Notice2025-21598
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Request for Comment; Assessing the Fit and Comfort of Motorcycle Safety Gear
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Published
December 1, 2025
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Abstract
In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. NHTSA is seeking approval for a new, one-time information collection from a targeted sample of 625 motorcycle riders (from 1,250 screened for potential participations) about their use and preference for motorcycle protective gear including footwear, gloves, helmets, jackets, and pants. The collection will involve recruiting motorcyclists attending motorcycle events to gather information about their perceptions of the gear in terms of comfort, usability, and protective value, and to obtain objective measures of fit. The study will allow NHTSA to assess the relationship between perceived and objectively measured fit and understand rider beliefs about the protective value of gear that influence the selection and use of protective gear. Participation will be voluntary and anonymous. A Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following information collection was published on January 13, 2025. NHTSA received five comments, which we address below.
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 228 (Monday, December 1, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 228 (Monday, December 1, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55237-55240]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-21598]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-2025-0017]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Request for
Comment; Assessing the Fit and Comfort of Motorcycle Safety Gear
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice and request for public comments on a request for
approval of a new information collection.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA),
this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR)
abstracted below will be submitted to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The ICR describes the nature of
the information collection and its expected burden. NHTSA is seeking
approval for a new, one-time information collection from a targeted
sample of 625 motorcycle riders (from 1,250 screened for potential
participations) about their use and preference for motorcycle
protective gear including footwear, gloves, helmets, jackets, and
pants. The collection will involve recruiting motorcyclists attending
motorcycle events to gather information about their perceptions of the
gear in terms of comfort, usability, and protective value, and to
obtain objective measures of fit. The study will allow NHTSA to assess
the relationship between perceived and objectively measured fit and
understand rider beliefs about the protective value of gear that
influence the selection and use of protective gear. Participation will
be voluntary and anonymous. A Federal Register notice with a 60-day
comment period soliciting comments on the following information
collection was published on January 13, 2025. NHTSA received five
comments, which we address below.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 31, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection, including suggestions for reducing burden,
should be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget at
<a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. To find this particular information
collection, select ``Currently under Review--Open for Public Comment''
or use the search function.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or access
to background documents, contact Dr. DeReece Smither, Contracting
Officer's Representative, Office of Behavioral Safety Research (NPD-
310), <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#92d6f7c0f7f7f1f7bcc1fffbe6faf7e0d2f6fde6bcf5fde4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d296b780b7b7b1b7fc81bfbba6bab7a092b6bda6fcb5bda4">[email protected]</span></a>, (771) 221-0558, National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), a
Federal agency must receive approval from the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) before it collects certain information from the public and
a person is not required to respond to a collection of information by a
Federal agency unless the collection displays a valid OMB control
number. In compliance with these requirements, this notice announces
that the following information collection request will be submitted to
OMB.
Title: Assessing the Fit and Comfort of Motorcycle Safety Gear.
[[Page 55238]]
OMB Control Number: New.
Form Numbers: NHTSA Forms 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005.
Type of Request: Request for approval of a new information
collection.
Type of Review Requested: Regular.
Length of Approval Requested: 3 years from date of approval.
Summary of the Collection of Information:
NHTSA is seeking approval for a new, one-time information
collection from a targeted sample of 625 motorcycle riders (from 1,250
screened for potential participation) about their use and preference
for motorcycle protective gear. The information collection will involve
recruiting motorcyclists attending motorcycle events to ask them for
their perceptions about the protective gear they are wearing (including
footwear, gloves, helmets, jackets, pants) and to obtain objective
measures of fit. The study will allow NHTSA to assess the relationship
between perceived and objectively measured fit, rider beliefs about the
protective value of gear, and factors influencing the selection and use
of protective gear.
Potential participants will be recruited at locations where riders
gather, such as rallies, training events, and other organized social
events. The study protocol calls for the recruitment of an equal number
of riders of standard, cruiser, sport and adventure/touring
motorcycles, and seated motor scooters. Depending on the venue, the
study team will either invite riders to participate at a study tent or
conduct the survey near the rider's motorcycle. Study staff will
observe gear worn by riders, assess the fit of the gear, and ask riders
for their opinions about the fit and comfort of the gear. Data
collection will involve the use of a portable tablet for the informed
consent process, and to record participant responses and staff
observations. Participants will self-administer some portions of the
survey, while data collectors will verbally ask the participants about
their gear during the gear assessments. Anthropometric measurements
(e.g., head circumference) will be taken using ribbon tape or an
anthropometer as appropriate depending on the gear type being assessed.
The study plan is to assess one type of protective gear (e.g.,
jackets) per participant. Additionally, to obtain information on
participants' perspectives of different types of protective gear, study
staff will present images on a tablet of the protective gear (one gear
type per participant) that ranges in quality. The images will include
product descriptions, but no brand names. Participants will be asked to
rate the protection afforded by the gear, its quality, and the
likelihood of wearing or purchasing it.
Participation will be voluntary and anonymous. This information
collection only requires participants to report their answers; there
are no record-keeping costs to the participants. NHTSA will use the
information to produce a technical report that will present summary
statistics and tables; a de-identified data set will also be made
available to the public. Participants will not report personally
identifiable information. The study will allow NHTSA to better
understand how the fit and comfort of protective gear influences rider
choices to use or not use protective gear and provide the means to
assess how well gear is fitting riders. This information will aid NHTSA
in its efforts to develop successful programs to improve motorcyclist
safety. The technical report will be distributed to a variety of
audiences interested in improving highway safety.
Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the
Information:
NHTSA's statutory mandate is to reduce deaths, injuries, and
economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes on the Nation's
highways. The agency develops, promotes, and implements educational,
engineering, and enforcement programs with the goal of ending
preventable tragedies and reducing economic costs associated with
vehicle use and highway travel. As part of its mandate, NHTSA is
authorized to conduct research to develop traffic safety programs.
Title 23, United States Code, Chapter 4, Section 403 authorizes the
Secretary of Transportation to conduct research and development
activities. Pursuant to Section 1.95 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR), the Secretary has delegated this authority to NHTSA.
Current data is essential to develop appropriate approaches to improve
traffic safety. This is especially true for information on
motorcyclists, where data is much more limited.
NHTSA and other traffic safety stakeholders have sought to learn
about motorcycle safety issues through varied methodological
approaches. In 2022, there were 6,218 motorcyclists killed in traffic
crashes, comprising 15 percent of all traffic fatalities that year and
representing a fatality rate per vehicle miles traveled of 26.16,
nearly 22 times that of passenger car occupants (1.20).\1\ These
findings demonstrate the inherent risk of motorcycle riding and
highlight the importance of wearing personal protective gear,
especially a helmet, but including footwear, gloves, jacket, and pants.
Nonetheless, not all motorcyclists use gear on every ride.
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\1\ National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2024, July).
Motorcycles: 2022 data (Traffic Safety Facts. Report No. DOT HS 813
589). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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The proposed study aims to address the pressing need to understand
the relationship between the fit and comfort of personal protective
gear and the decision to use gear. The results will assist NHTSA in the
development of programs aimed at increasing motorcycle safety by
providing information on the types of gear being used, how fit and
comfortable the gear is, and deterrents to using protective gear.
60-Day Notice: A Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment
period soliciting public comments on the following information
collection was published on January 13, 2025 (90 FR 7, pp. 2779-2781).
Five comments were received during the comment period. We address these
comments below.
One motorcyclist expressed concern over exclusively collecting data
at motorcycle rallies, as the attendance tends to be largely uniform
and suggested broadening beyond rallies ``to ensure that all riders . .
. can be equally protected.'' The current recruitment approach does not
focus only on motorcycle rallies. The recruitment plan considers
recruiting potential participants from locations other than motorcycle
rallies such as training events and other organized events. As such,
the project scope already intends on collecting data from motorcyclists
at locations other than rallies.
An anonymous commenter expressed support for this project and
recommended the study explore how motorcycle protective gear has
reduced injuries in motorcycle crashes. NHTSA declines to expand its
study to explore crashes because it is beyond the scope of the current
study.
NHTSA received three comments in support of the study. One
commenter stated the study will address ``one of the most used
excuses'' to not wear protective gear. Another commenter expressed
being ``so grateful for this amazing step forward for protecting our
motorcyclists.'' A last commenter ``appreciates the initiative of NHTSA
in proposing this study to gain greater insight into the decisions of
motorcycle riders to use protective equipment.''
Affected Public: This study will recruit volunteers who are riders
of selected types of motorcycles (standard,
[[Page 55239]]
cruiser, sport, adventure/touring and seated motor scooter) at the data
collection locations. Motorcyclists passing by the data collection
locations will be recruited to voluntarily participate in an assessment
of the fit of their current protective gear (if worn). They will also
be asked to review images of selected protective gear and provide their
opinions on the protective gears' protective capabilities, usability,
and perceived quality.
Estimated Number of Respondents: Participation in this study will
be voluntary and anonymous. The study expects to contact approximately
1,250 motorcyclists at the data collection locations to obtain
responses from 625 motorcyclists (125 from each motorcycle type).
Frequency: This study will be a one-time data collection. Because
data collection may occur at multiple events, there is a remote chance
an individual could participate more than once. This is not expected,
however, as potential participants will not know data collection
locations or times.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: The total amount of burden is
estimated to be 341 hours. This includes the following estimates: (1)
313 hours for 625 motorcyclists to respond fully to the survey, based
on an average completion time of 30 minutes per participant; (2) 19
hours for the estimated 75 motorcyclists who will partially
participate, based on spending 15 minutes on a portion of the survey;
and (3) nine hours for the estimated 550 people who are screened by
study staff, but decline to participate, based on one minute per
interaction (see Table 1).
Table 1--Summary of Total Burden Hours by Type of Participation
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Total
Type of participation Number of Minutes per estimated
respondents respondent burden hours *
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Rider Fully Participates........................................ 625 30 313
Form 2000--Informed Consent/Screener AND.................... 625 1 ..............
Form 2001 (Footwear) OR..................................... 125 29 ..............
Form 2002 (Gloves) OR....................................... 125 29 ..............
Form 2003 (Helmets) OR...................................... 125 29 ..............
Form 2004 (Jackets) OR...................................... 125 29 ..............
Form 2005 (Pants)........................................... 125 29 ..............
Rider Does Not Fully Participate................................ 75 15 19
Form 2000--Informed Consent/Screener AND.................... 75 1 ..............
Form 2001 (Footwear) OR..................................... 15 14 ..............
Form 2002 (Gloves) OR....................................... 15 14 ..............
Form 2003 (Helmets) OR...................................... 15 14 ..............
Form 2004 (Jackets) OR...................................... 15 14 ..............
Form 2005 (Pants)........................................... 15 14 ..............
Rider Screened but Does Not Participate......................... 550 1 9
Form 2000--Informed Consent/Screener ONLY................... 550 1 ..............
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Grand Total............................................. 1,250 .............. 341
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Note: * Rounded to the nearest hour.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost: The total burden cost to
participants is estimated to be $14,460 with an annual burden cost of
$4,820 (total divided by 3) (see Table 2). Participation in this study
is voluntary and there are no costs to respondents beyond the time
spent hearing about the study and participating in data collection, if
they decide to participate. Participants will incur no burden related
to annual reporting or record keeping due to the collection of this new
information.
Table 2--Burden Estimates by NHTSA Form for the Data Collection Surveys
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Burden per Burden per Average hourly Total
Information collection-- NHTSA form # Number of response * (in respondent * opportunity Labor cost per Total burden opportunity
responses minutes) (in minutes) cost ** submission hours *** costs ***
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Form 2000.................................. 1,250 1 1 $42.46 $0.708 21 $885
Form 2001.................................. 140 27.39 27.39 42.46 19.392 64 2,715
Form 2002.................................. 140 27.39 27.39 42.46 19.392 64 2,715
Form 2003.................................. 140 27.39 27.39 42.46 19.392 64 2,715
Form 2004.................................. 140 27.39 27.39 42.46 19.392 64 2,715
Form 2005.................................. 140 27.39 27.39 42.46 19.392 64 2,715
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Total.................................. 1,950 .............. .............. .............. .............. 341 14,460
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Notes: * Forms 2001-2005 Burden per Response/Respondent averages both the rider fully and does not fully participate as shown in Table 1.
** See May 2024 all occupations cross-industry, private, federal, state, and local government average hourly wage from the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics at <a href="https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/industry/000000">https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/industry/000000</a>; Average Hourly Opportunity Cost is inclusive of a 30% addition to the base hourly wage to
account for fringe benefits ($42.46 = $32.66 hourly wage + $9.80 fringe).
*** Rounded up based on individual forms.
[[Page 55240]]
Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspects of
this information collection, including (i) whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the Department, including whether the information will
have practical utility; (ii) the accuracy of the Department's estimate
of the burden of the proposed information collection; (iii) ways to
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (iv) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of
information on respondents, including the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
(Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter
35, as amended; 49 CFR 1.49; and DOT Order 1351.29A.)
Jane Terry,
Acting Associate Administrator, Research and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 2025-21598 Filed 11-28-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P
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