Notice2026-17612
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Request for Comment; Pulsating Stop Lamps, Flashing Lights, and Distance Perception
Primary source
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Published
August 28, 2026
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) summarized below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This document describes a new collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval titled "Pulsating Stop Lamps, Flashing Lights, and Distance Perception." A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on this information collection was published on May 26, 2026. Three comments were received in response, providing support for the research and recommending consideration for motorcycles and international regulations related to "emergency stop signals." While these topics are out of scope for this research, NHTSA plans to incorporate the recommended topics into the final report by including them in the literature review and background sections. Incorporation of these inputs into the study does not materially impact the burden on the participants, and therefore the participant burden estimate included in the 60-day notice remains unchanged.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 166 (Friday, August 28, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 166 (Friday, August 28, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55663-55669]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-17612]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-2025-0589]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Request for
Comment; Pulsating Stop Lamps, Flashing Lights, and Distance Perception
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice and request for comments on 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)
summarized below will be submitted to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This document describes a new
collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval
titled ``Pulsating Stop Lamps, Flashing Lights, and Distance
Perception.'' A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period
soliciting comments on this information collection was published on May
26, 2026. Three comments were received in response, providing support
for the research and recommending consideration for motorcycles and
international regulations related to ``emergency stop signals.'' While
these topics are out of scope for this research, NHTSA plans to
incorporate the recommended topics into the final report by including
them in the literature review and background sections. Incorporation of
these inputs into the study does not materially impact the burden on
the participants, and therefore the participant burden estimate
included in the 60-day notice remains unchanged.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before September 28, 2026.
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.
[[Page 55664]]
Kathryn Lucaites, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200
New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20590; email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#420923362a303b2c6c2e3721232b36273102262d366c252d34"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5e153f2a362c273070322b3d3f372a3b2d1e3a312a70393128">[email protected]</span></a>; phone: 202-366-7409. Please identify the
relevant collection of information by referring to its OMB Control
Number.
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
OMB.
Title: Pulsating Stop Lamps, Flashing Lights, and Distance
Perception.
OMB Control Number: New.
Form Numbers: NHTSA Form 2150--Flashing Lights Screening; NHTSA
Form 2151--Flashing Lights Participant Reminders; NHTSA Form 2152--
Flashing Lights Informed Consent; NHTSA Form 2153--Vision & Hearing
Tests; NHTSA Form 2154--Flashing Lights Surface Street Checklist; NHTSA
Form 2155--Flashing Lights Highway Checklist; NHTSA Form 2156--VTTI
Post-Drive Questionnaire, Flashing Lights Study; NHTSA Form 2157--UMN
Survey Research Informed Consent; NHTSA Form 2158--UMN Survey Research
One-time Pre-Questionnaires; NHTSA Form 2159--UMN Survey Research Data
Collection and Driver Response; NHTSA Form 2160--UMN Survey Research
One-time Post-Questionnaires; NHTSA Form 2161--UMN Simulation Screening
Questionnaires; NHTSA Form 2162--Participant Scheduling; NHTSA Form
2163--UMN Simulation Informed Consent; NHTSA Form 2164--UMN Simulation
Vision Evaluation; NHTSA Form 2165--Pre-Simulator Questionnaire; NHTSA
Form 2166--Driving Simulation Checklist; NHTSA Form 2167--Post-
Simulator Drive Questionnaire; NHTSA Form 2168--Demographics
Questionnaire; NHTSA Form 2169--UMN Simulator Post-Simulator Study
Questionnaire.
Type of Request: New information collection.
Type of Review Requested: Regular.
Length of Approval Requested: Three years from date of approval.
Summary of the Collection of Information: The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is seeking approval to conduct 21
voluntary information collections as part of a multi-phase research
study involving up to 270 licensed drivers of various ages to evaluate
potential safety benefits and disbenefits of implementing pulsating
stop lamps on a broader scale across a range of driving contexts and
over time. The study involves three different parts that will be
executed simultaneously:
Descriptions of the VTTI (Part 1--Test Track Study) and UMN (Part
2--Survey Research and Part 3--Simulator Study) efforts are detailed
below.
<bullet> Part 1--Test Track Study: The data collection will consist
of one driving session with an instrumented vehicle. A group of
volunteer participants, each with a valid driving license, will be
recruited by VTTI to participate in the study. The participants will
drive the instrumented vehicle through controlled driving tests on the
Smart Roads facilities (controlled-access test tracks built to Federal
Highway Administration standards). The focus is to characterize how
pulsating stop lamps affect driver distance perception and time-to-
collision judgements under a range of situations with multiple lead
vehicles and braking signal types (i.e., steady-burn and flashing).
Visual distraction associated with flashing lights will also be
assessed by tracking the driver's gaze. Following the presentation of
all the testing conditions, participants will provide feedback about
the stop lamp configurations. The entirety of participation in the
study is estimated at three hours.
<bullet> Part 2--Survey Research: The data collection will consist
of one online survey. Participants will join the study through a
crowdsourced research website and will be directed to the University of
Minnesota's <a href="http://Qualtrics.com">Qualtrics.com</a> survey site using their personal computer.
Participants will be shown a series of animated videos of car-following
scenarios with various stop lamp configurations. For each video,
participants will be asked to provide subjective feedback, including
their interpretation of each stop lamp configuration and their expected
driving response to each scenario. The goal of this collection is to
characterize driver's understanding and interpretation of pulsating
stop lamps. The entirety of participation in the study is estimated at
0.5 hours.
<bullet> Part 3--Simulator Study: The data collection will consist
of three simulated driving sessions. A group of volunteer participants,
each with a valid driving license, will be recruited by UMN to
participate in the study. The driving simulation study aims to address
a number of research questions relating to the driver response
characteristics in response to flashing or pulsating stop lamps during
normal and crash imminent scenarios. In addition, the multi-session
experiment aims to address questions regarding the effects of repeated
exposure to flashing or pulsating stop lamps over time.
Across three sessions, participants will be asked to complete a
series of drives in an immersive driving simulator while following
vehicles with varied stop lamp configurations and braking events. In
addition to participant's brake response characteristics collected from
the simulator, participants' demographics, attitudes and
interpretations will also be measured with questionnaires.
The driving simulation study aims to quantify driver performance in
response to pulsating stop lamps during normal and crash imminent
scenarios. In addition, the multi-session experiment aims to address
questions regarding the effects of repeated exposure to pulsating stop
lamps over time. The entirety of participation in the study is
estimated at 3.5 hours.
NHTSA will use the information gathered from both the VTTI and UMN
efforts to produce a technical report that presents the results of the
study. The report will provide important information needed by NHTSA to
develop, implement, and maintain effective countermeasures that meet
the agency's mandate to reduce the number of deaths, injuries, and
economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes on the U.S.
highways.
Recruitment of study respondents will be from the area near the
testing facilities in Blacksburg, VA, Minneapolis, MN, as well as a
digital crowdsourcing component. The target for the study varies based
on the part in question (a total of 30 participants for Part 1, a total
of 200 participants for Part 2, a total of 40 participants for Part 3);
however, the research team has provided sufficient additional
recruitment such that the target sample is achieved given expected
reductions in respondents due to ineligibility and attrition. The
planned data collection activities discussed herein have been approved
by an Institutional Review Board.
Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the
Information: As part of NHTSA's mission to save lives, prevent
injuries, and reduce traffic-related health care and other economic
costs, the agency conducts research as a foundation for the development
of motor vehicle standards and traffic safety programs The House Report
accompanying the
[[Page 55665]]
Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and
Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2020 (H.R. 116-106) directed
NHTSA to study the safety effectiveness of rear-end collision avoidance
systems that mitigate and prevent rear-end crashes and specified that
the study should include the effectiveness of pulsating light systems
in motor vehicles.
Pulsating stop lamps are not currently permitted on new vehicles
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, which
requires stop lamps to be steady burning (FMVSS No. 108 S7.3). However,
there are aftermarket products which alter stop lamps so that they
pulsate when the brake is applied. NHTSA has previously conducted
research studying the potential of flashing rear-brake lighting to
capture attention in crash-imminent scenarios. However, there may be
unintended consequences associated with pulsating stop lamps when
considering the broader driving context in which they operate.
The objective of this NHTSA project is to evaluate potential safety
benefits and disbenefits of implementing pulsating stop lamps on a
broader scale across a range of driving contexts and over time.
NHTSA will use the information collected to produce a technical
report containing summary statistics and tables that will be made
available publicly through the agency website and the National
Transportation Library.
60-Day Notice: A Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment
period soliciting public comments on the following information
collection was published on May 26, 2026 (91 FR 30783). NHTSA received
a total of three public comments from the American Trucking
Associations (ATA), the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), and the
Alliance for Automotive Innovation (the Alliance).
The ATA supported the proposed research, citing the importance of
understanding the safety impacts of pulsating stop lamps and pulsating
auxiliary lamps on commercial trucks.
The MIC indicated they support the overall goal of the research and
requested that NHTSA include motorcycles as part of the study, noting
that motorcycles have a narrower profile than other motor vehicles and
may benefit from pulsating stop lamps. MIC further encouraged any
research on motorcycles to explore the use of pulsating stop lamps
combined with hazard lamps, and increased illumination levels above
current legal limits. NHTSA agrees that the narrower profile of a
motorcycle may affect the safety impacts of pulsating stop lamps. While
the scope of the proposed research is limited to aftermarket flashing
or pulsating brake light systems for passenger vehicles and commercial
trucks, NHTSA will conduct a review of literature related to pulsating
stop lamps on motorcycles, the combined use of stop lamps and hazard
lamps, and the effect of pulsating lamp brightness, and will
incorporate the findings of the literature review into the study's
final report, noting the potential for future research.
The Alliance supported the proposed research, and encouraged NHTSA
to consider relevant international approaches, including requirements
for ``emergency stop signals'' under UNECE Regulation No. 48. NHTSA
acknowledges that prior work sponsored by the agency and supported by
industry has emphasized the use of flashing brake signals as a means of
alerting drivers to emergency braking events (Wierwille et al., 2005;
\1\ Wierwille et al., 2009; \2\ Llaneras et al., 2010).\3\ Unlike
``emergency stop signals'' supported by UNECE that trigger under hard
deceleration, the scope of the proposed research is focused on
aftermarket systems in the U.S. that activate on any brake pedal press,
regardless of deceleration rate or brake pedal force. To incorporate
the point raised in this comment, discussion of international
regulations and previous research on emergency brake signaling will be
included in the background section of this project's final report, and
the potential for future research will be noted.
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\1\ Wierwille, W. W., Lee, S. E., and DeHart, M. C. (2005).
Enhanced Rear Lighting and Signal Systems: Project Final Report
Emphasizing Task 3 Results: Test Road Experiment on Imminent Warning
Rear Lighting and Signaling. DOT HS 809 864. Washington, DC:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
\2\ Wierwille, W. W., Llaneras, R. E., & Neurauter, M. (2009).
Evaluation of Enhanced Brake lights Using Surrogate Safety Metrics
Task 1 Report: Further Characterization and Development of Rear
Brake Light Signals. DOT HS 811 127. Washington, DC: National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
\3\ Llaneras, R. E., Neurauter, M., & Perez, M. (2010).
Evaluation of Enhanced Brake Lights Using Surrogate Safety Metrics
Task 2 & 3 Report: Development of a Rear Signaling Model and Work
Plan for Large Scale Field Evaluation. DOT HS 811 329. Washington,
DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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After thoughtful consideration of the comments, NHTSA will
incorporate discussion of the application of this research to
motorcycles as well as considerations for alternative brake signal
configurations (e.g., emergency stop signals) in the final report.
Incorporation of the above material into the study does not materially
impact the burden on the participants, and therefore the participant
burden estimate included in the 60-day notice remains unchanged.
Affected Public: Respondents to this collection will be members of
the public recruited from Blacksburg, VA; Minneapolis, MN, and national
sample. Effort will be made to recruit equal numbers of adult males and
females, including participants aged 21 to 65. A representative sample
is not necessary to satisfy the objectives of the study and therefore,
a convenience sample of individuals meeting eligibility criteria will
be sufficient.
Estimated Number of Respondents: The target for the study is for
270 participants total across all 3 parts of the study (a total of 30
participants for Part 1, a total of 200 participants for Part 2, a
total of 40 participants for Part 3) to complete all sessions with
valid data collected for each. However, eligibility and attrition must
be accounted for throughout the individual information collections
included in this request. As previously stated, there are 21 individual
information collections in this request. The number of respondents
annually for each collection is as follows: Recruitment Screener--33;
Participant Reminders--10; Informed Consent--10; W-9 Form--10; Vision-
Hearing Form--10; Surface Street Controlled Driving on Smart Roads--10;
Highway Controlled Driving on Smart Roads--10; Post-Drive
Questionnaire--10; Survey Research--67; One-time Pre-Questionnaire--67;
Survey Research Data Collection and Driver Response--67; One-time Post-
Questionnaire--67; Simulator Study Screening Questionnaire--40;
Participant Scheduling--13; Informed Consent--13; Vision Evaluation--
13; Pre-Simulator Questionnaire--13; Driving Simulation Checklist--13;
Post-Simulator Drive Questionnaire--13; Demographics Questionnaire--13;
and Post-Simulator Study Questionnaire--13.
Frequency: This is a one-time information collection.
Estimated Number of Responses: 12,470.
Estimated Annual Burden Hours: The total estimated burden for this
one-time information collection is 386 hours total, or 127 annual
burden hours (based on a 3-year period of performance). Further details
are provided below. This ICR includes 21 information collections (8
information collections at VTTI and 13 at UMN), which are described
below. Total burden estimates for each information collection are
provided in Table 1 and annual burden estimates for each information
collection are provided in Table 2.
[[Page 55666]]
Part 1--Test Track Study
1. Recruitment Screener (Form 2150)
An estimated 100 total respondents (33 respondents annually) will
answer a Recruitment Screener (form 2150) over the phone to determine
if they qualify for the study. Participants will be screened over the
phone to determine eligibility, with recruitment personnel recording
responses on a paper form using an anonymized ID. Respondents who meet
the inclusion criteria will be individually scheduled for an
appointment over the phone to go to the contractor facilities in
Blacksburg, VA. Respondents are expected to take an estimated average
of 20 minutes to complete the questionnaire and will complete this
questionnaire once, resulting in a total of 33 burden hours (11 annual
burden hours) for the screening of potential participants. Recruitment
of study respondents is from Southwest Virginia, specifically the New
River Valley and surrounding areas (Roanoke, Salem, etc.).
2. Participant Reminders (Form 2151)
Participants will both be contacted by phone in order to remind
them of their appointment (Form 2151), as well as contacted through
email (Form 2151). These activities (the phone contact and the
participant reviewing the email content) are expected to take a total
of two minutes. For a maximum of 30 participants (10 respondents
annually), this results in a total of 1 burden hour (<1 annual burden
hour).
3. Informed Consent (Form 2152)
Based on an estimate that 30 percent of those who begin the
screening process will be eligible and interested in participating, we
anticipate an estimated 30 total participants (10 respondents annually)
initiate the consenting process. The visit to the VTTI facility will
begin with a consenting process that includes an overview of the study,
an explanation of the informed consent form, (Form 2152) and an
opportunity for the potential participants to ask questions and get
clarification. Those individuals who consent to the study and enroll
will complete the Informed Consent form and move on to the next
process. This consent process and completion of the Informed Consent
form, using the maximum of 30 respondents (10 annually), are expected
to take six minutes and will be completed resulting in a total of three
burden hours (1 annual burden hour). This is a paper form, which
participants are required to sign two copies of, keeping one for their
records.
4. W-9 Form
After completing the informed consent process, 30 participants will
also be required to fill out a W-9 Form, in order to receive
compensation for their participation. This form is expected to take two
minutes and will be completed once, resulting in a total of 1 burden
hour (<1 annual burden hour). This is a paper form.
5. Vision-Hearing Form (Form 2153)
Following the consenting process, the experimenter will administer
a brief vision and hearing evaluation (Form 2153) for a maximum of 30
respondents (10 respondents annually). The purpose of this evaluation
is to ensure that participants meet the basic vision requirements of
driver's licensure in Virginia (20/40), and to confirm that they can
hear instructions provided by the experimenter when looking away. The
hearing evaluation consists of repeating approximately five statements
back to the experimenter. Results will be completed once and will be
recorded on paper. This evaluation is expected to take two minutes,
resulting in a total of 1 total burden hour (<1 annual burden hour).
6. Surface Street: Controlled Driving on Smart Roads (Form 2154)
To assess reactions to multiple brake light configurations and
scenarios, study participants will experience a series of controlled
driving tests with research vehicle on the Smart Roads Surface Street
test track. VTTI anticipates that staged trial scenarios on the Surface
Street test track will include 3-lanes of forward traffic (a lead, and
two adjacent vehicles on either side of the lead). Participants will be
presented with a set of staged car-following trials in which they must
respond to lead vehicle braking events. To ensure safety, VTTI will use
a dual-control study vehicle that has been specifically modified by
moving the primary driving controls to the rear seat (experimenter
station) while still maintaining functional driving capabilities from
the factory driver's seat. The modifications allow the experimenter in
the rear seat to take control of the vehicle at any time, but still
provides the ability to measure driver control inputs in response to
staged braking events. Participant drivers will be required to brake as
needed and appropriate when they first detect lead vehicle
deceleration. Visual occlusion will be used to control the onset of the
exposure interval and mimic a distracted driver, with the drivers'
``gaze'' opening just prior to the start of the trial. Note that the
participant's braking response, deceleration profile, and gaze pattern
will serve as key outcome measures during these trials. Not including
the questionnaire elements referenced below, this driving session is
expected to take 130 minutes, including vehicle familiarization, drive-
time, and breaks. For a maximum of 30 participants (10 respondents
annually), this results in a total of 65 burden hours (22 annual burden
hours).
7. Highway: Controlled Driving on Smart Roads (Form 2155)
The highway portion of the data collection investigates the impact
of pulsating/flashing lights on driver brake response characteristics
and habituation resulting from repeated exposures. This part of the
study will use the Smart Roads Highway section allowing continuous
driving interactions and evolving events over a 35-minute period. As
with the Surface Street portion, VTTI will use a dual-control study
vehicle that has been specifically modified by moving the primary
driving controls to the rear seat (experimenter station) while still
maintaining functional driving capabilities from the factory driver's
seat. Unlike the Surface Street portion, participants will be actively
driving the vehicle with the rear-seat experimenter serving as a safety
driver intervening to take control of the vehicle if needed. Specific
aspects of focus during this portion include car following, headway
maintenance, and braking scenarios under distracted and attentive
driving, extended car following situations (over a period of minutes,
habituation to flashing/pulsating signals over a single episode where
pulsing/flashing signals are de-coupled from meaningful deceleration
events (episodic habituation). This driving session is expected to take
35 minutes, including vehicle familiarization, drive-time, and breaks.
For a maximum of 30 participants (10 respondents annually), this
results in a total of 18 burden hours (six annual burden hours).
8. Post-Drive Questionnaire (Form 2156)
Following the Highway portion of the VTTI test track scenarios,
respondents will be asked to complete a single Questionnaire (on paper)
(Form 2156) related to their reactions to the brake light presentation.
Completion of this form will take five minutes per person and is to be
completed 1 time per respondent for a maximum of 30 respondents (10
respondents annually), resulting in a total of three burden hours (one
annual burden hour).
[[Page 55667]]
Part 2--Survey Research
1. Informed Consent (Form 2157)
An estimated 200 participants (67 respondents annually) will be
recruited via <a href="http://prolific.com">prolific.com</a> and initiate the consenting process. Using
the maximum 200 respondents (six annually), the consent process,
including reading the information sheet and agreeing to participate, is
expected to take five minutes and will be completed 1 time per
respondent, resulting in a total of 17 burden hours (six annual burden
hours). This is a digital form, which participants digitally indicate
their agreement and consent and are then free to download a copy for
their records.
2. One-Time Pre-Questionnaires (Form 2158)
After the informed consent process, respondents will complete a
series of online forms filled on Prolific, comprising a demographics
questionnaire and a request to participants to provide their Prolific
ID's to allow the research team to validate responses and provide
payment via Prolific payment system. Respondents are expected to take
an estimated average of one minute to complete the one-time
questionnaires and will complete this questionnaire once. This data
collection, using the maximum of 200 respondents (67 annually), results
in a total of three burden hours (one annual burden hour) for
participants.
3. Survey Research Data Collection and Driver Response (Form 2159)
Participants using an online crowdsourcing platform (<a href="http://prolific.com">prolific.com</a>)
will then observe a series of animated images in an imagined vehicle-
following scenario and respond with their interpretations of the
behavior of the vehicle in the animated image, as well as their likely
responses in the vehicle-following scenario. 54 experimental trials
will be presented in random order. Each video will play for six
seconds. Along with each video, participants will be asked to answer
questions related to potential signal interpretations, potential
driving responses, and subjective ratings. Using the maximum of 200
respondents (67 annually), each trial (viewing the video and responding
to the associated survey questions) is anticipated to take no more than
0.5 minutes and will be completed 54 times per respondent, resulting in
a total of 90 burden hours (30 annual burden hours).
4. One-time Post-Questionnaires (Form 2160)
A post-study questionnaire is included at the end of the study,
which is a set of three questions asking about their experience with
pulsating or flashing brake lights, requiring a response on multiple
choice entries. Respondents are expected to take an estimated average
of one minute to complete the one-time questionnaires and will complete
this questionnaire once. This data collection, using the maximum of 200
respondents (67 annually), results in a total of three burden hours
(one annual burden hours) for participants.
Part 3--Simulator Study
1. Screening Questionnaire (Form 2161)
An estimated 120 participants (40 respondents annually) will
complete a screening questionnaire to determine study eligibility.
Respondents are expected to take an estimated average of three minutes
to complete the questionnaire and will complete this questionnaire 1
time per respondent, resulting in a total of six burden hours (two
annual burden hours).
2. Participant Scheduling (Form 2162)
Participants who pass the screening are potential candidates for
scheduling. Participants must be at least 18 years of age, have a
driver's license for at least one year, have adequate visual acuity and
normal color vision and hearing, and not have conditions that leave
them susceptible to simulation sickness (e.g., issues with dizziness,
motion sickness, sea sickness, migraines, etc.). There will also be
natural attrition from participants who lose interest after they've
filled out the screening form. This will restrict the number of
participants who are eligible for scheduling, from 120 who complete the
screening survey to those who are scheduled and take the consent form
in the next line item. For scheduling participants for the first
simulator driving session, along with the informed consent and vision
evaluation, the research team will reach out to the participant with
their preferred method (e.g., email or phone), and coordinate the best
available time for both the research team and the participant.
Participant Scheduling for First Session, using the maximum of 40
respondents (13 annually), is expected to take two minutes and will be
completed three times per respondent resulting in a total of four
burden hours (one annual burden hour).
3. Informed Consent (Form 2163)
While NHTSA estimates that 120 respondents will begin the screening
process, NHTSA estimates that only 40 (13 respondents annually) will
complete informed consent, anticipating that either some respondents
may choose not to proceed with the study or that the experimenter may
determine that they should not participate (uncooperative, impaired,
etc.). The visit to the UMN facility will begin with a consenting
process that includes an overview of the study, an explanation of the
consent form, and an opportunity for the potential participants to ask
questions and get clarification. Those individuals who consent to the
study and enroll will complete the Informed Consent form (Form 2163)
and move on to the next process. This consent process and completion of
the Informed Consent form, using the maximum of 40 respondents (13
annually), are expected to take five minutes and will be completed one
time per respondent, resulting in a total of three burden hours (one
annual burden hour). This is a digital form, which participants are
required to sign digitally and are able to download a copy if desired.
4. Vision Evaluation (Form 2164)
In order to ensure that the participants in the study have
comparable visual capabilities, they will be evaluated on their visual
acuity and color vision, due to the UMN simulator study having
significant visual requirements. The evaluation will comprise a
combination of the typical Snellen test for visual acuity, as well as
Ishihara's Concise Color Vision Test. The former requires participants
to read rows of letters in progressively smaller font sizes, and the
latter requires participants to identify numbers and lines in colored
plates. This vision evaluation, using the maximum of 40 respondents (13
annually), is expected to take 10 minutes and will be completed one
time per respondent, resulting in a total of seven burden hours (two
annual burden hours).
5. Pre-Simulator Questionnaire (Form 2165)
Before the simulation drive, participants are administered the pre-
drive Short Stress State Questionnaire (SSSQ), which assesses the
change in task stress experienced by the participant during the
simulator drive. This Pre-Simulator Questionnaire, using the maximum of
40 respondents (13 annually), is expected to take two minutes and will
be completed three times per respondent, resulting in a total of four
burden hours (one annual burden hour).
[[Page 55668]]
6. Driving Simulation Checklist (Form 2166)
The simulated world will consist of a roughly 10-mile stretch of a
four-lane or six-lane divided highway at dusk or nighttime conditions,
i.e., to maximize the visibility of brake lamp indications in the
projection system-based simulation environment. Participants will be
presented with a brief urban driving scenario featuring a series of
city blocks and signalized intersections. Participants will be given an
indication of which lane they should travel in and, depending on beta
and pilot testing results, may be prompted to reach a set speed and set
their cruise control to maintain this speed. Distractor and target
vehicles will be presented in the roadway and will be programmed to
travel at an independent speed or a speed which maintains a constant
distance from the participant's vehicle. Participants are expected to
perform four 10-mile drives during each test session. The Simulator
Driving Session 1, using the maximum of 40 respondents (13 annually),
is expected to take 50 minutes and will be completed three times per
respondent, resulting in a total of 100 burden hours (33 annual burden
hours).
7. Post-Simulator Drive Questionnaire (Form 2167)
After completing the four drives, participants will complete the
Post-Simulator Drive Questionnaire (Form 2167. This includes a set of
questions assessing respondents' understanding of the meaning of the
flashing brake lamps, along with the sense of urgency, usefulness, ease
of interpretation, and annoyingness, distractingness, and discomfort of
the brake lamps in the driving scenario. Other questions include Rating
Scale Mental Effort (RSME) and the post-drive version of the Short
Stress State Questionnaire (SSSQ). The RSME assesses how mentally
demanding the drive was for the participant, and the SSSQ assesses the
change in task stress experienced by the participant during the
simulator drive by measuring the participant's self-reported stress
before (Pre-Questionnaire) and immediately after (Post-Questionnaire)
the drive. The Post-Stimulator questionnaire also has a set of
questions examining symptoms of simulation sickness (Wellness
Questionnaire), to ensure the health and well-being of participants
after the drive. This set of questionnaires, using the maximum of 40
respondents (13 annually), is expected to take 10 minutes and will be
completed three times per respondent, resulting in a total of 20 burden
hours (seven annual burden hours).
8. Demographics Questionnaire (Form 2168)
After the first set of drives, a set of questionnaires is
administered, which includes demographic questions asking about age,
sex, education level, racial background, region of habitation (urban,
suburban, rural), and area the participant drives. This set of
questionnaires, using the maximum of 40 respondents (13 annually), is
expected to take one minute and will be completed one time per
respondent, resulting in a total of one burden hour (0.43 annual burden
hours).
9. Post-Simulator Study Questionnaire (Form 2169)
After completing all three simulation sessions, participants will
complete the post-simulator study questionnaire. These include
questions about participant experience with pulsating brake lights and
whether they've encountered, driven, or owned a vehicle with pulsating
brake lights. This will also include a brief debriefing period where
the participant will verbally communicate their experiences with the
simulated drives. The Post-Simulator Study Questionnaire, using the
maximum of 40 respondents (13 annually), is expected to take five
minutes and will be completed once per respondent, resulting in a total
of three burden hours (one annual burden hour).
For ease in understanding the calculations for burden and
opportunity cost, Tables 1, 2, and 3 summarize the estimated annual
burden hours for each of the study-related activities and forms, based
on a 3-year period. Note: For Tables 1-3, Annual Number of Respondents
is rounded to the nearest 1, Cost per Response is rounded to the
nearest $.01, Annual Burden Hours are rounded to the nearest hour,
Annual Opportunity Cost is rounded to the nearest $1, and Loaded Annual
Opportunity Cost is rounded to the nearest $1. There may be some
discrepancies in the tables due to rounding. The annual information
will be entered into ROCIS.
Table 1--Annual Burden Estimates by Information Collection
[Part 1--Test track study]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Time per Annual Loaded annual
Information collection number of Frequency of response Cost per Annual burden opportunity cost opportunity
respondents response (minutes) response hours (AHE = $36.16) cost
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Screening questionnaire (Form 2150)............ 33 1 20 $12.05 11 $398 $517
Participant Reminders (Form 2151).............. 10 1 2 1.21 0 12 16
Informed Consent (Form 2152)................... 10 1 6 3.62 1 36 47
IRS Form W-9................................... 10 1 2 1.21 1 12 16
Vision/Hearing evaluation (Form 2153).......... 10 1 2 1.21 0 12 16
Surface Street: Controlled driving on the Smart 10 1 130 78.35 22 783 1,019
Roads (orientation, drive-time) (Form 2154)...
Highway: Prescribed driving on public roads 10 1 35 21.09 6 211 274
(orientation, drive-time) (Form 2155).........
Post-Drive Questionnaire (Form 2156)........... 10 1 5 3.01 1 30 39
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total...................................... ............ ............ ............ ........... 41 1,494 1,944
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 2--Annual Burden Estimates by Information Collection
[Part 2--Survey research]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Time per Annual Loaded annual
Information collection number of Frequency of response Cost per Annual burden opportunity cost opportunity
respondents response (minutes) response hours (AHE = $37.01) cost
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Informed Consent (Form 2157)................... 67 1 5 $3.08 6 $207 $269
One-time Pre-Questionnaires (Form 2158)........ 67 1 1 0.62 1 41 54
[[Page 55669]]
Survey Research Data Collection and Driver 67 54 0.5 0.31 30 1,116 1,451
Response (Form 2159)..........................
One-time Post-Questionnaires (Form 2160)....... 67 1 1 0.62 1 41 54
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total...................................... ............ ............ ............ ........... 38 1,405 1,828
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 3--Annual Burden Estimates by Information Collection
[Part 3--Simulator study]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Time per Annual Loaded annual
Information collection number of Frequency of response Cost per Annual burden opportunity cost opportunity
respondents response (minutes) response hours (AHE = $40.09) cost
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Screening questionnaire (Form 2161)............ 40 1 3 $2.00 2 $80 $104
Participant Scheduling (Form 2162)............. 13 3 2 1.34 1 52 68
Informed Consent (Form 2163)................... 13 1 5 3.34 1 43 56
Vision evaluation (Form 2164).................. 13 1 10 6.68 2 87 113
Pre-Simulator Questionnaire (Form 2165)........ 13 3 2 1.34 1 52 68
Driving Simulation Checklist (Form 2166)....... 13 3 50 33.41 33 1,303 1,694
Post-Simulator Drive Questionnaire (Form 2167). 13 3 10 6.68 7 261 339
Demographic Questionnaire (Form 2168).......... 13 1 1 0.67 0 9 11
Post-Simulator Study Questionnaire (Form 2169). 13 1 5 3.34 1 43 56
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total...................................... ............ ............ ............ ........... 48 1,930 2,509
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost: $0.
The only cost burdens respondents will incur are costs related to
travel to and from the research location. The costs are minimal and are
expected to be offset by the honorarium that will be provided to the
research participants.
Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspects of
this information collection, including (a) whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the agency, including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of
the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance
the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected;
and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on
respondents, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms
of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of
responses.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter
35, as amended; 49 CFR 1.49; and DOT Order 1351.29A.
Cem Hatipoglu,
Associate Administrator, Office of Vehicle Safety Research.
[FR Doc. 2026-17612 Filed 8-27-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on August 28, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.