Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Occupant Crash Protection; Seat Belt Assemblies

Topics:  Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards

Christopher A. Hart
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
13 July 1994

[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 133 (Wednesday, July 13, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-17000]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: July 13, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 571

[Docket No. 74-14; Notice 90]
RIN 2127-AE79

 

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Occupant Crash 
Protection; Seat Belt Assemblies

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule, technical amendment, date for early optional 
compliance.

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SUMMARY: On April 15, 1994, NHTSA published a final rule amending 
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, Occupant Crash 
Protection, and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 209, Seat 
Belt Assemblies. It gave manufacturers of replacement seat belt 
assemblies intended for use only in specifically identified motor 
vehicles a choice of two means of providing information about the 
seating positions and vehicle models for which the assemblies are 
appropriate. The information may be provided either on the assembly 
itself or in the installation instruction sheet required to accompany 
the assembly. The final rule also provided that the labeling 
requirement does not apply to two types of seat belt assemblies when 
they are installed as original equipment in a new motor vehicle. The 
final rule is effective October 12, 1994.
    General Motors (GM) petitioned for reconsideration, requesting that 
manufacturers be allowed to delete information that will no longer be 
required now instead of waiting until October 12, 1994. This notice 
provides the requested relief.

DATES: The amendments to Section 571.208 (49 CFR 571.208) and Section 
571.209 (49 CFR 571.209), published at 59 FR 17992, April 15, 1994, 
continue to be effective October 12, 1994.
    Seat belt assemblies and vehicles manufactured before October 12, 
1994, may voluntarily comply on July 8, 1994, with those rules instead 
of the requirements currently in effect.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Daniel S. Cohen, Office of Vehicle 
Safety Standards, NRM-12, National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. 
Telephone: (202) 366-4911.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 15, 1994, NHTSA published a final 
rule amending Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, Occupant 
Crash Protection, and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 209, 
Seat Belt Assemblies, to allow manufacturers of all replacement seat 
belt assemblies intended for use only in specifically identified motor 
vehicles a choice of two means of providing information regarding the 
seating positions and vehicle models for which the assemblies are 
appropriate (59 FR 17992). The information may be provided either on 
the assembly itself or in the installation instruction sheet currently 
required to accompany the assembly. The final rule also narrowed the 
applicability of the labeling requirement so that it does not apply to 
two types of seat belt assemblies when they are installed as original 
equipment in a new motor vehicle. NHTSA amended Standards Nos. 208 and 
209 because the new requirement will provide manufacturers more 
flexibility in the manner of providing installation information without 
decreasing the likelihood that belts will be correctly installed. The 
final rule is effective October 12, 1994.
    On May 2, 1994, General Motors (GM) petitioned for reconsideration 
of the April 15 final rule. Specifically, GM requested an amendment to 
the effective date to allow manufacturers to begin now to delete 
information that will no longer be required. In the absence of this 
relief, the manufacturers will have to continue providing the 
information until the October 12, 1994 effective date.
    Prior to October 12, 1994, Standard No. 209 will continue to 
specify three different sets of requirements for the provision by 
manufacturers of replacement seat belt assemblies of information 
regarding the vehicle models and seating positions for which the 
assemblies are appropriate. The standard requires some seat belt 
assemblies to be labeled, some to be both labeled and accompanied by an 
installation instruction sheet, and some simply to be accompanied by an 
installation instruction sheet. A complete discussion of which 
requirement applies to which type of belt can be found in the April 15 
final rule. The April 15 final rule replaced these three different sets 
of requirements with the single provision described above.
    Since the April 15 final rule was intended to ease the burden on 
manufacturers, by providing manufacturers with more flexibility and 
deleting redundant requirements, the agency is adopting the requested 
amendment.
    NHTSA finds for good cause that this final rule can be made 
effective immediately. This final rule imposes no duties or 
responsibilities on any party. Manufacturers may continue to comply 
with the current requirements until the previously established 
effective date of the April 15, 1994 final rule. As an alternative, 
this final rule gives manufacturers the option of complying instead 
with the requirements of Standard No. 208 and Standard No. 209, as 
amended by the April 15, 1994 final rule, which will become effective 
October 12, 1994.
    Accordingly, under the authority of 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 
30117, and 30166, and the delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50, the 
amendments to Section 571.208 (49 CFR 571.208) and Section 571.209 (49 
CFR 571.209), published at 59 FR 17992, April 15, 1994, continue to be 
effective October 12, 1994. Seat belt assemblies and vehicles 
manufactured before October 12, 1994, may voluntarily comply on July 8, 
1994, with those rules, in lieu of the requirements currently in 
effect.

Rulemaking Analyses and Notices

Executive Order 12866 (Regulatory Planning and Review) and DOT 
Regulatory Policies and Procedures

    This action was not reviewed under the Executive Order. NHTSA has 
considered the impact of this rulemaking action under the Department of 
Transportation's regulatory policies and procedures and determined that 
this action is not significant within the meaning of those policies and 
procedures. This final rule gives manufacturers the option of complying 
either with the current requirements of Standard No. 209, or the 
requirements of Standard No. 209 as amended by the April 15, 1994 final 
rule, which will be effective October 12, 1994. Accordingly, this final 
rule will not impose any costs on manufacturers. The impacts are thus 
so minimal that a full regulatory evaluation was not prepared.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    NHTSA has also considered the impacts of this final rule under the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act. I hereby certify that this rule will not 
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities. As explained above, the agency has determined that this final 
rule will not have any cost impacts. Accordingly, a regulatory 
evaluation has not been prepared for this final rule.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-
511), there are no requirements for information collection associated 
with this final rule.

National Environmental Policy Act

    NHTSA has also analyzed this final rule under the National 
Environmental Policy Act and determined that it will not have a 
significant impact on the human environment.

Executive Order 12612 (Federalism)

    Finally, NHTSA has analyzed this rule in accordance with the 
principles and criteria contained in E.O. 12612, and has determined 
that this rule will not have significant federalism implications to 
warrant the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

Civil Justice Reform

    This final rule does not have any retroactive effect. Under 49 
U.S.C. 30103, whenever a Federal motor vehicle safety standard is in 
effect, a State may not adopt or maintain a safety standard applicable 
to the same aspect of performance which is not identical to the Federal 
standard, except to the extent that the State requirement imposes a 
higher level of performance and applies only to vehicles procured for 
the State's use. 49 U.S.C. 30161 sets forth a procedure for judicial 
review of final rules establishing, amending or revoking Federal motor 
vehicle safety standards. That section does not require submission of a 
petition for reconsideration or other administrative proceedings before 
parties may file suit in court.

    Issued on July 8, 1994.
Christopher A. Hart,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-17000 Filed 7-12-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P