Reducing the Illegal Passing of School Buses

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
Form NHTSA Form 1559 Community Survey - Survey Form	New
Form NHTSA Form 1559 Community Survey - Screening Form	New
Form NHTSA Form 1559 National Survey - Online Survey Form	New
SchoolBus_OMBAppendixItemJustification_09_09_20.docx Supplementary Document	2021-01-12
30-Day Illegal Passing of School Buses 2021-00136.pdf Supplementary Document	2021-01-08
60-day FRN_2020-15445.pdf Supplementary Document	2021-01-08
SchoolBus_OMB_Supporting Statement B_09_09_20.docx Supporting Statement B	2020-11-13
Supporting Statement_SchoolBus_OMB_SectionA_01_04_21.docx Supporting Statement A	2021-01-12

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
244504	Community Survey - Survey Form	New
244479	Community Survey - Screening Form	New
244478	National Survey - Online Survey Form	New
244477	National Survey Invitation Instruction	New

ICR Details

OMB Control No:	ICR Reference No: 202010-2127-002
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: DOT/NHTSA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Reducing the Illegal Passing of School Buses
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 01/13/2021

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved
Responses	9,300	0
Time Burden (Hours)	1,268	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is conducting a research study on the illegal passing of stopped school buses. This dangerous driving behavior is a frequent occurrence all across the country with over 17 million illegal passes estimated as occurring during the 2018-2019 school year. When a child boarding or disembarking a school bus is struck by a passing vehicle, it often results in serious injury or death. Even though every State has a law requiring drivers to stop for a stopped school bus displaying flashing red lights, violations abound. Little is known about driver knowledge of school bus passing laws, or why drivers violate the laws in spite of their universality. The most recent in-depth study on the issue of illegal passing of school buses was performed over 20 years ago at the University of South Florida’s Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR). This single-State study found that even in the most common roadway conditions in which a driver will encounter a stopped school bus (2-lane undivided roadway), 14% of drivers were still unaware that they needed to stop when the school bus displayed red lights and extended its stop-arm. This dated, single-State study may not be representative of current driver knowledge and attitudes across the United States. A nationally representative sample of respondents is needed to develop a current and more accurate estimate of driver knowledge of and attitudes towards school bus passing laws. The current study consists of two new, totally voluntary surveys of drivers in the general public to collect data to support NHTSA’s effort to reduce illegal passing of school buses. The first survey involves a one-time nationally representative sample of drivers to assess their knowledge and attitudes related to the passing of stopped school buses. The second involves a field study in two communities to examine the effectiveness of a high-visibility enforcement approach that includes the use of automated cameras on the school bus. The study sites will be cities or counties of approximately 100,000 to 300,000 population served by no more than two law enforcement agencies. They will have existing State or local laws that permit the use of camera enforcement of school bus passing violations by sending a citation to the registered owner of the violating vehicle. The survey will be given in two waves in each of the two communities, once before and once after implementation of the countermeasure for a total of four collections. The study will also involve a review of violation rates that does not involve any contact with the public. The study’s survey data collection in the test communities before and after program implementation will examine awareness of the enforcement program, driver knowledge of and attitudes towards school bus passing laws, and self-reported behavior when encountering a school bus. In summary, this study seeks to fill a gap in the state of knowledge concerning the illegal passing of stopped school buses. NHTSA will use the information to produce a technical report that will present summary statistics and tables. No identifying information is being collected, and no individual responses will be reported. The results of this research will assist NHTSA in better understanding how to develop successful programs to reduce illegal passing of school buses. The results can also be used by school bus operators, law enforcement agencies, researchers, government agencies at all levels, and others to plan and execute countermeasures against illegal school bus passing.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 23 USC Chapter 4 section 403 Name of Law: Highway Safety Act
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	85 FR 138	07/17/2020
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	86 FR 1577	01/08/2021
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 4

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
National Survey Invitation
National Survey - Online Survey	NHTSA Form 1559	Reducing the Illegal Passing of School Buses Survey
Community Survey - Screening	NHTSA Form 1559	Reducing the Illegal Passing of School Buses Survey
Community Survey - Survey	NHTSA Form 1559	Reducing the Illegal Passing of School Buses Survey

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	9,300	0	0	9,300	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	1,268	0	0	1,268	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This is a new information collection. As such, it requires a program change to add the estimated hours 1,268 hours for the new information collection to existing burden.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $70,198

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? Yes Part B of Supporting Statement

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 01/13/2021

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