed 2 hours.

10. Confidentiality

Participation in the focus group will be completely voluntary. Upon agreeing to participate, individuals will be required to read and sign an informed consent which will explicitly state the measures taken to protect their identity and well being (see attached informed consent form). Participants will be informed that their responses will be kept confidential and used only for research purposes. There will not be any personally identifying information such as names, addresses, telephone numbers, or social security numbers in the report delivered to the CPSC. The Contractor will destroy confidential identifiers 60 days after the end of the study.

During the focus groups, none of the participants will be identified by their full name. To facilitate open conversations, only individuals’ first names will be used. Although the conversations will be recorded, they will not be released to the public. Demographic information will be generalized in the final report, and no responses in the final report will be attributed to any specific individual. Once the focus groups are completed, the Contractor will destroy the completed screeners used for recruiting participants.

Vehicle speed information measured during each of the participant’s test trials will be assigned to a specific Participant ID, so that no personally identify information can be linked to any one participant. This information will provide CPSC with some indication of the participants’ speed during their participation.

11. Questions of a Sensitive Nature

The data collection does not contain any questions related to matters that are sensitive or private.

12. Burden of Information Collection

Staff estimates that the total time for each respondent to participate in the focus group will likely not be more than 4 hours. Staff estimates that the travel time for participants will not be more than 60 minutes one-way. Therefore, a maximum of 4 hours of burden will be placed on any one participant. Given that the focus groups will need to be conducted at or near a trail, it is anticipated that some participants may need to travel up to an hour to and from the site; however, the goal will be to coordinate focus groups for times when the participants may already be planning a recreational trip to the trail.

Estimated Reporting Burden
Type of Collection	No. of Respondents	Hours per Response	Total Hours
Focus Groups	33	4	132

13. Estimate of total annual cost burden to respondents

No costs are anticipated.

14. Costs to the Federal Government

The estimated annual cost to the federal government is: $258,951.10.

Total estimated cost to the government for conducting the data collection is as follows:

Number of Participants 33

Total estimated cost of conducting the survey $258,951.10

Cost per completed Participant $7,847

The estimate is based on the total cost of the awarded research contract divided by the specified number of completed participants.

15. Reason for Change

Not applicable. This is a new request for a generic IC.

16. Tabulation of Results, Schedule, Analysis Plans

The Contractor will develop a Final Report that will include an Executive Summary, Background, Introduction, Methodology, Results, and Conclusions sections.

Although the agency does not intend to publish its findings, the agency may receive requests to release the information (e.g., congressional inquiry, Freedom of Information Act requests). The agency will disseminate the findings when appropriate, strictly following the agency’s “Guidelines for Ensuring the Quality of Information Disseminated to the Public” and will include specific discussion of the limitations of the qualitative results discussed above.

17. Exemption from Displaying OMB Approval Date

No such exemption is sought. The OMB survey number and expiration date will be displayed on the initial screener and informed consent forms to be used as a reference if needed.

18. Exceptions to the Certification Statement

No such exemption is sought. These activities comply with the requirements in 5 CFR 1320.9.

Agreement to Participate in a Field Trial Focus Group on Off-Road Vehicles and Seat Belts

Informed Consent

You are invited to take part in a research study that investigates people’s use patterns for off-road vehicles and seat belts. This study is sponsored by the Federal Government.

Please read this consent form carefully. If you agree to participate in this focus group, please sign your name at the end of this form. You will receive a copy of this form for your records.

Purposes and Procedures. During the field trial focus group session, you will be asked to drive an ROV and complete various tasks. The ROV will be equipped with a video camera and you will be videotaped as you drive and complete the various tasks. After the hands-on portion, you and other participants will be asked to take part in a discussion. You will be asked about your use patterns for off-road vehicles and seat belts, your opinions on the use of a seat belt speed limiter technology, and your thoughts on the various tasks you were asked to perform. The entire field trial will last up to 2 hours. The discussion will be led by a trained focus group moderator and audiotaped for later analysis. We will use audio recording and note taking within the focus groups. This will allow a more accurate report to be prepared. Only the researchers involved in the study will have access to the recordings and notes.

Participation. Participating in the research study is voluntary. You may agree or refuse to participate. If you agree to participate, you can stop at any time during the study. You will receive $75 upon completion of the focus group.

Confidentiality. No published reports of the research will identify any participants. Likewise, all information collected during the study is confidential to the fullest extent of the law and will not be presented in any form that identifies individuals. All information will be treated with anonymity. Any information gathered, including tapes and notes, will be used only by Westat staff who are involved in the project. All records containing identifying information about you will be destroyed within three months of the end of this research project.

Risks. Participants will be required to operate an ROV. The risks include normal risks associated with operating a recreational off-highway vehicle. Some of the tasks will require you to operate the ROV unbelted and this might introduce additional risks of injury. You will need to drive responsibly which means not travelling off the defined course, not traveling on rough terrain, not making sharp turns, or any other unsafe maneuvers in order to minimize any additional risks to you.

Benefits. The findings of this study may be used improve safety for ROV users. There are no direct benefits to you.

Questions.

If you have any questions about this study please contact:

Dr. Doreen De Leonardis

(301) 315-5963

Westat

1600 Research Boulevard

Rockville, MD 20850

If you have any questions about your rights and welfare as a research participant, please call the Westat Human Subjects Protection office at 1-888-920-7631. Please leave a message with your full name and the name of the project that you are calling about, and a phone number beginning with the area code. Someone will return your call as soon as possible.

Authorization. By signing this form, you certify that you have read this form and that you agree to take part in the study.

(If you accept these terms, please indicate your consent below)

I _____________________ (participant’s name) have received information about being involved in the ROV study. I have read this form, I understand it, and my questions have been answered. I agree to participate in the study.

_____________________________ __________

Participant Signature Date

4